First Class Train Adventures

Conquering Fast, Tricky Trains in Europe

First class train adventures come with the first class rail pass that can take you comfortably and quickly throughout Europe, usually faster and more easily than going by car.  On many inter-European routes, the excellent high speed train network can operate more efficiently and comfortably than planes.

Although first class train travel is not inexpensive, it is used extensively by business travelers and tourists alike.  However, travel from country to country and on different types of trains presents unique challenges.

The Easy Side of First Class Travel Adventures

The TGV train from Paris to Stuttgart, a distance of more than 300 miles, only takes three and a half hours and reaches speeds up to 120 miles per hour.  The first class reserved seats are very comfortable, and a boxed lunch is included in your ticket price.

It is not difficult to identify your TGV train at the Gare de l’Est train station in Paris and find your assigned rail car and reserved seats before beginning your first class train adventures.  There are luggage racks at the end and middle of each car and also in the second level seating section, which has better viewing but also steps which make hauling suitcases up and down more difficult.

In Switzerland train travel is extremely easy and efficient, offering checked through luggage service which eliminates having to carry your bags with you on the trains.  However, service in other European countries is not as streamlined, which makes your first class train adventures more challenging.

The Tricky Aspect of First Class Train Adventures

We discovered that German natives were also baffled by some of the contradictory scheduled train information in Germany.  Even after checking diligently with the official German online train schedules and the posted schedules on the station platform to match the train number, departure time, and platform, it is still possible to end up at the wrong destination.

So, in spite of doing everything correctly, you can find your yourself suddenly scrambling to re-route yourself back to the correct town.  This can cause your first class train adventures to tilt toward the negative.
Another pitfall to be aware of is the split train.  As you board the train to your destination and relax with the certainty that you will arrive on time, you may not understand the announcement in the local language advising that the train will split halfway there and the section with your car will go in another direction.  We found that asking a conductor at each stop whether we were still going in the right direction saved us another detour.

At one stop, four passengers from our train car suddenly had to jump up and run to the other half of the train in order to continue in the right direction.  Although the others all spoke German, no announcement had been made about the train splitting.  Only our question to the conductor allowed  everyone to get to the right part of the train in time and continue their first class train adventures.

The split platform departure area was a new twist.  While waiting on the designated departure platform for a train due in 15 minutes, the departure screen suddenly indicated a train going to a different area in 20 minutes.  What had happened to our train?  The printed posted platform schedule indicated that our train would stop at the platform for 2 minutes to board.

After moving back along the platform, it became apparent that several trains arriving close together and all going in the same direction would stop at different points along the same platform.  If you were not at the right spot on the platform, you would not have time to board.  It was a nerve wracking system and appeared to be confusing to the local travelers as well.

Although first class high speed trains in Europe are excellent for rapid travel in most countries, it is essential to know about some of the pitfalls to guard against, especially since most of the announcements on the regional trains are not in English.

In contrast, the Swiss are a shining example of the best in European first class train adventures.  If all the other countries ran their trains as efficiently and transparently as the Swiss, train travel everywhere in Europe would be a breeze.

If you would like to plan a first class train adventure in Europe for your vacation, please schedule your free 20 minute phone consultation with our luxury travel consultants.