Train upgrades, new features, could mean an end to many 1st class sections

Arriva travelers between Friesland and Groningen will soon no longer have the option to pay more for extra comforts. The first class sections on Arriva trains on the line between Leeuwarden and Groningen will disappear as of December 13th, the transit company and the two provinces announced, NU.nl reports

By replacing the first-class coupes there will be more room to improve second class, Arriva said. Passengers traveling in second-class compartments on the Leeuwarden-Groningen line will have access to folding tables and USB ports to charge their phones after December 13th.

The new trains will also have separate quiet compartments. In the current trains, these compartments aren't closed off to the rest of the train and therefore not completely quiet.

"This improves the travel experience for everyone," a spokesperson for the province of Groningen said to the newspaper.

All NS trains still have both first and second class, so travelers in Friesland and Groningen will still have a first class option on the NS lines.