My wife and I are taking trains from Rome-Florence, Florence-Lausanne and Lausanne-Paris next month. We are travelling on a First Class Eurail Pass, and all of the trains will be either Eurostar Italia, Cisalpino or TGV. Can anybody advise us of the seating arrangements in those trains, i.e. can you reserve side-by-side, or facing each other across a table, or both? Or do you have a choice at all? On earlier advice from this board, we're not reserving until we get to Italy on Oct 9 (train travel on Oct 13, 18 and 20).

A further question: has anybody used a First Class Eurail Pass to travel from Rome's airport to the train station (Stazione Termini)? Eurail info seems to indicate the possibility.

Thanks for any advice-info.

I can answer the latter part of your question; I used a pass to travel from the stazione to the airport last year; there were no issues.

Thanks, usbeauty. One down.

I have been on the TGV in France and also the fast train in Italy. I have been on both first class and tourist. I personally can not see a difference between the first class and regular. I might have received a free coke, but that is about all. I really do not feel it is worth the money for first class.

Most of my trips on the TGV in France the seat was assigned and I think you can reserve a seat, but I think you would have to do that with the ticket agent at the station. They have the side by side seats and the seats that have a small table between them and the seats are facing each other.

TGV and Cisalpino (and probably Eurostar too) :

1st class is 2 seats - corridor - 1 seat.

On TGV, it could be face to face or one way (like airplane).

On Cisalpino, I have always been seated facing another.

2 seats facing other 2 seats have a table.

When I was alone or with another, I always requested the window seat(s) next to corridor and got them usually.

> Most of my trips on the TGV in France the seat was assigned and I think you can reserve a seat..

Actually with TGV, basically you have to have seat reservation. When you buy the ticket, you get one with coach/seat numbers ptinted on it. When you have a pass, I have never done it but I suppose you can get only seat resevation for a small fee.

Check out this site for seating info: www.seat61.com

Hi D,

If you use your railpass to travel from Rome's airport to the train station, you must have it validated at FCO.

It will cost you one day on your validity.

Normal fare is 11E.

To davidess, while your First Class Eurail Pass will work on the train from Fiumicino into Rome, there were no first class cars when I took it.

When you get your seat reservations in Italy, go to a travel agent rather than the train station. They'll be better able to discuss the seating options with you. (There's no surcharge on tickets/reservations bought from a travel agent. Plus they speak English and it's less hectic.)

If you haven't yet bought your pass, have you investigated whether it's cost-effective? (Use www.railsaver.com.) Train fares in Italy are inexpensive. And TGV fares can be cheap if bought ahead of time.

Actually, if you look at the ticket for the Leonardo Express, it's all first-class with no 2nd class seating.

I think the most important difference in trains class comes when you're travelling alone. I mean, First Class usually has a row of one seat only, while tourist has only two two seats rows. But if you're a couple..it becomes less important.