What are the best first class journeys in Europe?

[ivorytoast28]

What operators give the best 1st class experience? From my (very) limited knowledge/experience the first class experience on UK long distance operators is far better than elsewhere in Europe - is this true, does anywhere else offer meal service etc? And if not where is better?
Also is there anyway to obtain a directory of trains that have 1st class in Europe (especially in Eastern Europe this seems difficult to obtain)

 

[StephenHunter]

Had a very good first chance experience on DB back in 2016, going from London to Berlin via Brussels and Cologne.

 

[johncrossley]

What operators give the best 1st class experience? From my (very) limited knowledge/experience the first class experience on UK long distance operators is far better than elsewhere in Europe - is this true, does anywhere else offer meal service etc? And if not where is better?
Also is there anyway to obtain a directory of trains that have 1st class in Europe (especially in Eastern Europe this seems difficult to obtain)

The main difference is that your ticket doesn't generally include free food and drink like in Britain. But that (IMO) is no bad thing (as it means people who just want a nice seat don't have to pay for food they don't want or need) and good food in restaurants can be had as long as you pay.

 

[30907]

What operators give the best 1st class experience? From my (very) limited knowledge/experience the first class experience on UK long distance operators is far better than elsewhere in Europe - is this true, does anywhere else offer meal service etc? And if not where is better?

The only meal-inclusive services I can think of are:
Spain - the former Preferente (now Premium?) class on some AVE/Em services. Decent meal, slightly unpredictable accompaniments from limited experience.
France/Switzerland (and -Germany?) - TGV Lyria - no experience, but I would predict a cold meal like Eurostar. Ditto on Thalys to Belgium/Germany. In both cases ISTR the offer is now restricted.
Italy - FS and Italo high speedspeed offer some limited refreshments in first (same applies to Leo Express in CZ).

Also is there anyway to obtain a directory of trains that have 1st class in Europe (especially in Eastern Europe this seems difficult to obtain)

To the best of my knowledge the vast majority of longer-distance trains and certainly inter-city or equivalent services have first class. Austria and Norway sometimes have second class only on longer distance trains.
Www.vagonweb.cz shows train formations up to 2021 for Eastern and (especially) Central Europe, and will give you some idea.

Regional/local trains are more likely to be second class only except in Switzerland and Germany where dedicated first class is almost universal even on some S-bahn urban lines (note - it may not offer superior accommodation!). Benelux also have first class more-or-less everywhere.

 

[rf_ioliver]

VR's (Finland) "extra-class" gives better seats and a few extra services: https://www.vr.fi/en/facilities-and-services/services-in-the-ekstra-class, no free meal - that's been gone a long time (though it wasn't "free" but something like extra-business-plus)

I think the best I've had has been on the RailJet - if just for the weiner schnitzel and beer

 

[D6130]

The new Trenitalia Frecciarossa Francia service between Paris and Milano offers virtually unlimited free food and drink in Executive class for a one-way fare of 165 Euro. My wife and I will be travelling on the 06 31 departure from Paris next Wednesday and we intend to have breakfast, mid-morning tea or coffee with snacks and lunch on board. We'll let you know how we get on.

 

[MarcVD]

Business class railjet is for me the best of the best. Catering is not free but excellent and quite cheap. And the seat (only 2 per row) quality is unsurpassed.

 

[Beebman]

Another vote from me for Railjet - about 10 days ago I travelled from Budapest Keleti to Wien Hbf and I enjoyed a very tasty Wiener Schnitzel with a glass of Veltliner wine. I'm planning another trip to Austria in September thanks to the 50% Interrail offer.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

The new Trenitalia Frecciarossa Francia service between Paris and Milano offers virtually unlimited free food and drink in Executive class for a one-way fare of 165 Euro. My wife and I will be travelling on the 06 31 departure from Paris next Wednesday and we intend to have breakfast, mid-morning tea or coffee with snacks and lunch on board. We'll let you know how we get on.

