Irishtraveler

Is 1st class worth it? Or is 2nd class comfortable enough.

fransknorge

What are you looking for in 1st class ?
If it is a solo seat, you can get one usually. The seating in 1st is 2+1 as opposed to 2+2 in 2nd class. However the solo seats are taken quickly and if you are booking close to departure none could be free. Nevertheless the pair seats are wide enough, wider than 2nd class. There are also more legroom.
Service at seats from the dining car is hit and miss, you are supposed to be able to order from the ICE portal using the train Wifi but I never seen it work in practice. Although usually the attendant will pass asking for orders. Wifi is the same in 1st and 2nd class.
I tend to book 1st class if the journey is more than 2h30 minutes typically, and I know which train I will take, without need for flexibility. But if I need flexibility I take a 2nd class ticket as the price hike to a flexible 1st class ticket is high.

mlin32

Depends on the duration of your trip.

On longer or more heavily frequented trips, I choose first class just so I don't have people crowding in the walkway right next to me, as in Germany, seat reservations are optional so on busy sectors, I've had people crowding right next to me in 2nd class.

Irishtraveler

The journey is from Berlin to Munich taking 4:30 roughly. I won’t be getting a single seat as I am traveling with a friend.

fransknorge

Then you have all elements to take a decision, see if the price differential is acceptable to you. See if you can get a Sparpreis ticket if you do not need flexibility.

blitzen

Sometimes the price difference is not much more than it would cost you to reserve a seat (which is as far as I know included in the 1st class ticket).

flyingfkb

1st class is less crowded, often quieter and you have more space. Seat reservation is included in the ticket price. You also can order beverages/food service at your seat and do not need to walk to the bistro car. In 2nd class you must pay extra for a seat reservation (which I recommend on the Berlin-Munich route since it is very popular)

realworld

I was annoyed with our seat reservation in 2nd that we had to hurry to get to the seat or it would be given away, someone was sitting there, so we had to kick them out. And luggage storage was a pain. That was Cologne to Brussels.
If the cost isn't much more, got for 1st.

blitzen

It won’t be given away - someone tried to BS you

Giggleswick

According to Deutsche Bahn, a seat reservation remains valid for 15 minutes after departure.
https://www.bahn.com/en/offers/Seat-...tion-and-other

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blitzen

But how would you need to "hurry" ... by the time you arrive at the seat a few minutes after boarding it is still valid.

mlin32

This is normal on the German ICE, people will often just sit wherever they want for as long as they want even if it's a reserved seat for someone else. Just show them your seat reservation and firmly ask them to sit elsewhere.

newtomsing

Experienced before 1st class train Warsaw/Prague, it was a compartment, albeit the whole compartment feels like reserved for me - because I was alone in it.
Then another 1st class Warsaw/Berlin, where there are still 4 seats per row (2/2).
Then another 1st class Warsaw/Berlin, where there are 3 seats per row (1/2)
I'd normally check the seat allocation first of the train for first class before choosing it. Because if its the same as in 2nd, then there's no point (at least for me)
But if you want peace, definitely 1st class - less crowded

blue2002

yes

blue2002

None of the above are DB ICE.