I have not been paid by any entity in any way (financially, benefits) to write this České dráhy EuroCity First Class review. Take precautions when traveling; please stay safe and consult local, state, and national authorities for guidance on traveling.

The most common way to travel across European borders is via rail. Europe has a very sophisticated rail system, which features modern and comfortable train service to almost all corners of the continent. On this day, after checking out from the JW Marriott Berlin, my journey was a short hop from Berlin to Prague on České dráhy’s EuroCity train service in their first class cabin. A true delight!

Trip: IAD-MUC, MUC-BER, BER-PRG, PRG-FRA, FRA-CDG, CDG-CPH, CPH-BRU, BRU-IAD

Quick Take: České dráhy EuroCity First Class Review

Category	Rating (Out of 10)
Seat Comfort	✅ 7/10
Dining & Beverages	✅ 7/10
Service & Crew	✅ 7/10
Lounge Access	✅ N/A
Value for Points/Cash	✅ 10/10

Excellent train ride with no frills but also no fuss. First class was nothing special but definitely nicer than Second class.

Train Details

Company: České dráhy (CD)
Train No.: EC 171
Route: Berlin Hbf – Prague hl.n.
Cabin Class: First Class
Carriage: Ampz passenger carriage
Seat: 44
Booking Method: Cash
Cost: 49 EUR (one-way)
Date: August 19, 2024
Travel Time: 4h 08m

Booking & Boarding Experience

I booked this ticket direct with CD online, and decided to splurge and got first class tickets on the EuroCity train to Prague. Now, first class is a nicer cabin and experience compared to second class, but it would be disingenuous to pretend that there is a clear difference. Sure, the seats are nicer and you get a free bottle of water onboard, but that’s just about the extent of the “premium” experience. For the first time though, it was nice to experience it!

I reserved my seat, 44, and once it was time to depart, I quickly hopped on and settled in for the journey to Prague!

First Class Cabin & Seat Review

First class was operated on a Ampz passenger carriage, which featured seating in a 1-2 configuration, with some seat sets featuring a dividing table console. Today, I was seated in seat 44, which shares a companion seat. The cabin was comfortable, and had an overhead rack to store luggage.

The legroom was very generous, and being 6’1″ I greatly appreciated this.

The seat also features a footrest that deploys from underneath the seat in front of you, which is a nice perk to have on long train rides. The cabin was silent the entire journey, which was a nice atmosphere to travel in throughout the morning.

Dining & Refreshments

CD operates a WRmz restaurant carriage on this journey, which is laid out with dining tables set with a dining cloth.

I really loved the setup, which included booths for four or if you were dining in a pair, tables for two.

I ordered a latte and a sandwich. They had a full service kitchen onboard, and were cooking up omelets and other type of dishes for other guests. But seeing that it was early I decided to keep it simple. Solid sandwich, but nothing spectacular.

Amenities & Extras

The restrooms were located in the first class carriage, and were clean enough.

Nothing incredible but functional bathrooms are always a plus.

Is EuroCity First Class Worth It?

Taking the CD from Berlin to Prague was a treat. Trains are one of my favorite modes of transportation, and I am disappointed that the U.S. does not have more functional rail service. Although the CD wasn’t as fast or “premium” as the DB ICE trains, and there was no lounge access because of DB imposed restrictions, it was nonetheless a fantastic experience and I hope to do it again soon.

Overall Rating: 7.8/10

What are your thoughts? Have you been on the CD in first class? Let me know in the comments!

As always, Live Life One Trip at a Time!

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