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During my journey from Berlin to Amsterdam by train, I have an option of buying 1st class ticket at an additional cost of 10 Euros. This will give a better seat as well as access to DB Lounge.

Is it worth spending additional 10 Euros to get access to Lounge? Also do we get food and beer free of cost in Lounge?

Update:

I went to Berlin DB lounge while waiting for my train and i was not impressed as its a small lounge and very crowded. There is a good chance that you may not get seat there.

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    Note that with a price difference this small, they are usually comparing a full fare second class ticket against a restricted first class ticket. If you miss your train, the full fare ticket allows you to take another, while the restricted ticket doesn't.
    – Simon Richter
    Commented Oct 19, 2017 at 13:32
  • @Simon: In my ticket i can see this line "Gültigkeit: ab 01.01.2018 - 04.01.2018" which implies validity between 1st and 4th. Does it mean that i can catch train till 4th Jan? Also my fare is "Sparpreis Europa 1st class" which is not a flexi one, so i am wondering what this means.
    – Travelling Juggernaut
    Commented Oct 19, 2017 at 14:03
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    Restrictions are printed on the ticket. Unrestricted tickets have origin and destination and a "via" that lists the typical connections, while restricted tickets show the train number. It is also normal for international tickets to have a restriction inside Germany only. This suggests that the validity period does not lift the restriction inside Germany.
    – Simon Richter
    Commented Oct 19, 2017 at 15:02

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With the 1st class ticket you will get a more comfortable seat with more legroom for the 6 hour journey, and a free seat reservation(normally €4.50). For me that would be far more important that access to the lounge for a few minutes before the journey, and and definitely worth the €10(normally the price differential is much more).

I don't know how I can judge what would make it 'worth it' to you, but the DB lounge is basically an upmarket waiting room, with free WiFi, newspapers to read, free hot and cold drinks, and snacks and alcohol(only in lounges which have a special 1st class section, which includes Berlin). As a DB 'frequent flyer' I can use it anytime, but actually I rarely do. It's quite useful if you need to do some work on your laptop, or you are really tired and just want to sit down, otherwise personally I normally use my waiting time to wander around instead, or to buy snacks or magazines for the journey.

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    Actually, the 1st class section of the DB Lounges (available in Berlin, Munich, Cologne and Frankfurt) does serve alcohol. I've had a couple of beers for free there, not sure if they have wine as well.
    – helm
    Commented Oct 19, 2017 at 10:16
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    @Lokesh There may be local differences between each specific lounge, but they are usually accessible on the entire day of departure.
    – Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
    Commented Oct 19, 2017 at 11:24
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    @Lokesh They should not only be available at the station of origin on the entire day of the trip but also at the station of arrival. (In your case, that’s no longer Germany so not relevant but usually that would be the case.) The only exception I am aware of does not apply to your case.
    – Jan
    Commented Oct 19, 2017 at 12:06
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    @Jan For the sake of making this a useful resource for people in similar situations: what's the exception?
    – owjburnham
    Commented Oct 19, 2017 at 13:42
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    @owjburnham If you have a first class ticket whose departure and arrival stations are both within the transport association the lounge is in, you are not eligible to access it. (So a first class ticket from Munich to Tutzing — both in the MVV — will not give you access to Munich central station’s lounge.)
    – Jan
    Commented Oct 19, 2017 at 13:53
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Meanwhile, the lounges at Berlin Hauptbahnhof have been upgraded: 2nd and 1st class lounges are now separated and both offer much more space than before.

A limited selection of food and beer are available in the 1st class lounge. (2nd class only offers non-alcoholic beverages but no food.)

For only 10€ price difference, I would definitely recommend it.

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    Another development is that DB lounges are no longer available for first class passengers with a non-flex ticket (i.e. Sparpreis). A first class ticket prices €10 more than a second class ticket, will not be a flex ticket, and so not give access.
    – StrangerToKindness
    Commented Mar 29, 2022 at 13:34

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