Train ticket: reserved seat or compartment?

The cost of a train ticket most often depends on the location and number of services. Therefore, sometimes there is a difficult choice to go in a compartment or a reserved carriage. Opinions on the topic are very much divided, so let's discuss how these cars differ, and in which it is better to go.

To begin with, let's analyze what each car represents. Please note that this comparison does not apply to double-decker and branded cars, as well as high-speed trains.

The reserved car is designed for 54 passengers. There are 9 open-type compartments in one car with 4 seats in each (two on top and two on the bottom), as well as 18 side seats (top and bottom). There are two toilets with washbasins in the car, there are also places for placing hand luggage, hooks for clothes, there is a table in each compartment and on the side seats. The width of the shelves is from 58 to 60 centimeters, the length is from 166.5 to 170 centimeters. The side shelves are already 3 centimeters, but longer. In the compartment car, respectively, there are no side shelves, and every 4 seats (2 shelves on top and two on the bottom) are separated by a lockable door on which there is a mirror. There are 36 passenger seats in total, located in 9 compartments, the rest, as in the reserved seat.

Let's start with the criterion "convenient". Of course, many will say that the coupe is more convenient. On the one hand it is, and on the other... There is still no proper security in the reserved seat, there is not enough personal space, sometimes it is noisy next to you, or at the other end of the car. It is not easy for everyone to withstand a little more than 50 people who communicate, go back and forth and rummage on their shelves. In this regard, the coupe is really better. Plus to the convenience is a lot of services and extras that will make the trip more comfortable in a compartment. In the reserved seat, you can pay separately for underwear or refuse it altogether, and in the compartment it is already included in the ticket price.

For travelers with family, friends and others, the company is more convenient than a compartment, since you can chat, play, while no one interferes with you, and you do not create inconvenience to others. But if you are traveling alone, you may get a neighbor who "sits on his ears" and it's easier to get rid of him than in a reserved seat. Such passengers can gather together, and in the compartment it is inconvenient to knock on everyone's doors and look for a suitable interlocutor.

But for the price, many people prefer a reserved seat, since it is several times cheaper than compartment cars. Recall that dynamic pricing is applied on the railway. This means that the price can rise and fall depending on demand, the day of the week, the train category, the number of days before the trip. Our advice, when choosing a ticket, pay attention to both the reserved seat and the compartment. If the price is the deciding factor, then sometimes a compartment seat can be bought cheaper. Also pay attention to the upper shelves, as a rule, they are cheaper and most temporary promotions with discounts of 40-60% apply to these shelves. But discounts for children and students are more often applied to reserved seats. Buying tickets in advance significantly reduces the fare in the compartment.

Those who often travel by rail have probably already noticed how the trains change. On popular routes, new wagons are increasingly appearing, which have toilets, sockets and other amenities. Therefore, a trip on a popular route may not be so bad if you take a reserved seat ticket. And another advantage for this car is more luggage space, so with a lot of bags you can not get into the compartment. There is a third shelf in the Reserved seat.

Let's add another criterion – security. In a compartment, you can find yourself surrounded by dishonest people, young girls are very worried about this, so their choice is not in favor of a compartment. But it's easy to hide behind the door of the compartment if you like various drinks. But we remind you that drinking alcoholic beverages in cars is strictly prohibited. Therefore, remember that anyone can be your neighbor.

The reserved seat can be compared to a communal apartment, where the rules are set by the conductor. At exactly 23:00 (or 40-50 minutes after departure), the light turns off, communication is only whispered and everyone is asleep. And in the compartment, the rules for when to turn off the lights and go to bed are set by all 4 passengers, whose night mode may radically differ from yours. Not an obvious advantage of the coupe will be less queue to the toilet. No kidding, there are fewer passengers in the compartment car, so brushing your teeth in the morning will take a little less time.

In any case, there is a choice, and you decide what to start from. There are two main criteria on which you can rely: price and comfort. Decide what the comfort level of the trip is and what services will be relevant. Travel light or not, alone or in company, save money or not. This is the main thing to start from when buying a train ticket.