| 1 | Günther Hasler | LIE | 1:49,6 | Q |
| 2 | Antonio Paez | ESP | 1:49,6 | Q |
| 3 | Olaf Beyer | GDR | 1:49,6 | |
| 4 | Pavel Litovchenko | URS | 1:49,7 | |
| 5 | Reiner Burmester | FRG | 1:50,0 | |
| 6 | Feliks Warzon | POL | 1:53,1 |
| 1 | Sebastian Coe | GBR | 1:48,2 | Q |
| 2 | Erwin Gohlke | GDR | 1:48,3 | Q |
| 3 | Rolf Gysin | SUI | 1:48,4 | q |
| 4 | Viktor Anochin | URS | 1:48,7 | q |
| 5 | Robert Hoofd | BEL | 1:49,5 | |
| 6 | Carlo Grippo | ITA | DNF |