Aligned seats:
(from rail-technology.com)
Facing seats:
(from daniellecherney on photobucket)
Compartments
(from mararie on flickr)
What are your opinion in these different arrangements?
I’d point out this pros/cons:
Aligned seats
– Best overall arrangement for solo/couple travellers
– Allows for relative privacy
– Allows for trays to be installed
– Don’t have many luggage space under the seats
Facing seats
– Create embarassment when you have to ride with a strange in front of you for hours
– Maximize luggage space under the seats
– Better for families/groups
– When possible to compare, usually facing seats cars are more dirty and noisy.
Compartments
– Good for privacy if you are travelling with acquaintances and only with tehm
– Intimidating if you have to share the compartment with strangers
– Makes it easier for crimes/abuse to be commited onboard out of sight of conductors/fellow passengers
I myself would vow for majority of seats in any given train be arranged airplane-like, e.g., aligned (you face the back seat of the front row), some seats to be facing and a few compartments that can be booked only wholly (e.g., without putting strangers in the same compartment).