travel_princess

Is it worth the extra money to buy 1st class vs. 2nd class for swiss trains? We will have luggage on a couple of the trips but most of the time will be doing site seeing journeys during the days. Thanks.

PalenQ

IME the difference between classes on Swiss trains are not as great as in other countries - you usually find lots of empty seats in 2nd class - not so in some countries so you can just hop on and find a seat and find room for your luggage.

That said there is a difference - seats in first class are bigger and there will be many more empty seats - easy to saddle from side to side as the scenery dictates, etc.\

But few train trips in Switzerland are very long and if doing day trips sans luggage most find second class perfectly well suited for them.

For oodles of great stuff on Swiss trains and answers to questions like this I always spotlight these IME fantastic sources - http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html; www.ricksteves.com and www.swisstravelsystem.com.

If traveling before the end of November and in spring from say mid April to the end of May there is often a 2 for 1 special on some types of Swiss Passes so if traveling then very little train travel (or boats and buses, also included in the pass coverage) can make a pass pay off quickly.

fmpden

This is a frequently asked question with various opinions. Most person preference. We rarely if ever view 1st class as worth the difference. Second class is comfortable - more like business class on the airlines. First class is roomier but we are normal size people so the extra space isn't needed.

Dukey1

I usually opt for First for rail travel but in Switzerland I agree that 2nd is more than adequate. It is true that there will be fewer seats in First in the same space as there are more seats in Second. If you aren't on a pass the price of First can often be double that of Second and I just don't think it is worth the extra money.

swandav2000

Hi travelprincess,

When I'm travelling a long-ish distance with luggage, I do like to go first class. There are fewer travellers, so it's easier to find a vacant seat, and more room for luggage. There are fewer families, so it's usually quieter, too.

But for day-trips when you're just making a quick out-and-back, then 2d class is fine.

Have fun as you plan!

s

PalenQ

Some minor differences - if going on boats the open-air upper deck is only open to first-class ticket holders (if you have a 2nd class pass you can pay the difference between the first- and second-class fares on board as an upgrade

and I believe some panoramic observation glass-domed train cars may require first class tickets as do the vaunted VIP tickets on the Golden Pass train, where you virtually sit right next to the driver.

so if say getting a Swiss Pass if doing those things then you may want to consider a first-class pass - otherwise 2nd class is just fine for most folks.

PalenQ

The only trains I've noticed where first class really makes a difference are those around rush hours going into and then out of large cities like Zurich or Bern - then I have seen SRO in 2nd class whilst first class had many empty seats.

But for the trains the average tourist will ride this is rarely the case.

travel_princess

Thanks for all the help!

suze

I've bought 1st class for exactly what PalenQ describes (and at my friend's recommendation who lives there). 1st class was worth it for the short ride from Geneva airport out to Vevey or Montreux if I happen to arrive during a commute time.

PalenQ

my experiences and suze's show the big difference between 1st and 2nd class on Swiss trains - SRO situation can always be possible in 2nd class on commuter trains and virtually every IC train in the country could be considered a commuter train in this tiny tiny country.

So if your travels are largely between cities then first class may be well worth the cost - just boarding and finding many empty seats usually in 1st and possible SRO conditions in 2nd class. But of course it depends on the time of day you travel.

PalenQ

for those wishing to economize and go 2nd class but may be afraid of encountering a mob scene there as I and suze have observed keep in mind that you can always, if finding 2nd class a mob scene, go sit in first class and then pay the conductor the difference between a 2nd class ticket and the normal first class price - pay that on the train.

This way most will find most trains just dandy in 2nd class so no need to buy a first class pass or ticket but just in case you can always move into first class if conditions dictate it and then pay the difference in normal 2nd and 1st class fares - kind of a rule of thumb on most Europeans train.

PalenQ

If buying a Swiss Pass then a first class pass can have some benefits like on lake boats only a first-class ticket or pass lets you on the much more preferred IME open-air top deck and on some specialty trains like the Golden Pass you may need first class for some special seating - like the vaunted VIP seats on this train or in observation cars on other trains.