Can anyone tell me what the extra $$ buys me for traveling 1st class. I'm planning a ride from Cologne to Paris.

Also.. it seems there are 2 destinations in Paris:
Paris Gare du Nord
Charles de Gaulle Airport-TGV

If I were taking the train to stay in the city for a couple days, wouldn't I choose "du Nord"?

Thanks,
Steve

Save your money and go second class. It is not that big of a difference! Especially because your train ride is not that long.
Go to Paris Nord, it is in town as opposed to the outskirts and much easier to get around from.

Hi Spar,

1st class has wider seats and is usually quieter.

Your trip will be about 4 hr.

If you are under 40, I suggest 2cl.

We are in our early 60's and we nearly always travel second class on European trains. The extra money for first class buys us something else!

Hello Steve,

Early 50s, find 2nd class to be fine.

When you board a carriage, make sure your destination is written on it. That is, ensure you are boarding a correct carriage, not only the correct train. The reason for this warning is that trains sometimes split up during the journey.

Yes to Gare du Nord.

I find the differences to be minor: no "snacks" during the trip, vinyl floors in the cars instead of carpet, a bit less plush. We usually opt for second class and spend the extra on food and wine at our destination.

The Thalys train you're taking Cologne-Paris Nord in first class also gives a substantial snack and wine or beverage - seats are significantly bigger, more room for luggage but second class on this train is not bad. It seems funny to me that Fodorites often brag about their $100 meals and $150 hotels and then apply different standards to train travel. No matter what, my 30 years of experience riding thousands of trains leads me to KNOW that first class is much nicer - and not that second class is awful. Apply the same criteria to train travel as you would selecting a hotel or meal. That's just my opinion - i just feel that those saying there is little diff in classes havn't really traveled all that much on trains.

I agree with PalQ. Of course, it's an individual matter and if you want to save money there is nothing wrong with second class. But if you prefer more comfortable seating, often better air-conditioning, usually less crowded cars, nearly always cleaner, nicer, and more up to date cars, then the small difference in price is worth it to some of us. But then I'm not one who will say "I don't care about my room, I only use it to sleep in." Well, some of us don't enjoy sleeping in dumps -- even clean ones. It all depends on your own personal level of comfort when traveling.

It's also no different than the person who says "the house wine is just as good as the stuff you pay a lot more for". Anyone who says that simply doesn't appreciate good wine -- and that's their perogative, so of course it would be silly for them to spend more on good wine.

If you don't appreciate more comfort and if you aren't willing to pay a bit for getting it, then by all means take 2nd class -- it will get you there at the same time!

I agree with PAL as well, I've traveled for the last four years via trains all over and am always on the look out for a better deal. On some thalys trains it doesn't even feel that different between 1st and 2nd. To be honest. But hey... the posts are right. this is going to be a hunk of travel time and you might as well enjoy yourself and be comfortable

I also agree with PalQ, unless going 1st Class is going to financially hurt. This summer, my family went 1st Class on Thalys, TGV and French Corail trains and we noticed a real difference from 2nd Class. There is nothing wrong with going 2nd but the trip seemed significantly nicer in 1st.

The extra money buys you bigger seats, plusher upholstery, less crowded cars, usually quieter situation. It's really your call - also depends on the country, the route, and time of day.

For instance, I used 1st class (at the insistance of a local friend) leaving the Geneva airport (after an 11 hour flight and during evening rush hour on a weekday), but 2nd class on my return trip mid-day on a weekend.

We just got back and used first class travel. Trust me it's not that much nicer and sometimes you're still short on legroom but we did find that the 1st class cars were less crowded which provided more room for our luggage to be close to us.

An important consideration, I believe even more than comfort, is the time of travel: during "peak hours" 1st class could be crowded, while 2nd class would be completely packed. I happened to travel a lot by trains, and if you have your suitcase(s) with you, you are more than willing to pay the extra for the 1st class.