Insider’s reporter has traveled by train in various classes across the US, Europe, and Canada. Personally, I found the seats to be more comfortable and the bathrooms to be cleaner during my trips abroad. In general, I believe that train travel is more comfortable in Europe and Canada compared to the US. Trains are my preferred mode of transportation, and I have taken local coach trains in the US throughout my life. However, two years ago, I started taking long-haul train trips on the East Coast, trying out upgraded accommodations such as business and first class, as well as private sleeper cabins.
In October 2021, I spent a total of 60 hours on overnight Amtrak trains between NYC and Miami, opting for sleeper accommodations like roomettes and bedrooms. Then, in February 2022, I traveled in first and business class on Amtrak Acela trains between NYC and Baltimore. In August, I spent 10 more hours in Amtrak’s business class from NYC to Niagara Falls, NY. From there, I crossed the border into Canada and spent six hours traveling in business class from Toronto to Montreal, and then another four hours in coach from Montreal to Quebec City on Via Rail trains. By October 2022, I was ready for a different experience and decided to try train travel in Europe. I rode through four European countries – Germany, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland – over a two-week period, trying out different classes on various lines, including OBB Nightjet, Trenitalia, and InterCity Express. I experienced classes ranging from coach to first class, as well as shared sleeper cabins.
Since I haven’t traveled in private sleeper cabins abroad, I can’t compare them to my experiences. However, when it comes to day trips, I found train travel abroad to be more comfortable than in the US, whether in coach or business class. Amtrak told Insider that they are constantly looking for ways to improve the customer experience and differentiate the classes of service.
In terms of seat comfort, I found that Europe and Canada had the most comfortable seats. While I expected coach seats on Amtrak trains to be slightly uncomfortable due to their smaller size, I was disappointed by the stiffness of the chairs in first and business class. On the other hand, I was pleasantly surprised by the comfort of the seats in Via Rail trains in Canada, both in business and coach classes. In Trenitalia’s business class in Italy, I sat in the most comfortable train seat I’ve ever experienced, which felt like a small couch. Overall, I found the seats on my European routes to be less stiff than those in the US, with Canada’s train line offering the most comfortable seats.
When it comes to bathrooms, I believe that a clean restroom is essential for a comfortable train ride. Comparing business-class bathrooms on my trips, I found that the one on Amtrak resembled a typical train restroom, similar to what you would find in coach. The bathroom on Via Rail in Canada was also standard-sized and lacked noticeable business-class features, but it was cleaner than the Amtrak restroom. However, the business-class restroom on Trenitalia in Europe surprised me with its size, cleanliness, and additional features such as blue lighting and a large mirror above the sink. I also observed that European trains had high-tech features like touchless doors for the bathrooms and between cars, which I found more hygienic.
Although train travel has been less comfortable for me in the US compared to my experiences abroad, my love for trains keeps me choosing Amtrak for domestic travel. My journeys in Canada and Europe have also made me eager to explore more routes abroad and see how they compare.
