Business class vs. first class on Trenitalia Europe trains: photos - Insider

First, I took a 4-hour business-class train from Venice to Rome, which covers 327 miles, according to Italia Rail.

Source: Italia Rail

A few days later, I rode in first class on a 3.5-hour train from Milan to Zürich, which is about 135 miles, according to The Trainline.

Source: The Trainline

I booked both trains through Trenitalia, the largest operator in Italy that runs several different fleets. I thought that the trains provide varying experiences for premium classes like business and first. Here's how they compare.

Source: Trenitalia

For my business-class experience, I rode a train from the Frecciarossa series, which is one of the fastest fleets of trains Trenitalia runs, with a max speed of 190 miles per hour, according to Italia Rail.

Source: Italia Rail

For my first-class ride, I was on EuroCity, a collaboration with several European train companies including Trenitalia. EuroCity trains are only used for international connections and travel about 60 miles per hour, according to the same source.

Source: The Trainline

For my business-class Trenitalia trip, I paid an additional $10 to upgrade my Eurail ticket. For my first-class ride, I paid an additional $13 to upgrade.

Without the Eurail pass, both tickets would have been about $100 each, according to a search on Trainline for three months ahead of booking.

Source: The Trainline

On both trains, the configuration was two seats on one side of the aisle and one seat on the other. Most single-row seats faced each other with a table in between, while most double-row seats faced another row of two seats.

On both trips, I sat across from my partner, who I was traveling with, in a row of single seats.

On the business-class ride, I thought we had adequate legroom, with 31.5 inches each, according to the train booking site ACP Rail International.

Source: ACP Rail International

In business class, I sat in what I thought was the most comfortable train seat I've ever experienced. It was 25 inches wide, according to ACP Rail International, with a curved headrest and reclining function. It felt like a small couch.

Source: ACP Rail International

I thought both train cars provided adequate overhead bin storage for luggage.

The business-class car also had space to store luggage between each seat. It was large enough to fit my backpack.

While the first-class ride had less space for luggage underneath seats, there was additional storage at the end of the car. On this ride, I used the overhead bin to store my backpack.

On both trains, the seats had a table in the middle that folded out on either side for additional space. In business class, I thought it gave enough room to eat, drink, and work.

Both trains also had working outlets to charge devices at each seat.

After the business-class train departed, train attendants greeted passengers with complimentary snacks and drinks. They came by once more towards the end of the trip with more trail mix and beverages.

On the first-class ride, attendants only came by at the beginning of the ride to collect tickets. Like me, other first-class passengers I spoke with thought that our ticket included a meal, but no one came by to take orders or serve food.

In business class, I thought the bathroom felt spacious and clean with blue lighting and a large mirror above the sink.

I ultimately decided that the elevated bathroom, couch-like seat, and attendants serving snacks and drinks in business class on Trenitalia's Frecciarossa train made me feel more like a luxury traveler.

I was also impressed that the Frecciarossa train took me more than twice the distance as the EuroCity train for the same price. It made me feel like the business-class ride was a stronger value.

At the same time, I was surprised to find that my first-class ride on Trenitalia's Eurocity train didn't feel much different from coach experiences I've had, save for the larger seats.

A representative from Trenitalia told Insider that premium tickets on Eurocity and Frecciarossa trains are two different products "linked by the attention given to the passenger and the offer of a convenient and comfortable journey."

"The categories cannot be compared to those used in other sectors, such as the airline industry," the representative said, adding that "each travel class is characterized by different peculiarities and comforts."