Hope you enjoy your trip.

The Rail Jet product sounds good too.

I have found the included catering on Thalys and TGV/Lyria to Germany and Switzerland a bit mixed.

 

[30907]

Another vote from me for Railjet - about 10 days ago I travelled from Budapest Keleti to Wien Hbf and I enjoyed a very tasty Wiener Schnitzel with a glass of Veltliner wine.

Just to clarify - is this a different offer (apart from being at-seat), or cheaper, from that available in second class? I didn't think it was. (Business class carries a supplement in Austria.)

On non-food issues: first is particularly worth it on the handful of trains that have a panoramic coach - apart from Swiss internal services, there is the daily Zurich-Innsbruck-Graz train, and a daily Zurich-Rhine Valley-Hamburg.

 

[Beebman]

Just to clarify - is this a different offer (apart from being at-seat), or cheaper, from that available in second class? I didn't think it was. (Business class carries a supplement in Austria.)

I was in first class, the service was at-seat and I had to pay for the food and drink. The current menu can be found here:

https://www.oebb.at/dam/jcr:17e4b6bd-f5d0-4fe1-8e9a-a47a7abae5dd/folder-don-bistrokarte.pdf

The price was 11.80 EUR for the Wiener Schnitzel (actually I paid in Forints to get rid of most my remaining Hungarian currency).

 

[317666]

Something a bit different: The front row 'VIP' seats on MOB trains between Montreux and Zweisimmen in Switzerland.

 

[Watershed]

Spain - the former Preferente (now Premium?) class on some AVE/Em services. Decent meal, slightly unpredictable accompaniments from limited experience.

I think it'd be an overstatement to call it a meal, unless the service I experienced was different to normal. You get a snack box with a sandwich and a few other things, plus tea/coffee and wine.

Definitely a nice touch and Preferente usually isn't that much more than Standard, but you'll want to have something else to eat on top!

 

[Beebman]

I think it'd be an overstatement to call it a meal, unless the service I experienced was different to normal. You get a snack box with a sandwich and a few other things, plus tea/coffee and wine.

Definitely a nice touch and Preferente usually isn't that much more than Standard, but you'll want to have something else to eat on top!

This is what I received on a midday journey from Madrid to Valencia back in March:

 

[Austriantrain]

Austria […] sometimes have second class only on longer distance trains.

There is always first class in Takt long distance trains (IC, rj, rjx, ICE); some peak trains (run with a „D“ prefix) will only have second class, but these are rare.

 

[biko]

Ditto on Thalys to Belgium/Germany

Eurostar and Thalys have two types of first class, similar to Avanti, one with food (and papers I believe) and one without. The former is very expensive, the latter much more reasonable.

 

[Segedunum]

I think it'd be an overstatement to call it a meal, unless the service I experienced was different to normal. You get a snack box with a sandwich and a few other things, plus tea/coffee and wine.

Definitely a nice touch and Preferente usually isn't that much more than Standard, but you'll want to have something else to eat on top!

I received a hot meal with accompaniments on a Madrid to Barcelona AVE in March!

Granted it wasn't huge but it kept me going for lunch.

 

[duesselmartin]

the best has to be SBB Panoramic coaches for first class.
I prefer to be be disturbed for food and get it myself at the dining car to be honest.

 

[30907]

This is what I received on a midday journey from Madrid to Valencia back in March:

Either that has changedt, or you got a service that doesn't have the full offer. You need(ed) to check the Renfe website carefully!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 May 2022 ==

Eurostar and Thalys have two types of first class, similar to Avanti, one with food (and papers I believe) and one without. The former is very expensive, the latter much more reasonable.

ES Standard Premier offers a (cold) light meal.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Either that has changedt, or you got a service that doesn't have the full offer. You need(ed) to check the Renfe website carefully!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 May 2022 ==


ES Standard Premier offers a (cold) light meal.

