Train seating
 

I am booking 2 seats on a Frecciarossa train. Do most people book seats opposite each other or side by side? It seems more natural to me to be side by side to allow for easy conversation but perhaps a window seat each is better?

If you book opposite seats, make sure at least one of you isn't going to feel sick from sitting in the "wrong direction".

On the other hand, if one of you is indeed prone to travel sickness, seats opposite each other mean that you will always have one seat in direction of travel.

I prefer facing each other. We can divide up the foot space and the tray table amicably, whereas when there's a stranger across from me, I'm always worried about invading her space.

Depends on the route as to whether a person who starts out facing in the direction of travel actually spends the entire trip doing so.

I prefer airline style seating - if you are on a table of four you will spend the whole time trying to avoid other people's legs.

some folks just can't stand to sit going backwards - the scenes that is - and I strongly like to sit facing the front of the train.

Plus if you get two side by side seats then you don't hesitate to ask the other person if you need to get up and out - if it's your companion - get two facing window seats then you both have someone else sitting next to you and IME a bit hesitate to ask them to get u so you can get out...

Get two facing window seats if you are in First...no worries about people's legs or any of that "meet the locals" stuff.

Get two facing window seats if you are in First...no worries about people's legs or any of that "meet the locals" stuff.>

And that is a key for me in first class - rows with just one seat in each and they can face each other with a table in between - no bothering others or being bothered by others to get up and out, etc and an aisle and a window seat both for both! First class IME is a significantly more relaxed ride - usually there are many empty seats and you also get a free beverage and snack. For a general look at Italian trains and first and second class on European trains in general: www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.seat61.com

- Man in Seat 61 himself here on a thread a while ago talking about Italian trains said he 'was an aficionado of first class - first class may at times on discounted tickets be not much more than 2nd class and even though some here insist first class is not worth a single euro more than 2nd class IME I heartily disagree - there is a significant difference and if on the trip of a lifetime splurge a bit and go in a more relaxed way - also much easier IME to stow luggage as half the seats in first class are often empty - just put bags on a nearby empty seat, etc. 2nd class is typically much much fuller with more people in the same-sized train car less space for easily stowing baggage.

Sitting side by side staring at a seat back 6" from your nose isn't natural. They don't design restaurants or bars or lounges like that!

And why fight over who gets the window seat?

I always book face to face, that's so you can talk naturally, as you would in a restaurant, and you both get a window! And you can enjoy playing footsie, or at least, arrange your feet either side to stretch out.

In first class, a face to face table for two is perfect, you both get window and you both also get 'aisle'. The best or both worlds.

Going backwards is perfectly normal on trains, and as they ride smoothly on rails it's not a problem. Think cruise liner restaurant - half the diners are going backwards at 20 knots and nobody notices!

I find Americans obsess about facing forwards, those of us here in Europe are used to train travel and know it's not really a problem - even if we'd marginally prefer facing forwards on balance. ;0)

Sorry - many people - me included - easily become motion sick and there is no way I can ride sitting backwards on a train. Dramamine helps - but then I'm really sleepy the whole time and see nothing.

So we always get side by side seats. As for not being like a restaurant - tons of them have banquettes where the patrons sit side by side and usually this is more intimate that regular tables. Frankly I don;t like trains with tables - prefer airline type seating with pull down trays - unless it's the kind of train with first class compartments with plenty of room between you and other passengers.

SOme people get annoyed by people talking loudly facing each other during a trip, it's kind of rude to impose your conversation on others in a public place IMO. You should read and/or listen to some music with earphones, and be quiet.

I like to face the direction I'm going and it isn't some silly "obsession" because I'm American. I enjoy the trip that way more, and physically I do sometimes notice the difference in my stomach.

Kind of odd for Man in Seat61 who is always touting how superior train travel is for the views to say your direction is irrelevant.

There's no way to guarantee you'll be facing forward on an Italian train. Many stations, including the main stations in Rome, Florence, and Venice, are pull in, back out stations, so the direction of travel changes every time you pass through one of these stations.

The best you can do is travel with someone who doesn't get motion sickness, get facing seats, and switch as necessary.

Palenq is getting ever more hysterical, and he doesn't know what he's talking about. His knowledge of Italy could be engraved on a pin head.

