Tranitalia and Italo treno are way better.
I am extremely disappointed with my recent experience traveling with DB First Class between Hamburg and Copenhagen.
The trip to Copenhagen was cancelled and replaced by a bus. One of the main reasons I paid extra for First Class was because I needed to work during the journey and expected the comfort and services advertised, including catering, electricity, and a proper working environment. Instead, I could not work at all, and the catering service I paid for was effectively unavailable. Not even basic things like water or food were properly provided after the cancellation.
The return trip was also unacceptable. Although I had again paid for First Class, the wagon was cold and without electricity, making it impossible to work. I eventually had to move to another carriage myself just to continue the journey in acceptable conditions.
To make matters worse, the train arrived with more than one hour delay, yet my compensation request was rejected and I received no refund at all. This is honestly very frustrating considering the amount paid for a First Class experience that was far below expectations.
Overall, the quality of the service was unacceptable. The catering offering was also extremely poor and disappointing.
The experience was nowhere near the level of service provided by companies like Trenitalia or Italo in Italy, which offer a significantly better and more reliable premium experience. DB should seriously benchmark and learn from them as soon as possible.
Paying extra for First Class should mean reliability, comfort, and proper service. Unfortunately, this journey delivered none of those things.
