Hi all,
Is there a big difference between 1st class and 2nd class seating on the Eurostar train? If booking through selectitaly (which is way easier than Trenitalia), the price difference is about $15 for a one way ticket from Rome to Florence. Is 1st class worth it? Why/why not? Thanks for all of your help.

It's only a 90 minute ride and 2nd class ES is much better than a coach airline seat. I wouldn't pay extra to Select Italy when you can just purchase the tickets when you get to Italy. 1st cl ES should cost 51.30€ and 2nd cl 36.10€ for standard fares and 41€/28.9€ for Amica discount fares (must purchase at least 24 hours in advance).
This is a picture of 1st cl (on the right).
http://www.trenitalia.com/en/treni_s...i_a_bordo.html

This is a picture of 2nd cl ICPlus seats but ES trains will be similar.
http://www.trenitalia.com/en/treni_s...ity/index.html

There's not really that much of a difference, so considering it's a short ride, I'd book 2nd class.

The only difference is that 1st class isn't as crowded as 2nd class and therefore you feel a bit more comfortable, but it's basically the same.

Is it the same price buying in one place or the other?
I think I paid aprox 31 euros one way in Italy.
In this case buy first class is nor worth it. Second class is of course numbered and confortable. Difference will be minimal.

Hi E,

> the price difference is about $15 for a one way ticket from Rome to Florence. Is 1st class worth it?

If you have to ask about whether spending an extra 10E is worth it for such a short ride, it is not.

On the other hand, if you're willing to buy your tickets through selectitaly and pay the premium they charge it shows that the $15 price difference really doesn't matter to you. Convenience is more important.

If you wait to buy your tickets until you're in Italy my guess is that the 1st class will be less than you're already planning to pay for 2nd class from home.

I agree and it is so easy to buy it in ITaly.

Did Venice-Florence 2nd class and Florence-Rome 1st and I can't really say that there was any difference worth noting. In both classes, there were the same PITA tray-tables/dividers between facing seat sets.

HTH
Knick

I reserved first class tickets from Florence to Venice on trenitalia at home, and it wasn't that difficult. However, when I got to Florence, I saw that it would have been very easy to just buy the ticket at the machine. There was no line.

On the other hand, we were in first class, and all the seats were full so it was probably a good thing that we had reserved seats.

Another consideration is room for luggage. Is it the same in first & second class? There was hardly room for the luggage on our train, and we ended up surrounded by suitcases.