The people who ride first class in Italy are mostly business travelers on expense accounts (although even these are being restricted to 2nd class lately) and foreign tourists who have been sold a bill of goods about how awful 2nd class is.

I never said I wouldn't pay a penny more for first class. I have often chosen first class when a good discount brings the price down to the vicinity of 2nd class. I did say I wouldn't pay a penny more for "Premium" class, but Palenq doesn't know the difference between that and first class.

First class in Italy (although not in some other European countries) is vastly overpriced. It's not worth the extra money, and I stand by that.

so at least muy point was there is a difference between classes not just "a few inches of seat" as you previously said and that is all I am quibbling with - there are a lot of differences besides "a few inches of seats" as I have pointed out as does Man in Seat 61 and anyone who knows anything about trains in Europe, Italy or Lichtenstein!

And yes on the trip of a lifetime splurge and go first class for a much more relaxed ride IME (but not in bvienci's who a few days back says where she lives she rarely rides any high speed trains!

Palenq, you are misquoting me again!!! I said I don't often ride Frecciarossa trains because they don't come near where I live. However, I'd bet that I've used them far more often than you have.

The more you talk the more you reveal your ignorance about Italian trains.

For the 20th time, Frecciarossa trains don't have 1st and 2nd class anyway. They have four classes, and the two classes that have seating that differs in the slightest from the lowest class cost 50% or 125% more than Standard class, the cheapest. A real rip-off.

I do ride other types of high-speed train, such as the Frecciargento and the Frecciabianca, quite frequently. I was on a Frecciargento train just yesterday. I had two seats to myself on the way to Venice and was in a half-empty carriage on the way back, both times in 2nd class. There are no Frecciarossa trains on the line to Venice, by the way.

The only value I would get out of 1st class is a few inches of seat (3 to be exact) and a few inches of legroom (2 to be exact). Nothing else they offer has any value for me, not the single seats (which are not at all guaranteed), not the Sole 24 Ore newspaper, and certainly not the "free" beverage that I would have just paid 20 euros for.

For the 20th time, Frecciarossa trains don't have 1st and 2nd class anyway>

Whatever class my first class pass gets me into is to me first class and that is anything above the highest 2nd class - trains havea 1 in a circle on them to indicate first-class cars do they not (no have not seen the newest of the new high-speed ETR technolocy trains) but I bet they have a 1 in a circle on the outside of cars that are first class - whatever first class or whatever you chose to call it that my pass lets me use is in my experience much more than the "few inches of extra seat and leg room" you keep saying is the only difference - that is what I call first class and that is anything I guess above Premium class.

You should express your opinion on what you find adequate but not IMO comletely distort the very significant difference between classes - and I am not the only one by far to feel so.

Locals have different views and needs on trains than do foriengers who yes are on the trip of a lifetime - another thing you have disdained in comments - and with a lot of luggage especially first class has significant benefits - you said before that first class is usually half-empty - well that is one key difference between it and a generally packed IME 2nd class.

I think you should be more objective and don't say the difference between classes is just a few inches of seat as you continually say is the only difference - that is far far off the mark and I think you know it - perplexed why you do it? Outline the differences and let the person make their own judgment - not distort and say you are foolish to even spend a few extra euros on first class.

I like window seats and usually book opposite each other, but either choice will still allow conversation. You used to see people across from each other to play cards. Not so much now as everyone is on their phone or tablet these days.

Here's a picture of 2nd class on a Frecce train to give you an idea of the space and table widths. The tables have leaves that flip out.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ssainterno.jpg

If this is a short trip such as Rome/Florence, Rome/Naples, etc., it's not going to matter much about the seating. You will have barely settled in and relaxed before it's time to gather your things to get off.

don't expect any 2nd class train car to look like that promo photo kybourbon always drags out - put people in every seat and bags all over plus that is the very newest train car - very misleading IME of what to expect in 2nd class - why not show a more realistic photo?

I cannot BELIEVE this thread is still here! Buy the damned tickets in the class you want and BE DONE WITH IT!!!!

It seems more natural to me to be side by side to allow for easy conversation but perhaps a window seat each is better?>

Back to the original question - I like sitting side by side with folks I know because then to get out of a seat you need not bother strangers - with both in one row you only bother each other - plus I like many love to sit as the train goes forward!