ES Standard Premier used to do hot meals - I have very fond memories of their epic Gascon (heavily garlicked) fish pie. So good I asked for a second and got one.

I hope the Czech diners have survived on the Berlin - Dresden - Prague run , open to all , and superb cuisine and open to all in the car, without 1st class.

 

[randyrippley]

If you're after scenery rather than service, around 30 years ago I went Prague-Dresden following the river valley and it was like riding through a time-warp. Straight out of John Constable's subject matter. Horse-based farming, gloriously flower-rich unimproved meadows creating a scene that's only past history here.
I don't know if things have changed in the intervening time but if they've not it's worth the ride.
As for onboard service, even though this was post iron curtain, the train staff and border guards still maintained their communist efficiency with the German border control still wearing green East German uniforms.
There was food available in the restaurant car: basically a choice of red, purple, orange, yellow and red beetroot. Fried, roasted, mashed, croquettes, veggieburgers.................if you didn't like beetroot it was a bad day

Had to go first class, second was full. I think it cost me around £8. Big 2+1 facing armchair seats and large windows

 

[Bletchleyite]

Another vote from me for Railjet - about 10 days ago I travelled from Budapest Keleti to Wien Hbf and I enjoyed a very tasty Wiener Schnitzel with a glass of Veltliner wine. I'm planning another trip to Austria in September thanks to the 50% Interrail offer.

I thought it (1st, not the business compartments) was awful as the seats have a design flaw and won't stay upright.

 

[Austriantrain]

I thought it (1st, not the business compartments) was awful as the seats have a design flaw and won't stay upright.

I regularly travel in RJ first and have not noticed this. Maybe just a broken seat?

 

[biko]

ES Standard Premier offers a (cold) light meal.

Yes, you’re right, I was confused by NS International’s summary. It’s just Thalys which doesn’t offer food in basic first class, only in Premium.

 

[43096]

I hope the Czech diners have survived on the Berlin - Dresden - Prague run , open to all , and superb cuisine and open to all in the car, without 1st class.

There was a restaurant car last time I did that route (2 or 3 years ago); ČD have new stock on order from Siemens for that route (RailJet derivative) which as I understand it includes restaurant cars.

 

[Iskra]

As mentioned by @D6130 , Executive Class on a Frecciarossa is going to take some beating, it's the only product that competes with airline first class. It blows all other first class out of the water in my experience.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

As mentioned by @D6130 , Executive Class on a Frecciarossa is going to take some beating, it's the only product that competes with airline first class. It blows all other first class out of the water in my experience.

Totally and utterly agree. Superb coffee and served with genuine style and panache ..

 

[Austriantrain]

As mentioned by @D6130 , Executive Class on a Frecciarossa is going to take some beating, it's the only product that competes with airline first class. It blows all other first class out of the water in my experience.

You need a market for that to offer it, though. Apparently demand exists between Italy‘s large cities. The idea to offer a premium service on Austria’s RJ, OTOH, never took of and was cancelled after a couple of years; not enough passengers were willing to pay for it.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I regularly travel in RJ first and have not noticed this. Maybe just a broken seat?

I tried a few seats and all were the same. I think a design flaw that could not deal with my weight. I am quite heavy and have had this on some older aircraft, but I expect better in a premium class. In future I will go for the excellent Grammer IC3000s in 2nd and save my money!

RJ does have a higher class like FS, doesn't it?

 

[AlterEgo]

The only meal-inclusive services I can think of are:
Spain - the former Preferente (now Premium?) class on some AVE/Em services. Decent meal, slightly unpredictable accompaniments from limited experience.
France/Switzerland (and -Germany?) - TGV Lyria - no experience, but I would predict a cold meal like Eurostar. Ditto on Thalys to Belgium/Germany. In both cases ISTR the offer is now restricted.
Italy - FS and Italo high speedspeed offer some limited refreshments in first (same applies to Leo Express in CZ).

Sweden also - SJ does free breakfast on higher speed services in first class.