TGV first class or second class?
 

I just went to the TGV website and the difference between traveling first class and second class (between Luxembourg and Avignon for two persons) was huge - 6 euro vs. 228 euro. So I'm guessing the accomodations are drastically different as well. Help!

Second class tends to have one more seat per row, so you have a little more space for yourself in First - and it tends to be quieter. In addition, there tends to be less baggage stored at the ends of the cars, making it easier to find yours and get off the train when it time to depart.

Are you saying 6€ vs 228€? Or is there a typo here?

Second class is fine. I's nothing like the crowding in tourist class on airplanes.

I find it hard to believe there is a 6 euro ticket for that train trip - where can I see this fare? Please paste and copy - I am not saying you are not accurate but the fare belies belief!

Well a simple seat reservation fee say for railpass holders is 3 euros so for 2 that would be 6 euros.

I wasn't familiar with the options - loyalty program (there wasn't an option to say I don't participate in a loyalty program) and 2nd class daily was my best guess. I will only be taking the train one way from Luxembourg to Avignon and then will rent a car. Still, there shouldn't be that much difference in price between first and second class. I must not be understanding something.

I just checked a random date right after the holiday season to get an idea of fares within 2 weeks, and the SNCF site is showing about 115€ for 2nd class and about 130€ for 1st class.

Then I looked at the first days of March, which show 2nd class at about 80€ and 1st class for about 100€.

In terms of comfort, there is very little difference between the two classes, just fewer people in 1st class.

Second class is just fine.

That 6 euro fare is wacky - can't be correct. That said, there isn't much noticeable difference between 1st and 2nd class. I always opt for 2nd.

In terms of comfort, there is very little difference between the two classes, just fewer people in 1st class>

For 15 or 20 euros IMO first class is well worth it - there is more than a little difference and that's why zillions of folks pay more to ride in first class - if there was little difference there would probably be no first class!

Seats are 25% bigger since there are 3 in a row in lieu of 4 in 2nd class and most importantly to me there are lots of so-called 'isolated' seats - one seat with an aisle and a window - just one seat and sometimes these face each other with a table - much much more preferable to me than being next to someone else, especially if I am not on the aisle.

These isolated seats are much much nicer than the alwayas two by two 2nd class seats but you have to ask for them or chose them and not randomly depend on you being assigned one.

Why shouldn't there be "that much difference" between 1st and 2nd? Have you seen the differences between first and coach ON AIRLINES?????

Well the difference between classes on trains and that on airlines really bears no resemblance - as some say 2nd class on TGV trains is fine and it is - just that first class is a whole lot finer IME

But the difference on airlines is huge and that is represented by a huge price differential

But the above fare samples that show only 15 or 20 euros between classes is not that a significant a difference for what difference it can make - esp if you score one of the many isolated aisle and window seats - for a couple facing each other with a table in between.

I understand the difference in comfort, room, etc. between first and second class and I'm willing to pay that relatively small amount (kerouac found it to be 20 euro difference). My first attempt at pricing tickets revealed such a huge disparity (6 euro vs. 228 euro) and that is what didn't make sense to me.

The difference between 1st and 2nd class on trains doesn't bear any resemblance to the difference ON AIRPLANES! None.

You could never get a TGV ticket that cheap, probably to anywhere, let alone such a long distance.

I usually book first class if it's a trip of 3 or more hours. It's worth it to me, because I do like the fact that there is almost always more free space, but I do think it is sightly more comfortable. If I traveled a lot by train on business or something, it wouldn't be worth it, but when I'm on a vacation I take only once a year or something, it's worth it. I'd rather spend money on that than a few cups of coffee or bottled water, for example.

Sometimes there isn't even hardly any difference in fare.

First class may also have advantages in access to food and beverages. As many above do, if the tariff isn't too high we upgrade for longer trips but not short ones. Second class is not at all uncomfortable.

I have never been on a French train that had different food options depending on which class of seat you were in. Maybe they exist, but I've taken hundreds of trains in France and never came across that.

Well, there's the Eurostar, but it isn't a "French" train.

On the TGVs, the first class cars are usually situated close to the buffet cars, so better access to crappy, expensive junk food--bring your own supplies.

My PREM's ticket, first class Toulouse to Paris in late Sept, was 40 euros going up and 28 return 10 days later, worth it to me for a 5 1/2 hour journey. Seat next to mine was vacant, I slept most of the way, not quite a sleeper seat but at 5'4" I could just lie down.

PREM's fares go on sale 3 months before departure, are quoted one way and generally don't sell out immediately.

Actually, I have a 1st class ticket for Lille, only 55 minutes from Paris, but it was just 5€ more than 2nd class, so what the hell...