Depending on where you are going, the train might reverse itself so that forward Facing seats become backwards facing seats at some point. It happened to us on a Frecciargento train from Venice to Rome. The train reversed in Florence. Not so good for a motion sick person like me!

Here is a photo I took three days ago in 2nd class on a Frecciargento train from Venice to Rome.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink

People in every seat? Bags all over the place? In your fantasies, Palenq! I was the only person in a group of four seats.

I didn't want to intrude on anyone's privacy, so I took the photo at an angle that missed most of the faces, and blurred the one face that was visible. I think you can see that the passengers have plenty of leg room and that the seats are comfortable.

Here's a photo of a 1st class car that I took on the same train. I was seated in the bar car when I took it. The seats don't look much different to me except for that so-called "leather".

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink

This car was even more empty than the 2nd class car, because people like me vastly outnumber people who waste their money on 1st class.

so there goes one picture on one train and that is supposed to represent all trains in general - the pure blatant misinformation for whatever reason on the singificant difference between classes continues.....???

Note the angle of the first-class photo - purposefully maybe not showing the rows with one seat in them - the MAJOR difference between classes - a MAJOR difference for many like me who want an aisle and a window seat and not have to bother anyone else to get up and roam around, etc.

bvienci is a world of info on trains fares but in her words the difference between classes is only a few extra inches is so so off the mark - again the single row seats are to me and many much much more preferable and that is a significant difference of more than just 'a few extra inches of seat"!

I suggest that the fact that that 2nd class train car was so sparsely filled was an anomolay - yet bvienci tries to portray that is how every 2nd class car should be expected to be - so so off the mark - try to get a discounted ticket a couple of days apart on mainline trains and there often are not any and even not any at full price - enough said.

Palenq, you complained about KYBourbon's "stock" photo, so I gave you a real photo. Then you complain that mine represents only one day. Really, it's ridiculous. It's one day in high season, on the most heavily-beaten tourist route in Italy.

I don't go around taking photos every time I ride a train. I took all the photos at an angle to avoid invading the privacy of travelers. If someone wants to know what a single seat looks like, hold a piece of paper over the second seat.

In both directions that day, including on the more crowded morning train, I had two whole seats to myself, which is even better than a single seat. Of course that can't be guaranteed, but neither can a single seat, since two-thirds of the seats in 1st class are double seats. Anyway, if I had a seat companion, it wouldn't have been a bit of bother to me.

I got an economy fare in one direction even though I bought the tickets the day before travel. I've only once in 20 years encountered a train that was totally sold out, and that was on New Year's Eve going into Rome. And I've never been crowded on a Freccia train.

I don't usually buy tickets far enough in advance to get deep discounts. I don't mind paying full price to maintain my flexibility. It's a much better expenditure than paying 30% to 50% more for first class.

I'll be on a Frecciarossa train in a few weeks, and I'll try to take a few photos on that one as well.

To go back to one of your earlier blatherings, a 1st class rail pass won't get you on any of these trains unless you also pay €10 for a reservation.

Wow! Lots of advice and opinions. Thanks for the advice re trains, seating and the fact that you will not know which way the train is going. We've booked our seats facing each other and are happy with the train time and cost. Italy here we come!

Yes good remark about trains changing directions when they go into a terminal station like Florence S M N - the train goes in but has to reverse directions going out - this happens at only a few stations but you both may be going forward and backward 9and switch seats if it bugs one of yous too much!

Then you complain that mine represents only one day. Really, it's ridiculous. It's one day in high season, on the most heavily-beaten tourist route in Italy.>

OK let's make it clear - this is what someone can expect to find routinely on any high-speed train they may take?

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink

I note the lady with an empty seat to put her bags on and seats at most half full - I wish this would have been a shot down the whole aisle and not just of one tiny section which may, may have been selected to not show the whole train car?

Well I'll say if that is a typical 2nd class train car then yes I am surprised why anyone would pay even one euro extra for first class - but to me I don't believe that is a typical scene on high-speed trains - for example checking recently for trains Venice to Florence for the next day www.trenitalia.com said about half were sold out in 2nd class - enough said! I'll be back in Italy soon with camera in hand and report back.