Originally Posted by
dieuwer2
I found some photos online of the Xi'an North train station and the G-class carriages. Looks really nice. I am now warming up to taking the train
Do you think first class is worth the $50 difference? In Europe I always travel first class on AVE/ICE/TGV because I like the quietness and service compared to the overcrowded and noisy 2nd class.
Edit to add: There also seem to be "business class" seats on G-trains.
The "business class" (or VIP) seats are more premium than "first class" (yes, reverse of airline terminology). They are not worth the money.
As to first vs second class on this G train, I think you'll find it comparable to the situation in Europe as to population-density. But if you think Chinese first class will be club-lounge quiet and/or have no kids/families/noisy conversationalists, well it ain't so. On journeys of this length, I'd probably go for the first class unless budget is really tight. Go first if you're a physically big/tall person, the seats are roomier than first class on a flight. Second class train seat is perfectly surviveable though, if you'd prefer to spend your cash on a great meal or a nice massage in Beijing (like me!).