Europe's landscape exudes a spectacular glimpse of beauty and regal appearance. This far-reaching continent emanates a panorama of intricate architectures and bright vivid greeneries that perfectly frames its soaring icy mountains. Europe is meant to be seen up close. It's idyllic colossal of land deserves to be looked at with beaming eyes and pounding heart.
Travel in Europe hopping on trains and go as far as you can go. Take a long-distance trip with your family from France to Moscow. Book a family-friendly package and train travel your way from Italy to Switzerland. There are plenty of reasons why you should travel with kids. Pack your bags, roll that map, read up on the best travel games to play, and don't forget to bring your little one a snuggly teddy bear; it's going to be a cozy ride.
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Why Travel Europe by Train?
Kids Under Eleven Traveling by Train Ride for Free
Kids would love to see sceneries after sceneries. It's like watching television behind a clear glass window, except, the scene changes every second. Kids' first day of traveling by train in Europe need not spend a dime no matter how many they would want to hop on. Children can also ride trains without Eurail Pass. It is a perfect family travel plan with a lot of extra cash for souvenirs. Almost every European train has a play area.
You can book family-friendly sleeper trains if you are planning on fully experiencing the Europen rail adventure. So, if you want your kids to enjoy every minute of your vacation, let them ride trains and sit by the window and look for shapes in clouds. Tip: For kids four and above, a Family Eurail Pass is required so they can ride for free. Good news? You can book it online and every adult can bring two kids each.
A European Train is Fast, Easy, and Convenient
Airport security lines, strenuous boarding processes, and hours and hours of waiting are arduous for traveling families. Kids have no patience sitting on the bench waiting for the go signal inside a crowded airport full of strangers. It's too much. Eurail travel is far from that. It's the easy-breezy getaway you can plan and quickly book online. No hassles and bustles and endless lines of people with sad impatient faces.
Tip: For seamless traveling, reserve your seats in advance and be on the right platform at the right time. Wait for your train and hop aboard! Kids Have More Freedom During the Ride Train rides give kids more freedom to explore, move around, and play while waiting to arrive at their next destination. For parents, you get to stretch, walk around, and switch to a more comfortable seating position.
There are trains in Europe which offer a four-seater section perfect for families who wants to explore Europe by train. On top of that, you get to use a foldaway table where you can conveniently eat and play card and board games to entertain you and your kids on your long hours of the train ride. Tip: It is ideal for families to track their location and know when to get off the train. Thus, it is best to pack ahead and plan for a quick and seamless out from the train.
Kids Have More Freedom During the Ride
Train rides give kids more freedom to explore, move around, and play while waiting to arrive at their next destination. For parents, you get to stretch, walk around, and switch to a more comfortable seating position. There are trains in Europe which offer a four-seater section perfect for families who wants to explore Europe by train. On top of that, you get to use a foldaway table where you can conveniently eat and play card and board games to entertain you and your kids on your long hours of the train ride.
Tip: It is ideal for families to track their location and know when to get off the train. Thus, it is best to pack ahead and plan for a quick and seamless out from the train.
Train Rides are Full of Excitement and Surprise
While air travels offer alluring pictures of the clouds, sky, and aerial views, train rides emanate intrigue and astonishment after astonishment. Your kids will be enthralled by the idea of riding an actual train passing through bridges and tunnels while simultaneously amused by the series of sceneries.
Rail Rides Offer No Luggage Restrictions
When traveling with your kids, there are a lot of essentials you need to bring. From first aid kits, winter clothes, food, board games, strollers, and mister snuggles. These are all the essentials that take too much space in your luggage. While bringing these by plane can be quite a hassle, riding the train give no restrictions on how heavy and how much you want to bring with you on board.
Tip: Although you have all the freedom to bring everything you need for your convenience, however, the amount of luggage you bring is related to how less hassle your journey along the way.
Minimal Carbon Footprint
Traveling Europe by train leaves a minimal carbon footprint than riding a plane. Apart from the fact that plane rides are more expensive and exhausting, they also promote activities that leave carbon footprints as you go. So, if you are concerned about your little ones not having the chance to see a world you once knew, as parents, it is best to educate your kids about the importance of taking care of our diminishing planet. Hence, why not go all out on your adventure and enjoy the sights of Europe along its railways.
Children Will Experience Less Motion Sickness
If your young ones or even your older kids have motion sickness, it is a struggle riding an airplane. So, most families opt for train rides. European trains are more stable and less likely to induce panic attacks or claustrophobia. Additionally, it is easier to combat motion sickness riding trains than planes.
Tip: If your little one suffers motion sickness during the ride, let her/him sit by the window and look far out. Looking at the horizon gives stability to the sight which combats motion sickness.
You're Free To Bring Your Own Food and Drinks
If a family member has special dietary needs, train rides give you the freedom to bring any food you want regardless of the amount. Trains in Europe typically have no food or drink restrictions, so your kids can enjoy their favorite munchies on board without worrying about getting confiscated by the management. Thus, if you want to enjoy your journey with your cherished favorites, train rides are the way to go when in Europe.
Convenient Arrival
Train stations in Europe are strategically positioned for travelers to get off and go to their hotel accommodations easily and quickly. Most of the train stations in Europe are near hotels or located in the heart of the city. Also, cabs and other modes of transportation awaits travelers as they get off the train. Thus, train rides are far more enjoyable when you arrive at your location. Apart from having enough time to rest and stretch on the train, when you arrive at your destination, you will have ample energy to sightsee before finally resting in your more comfortable hotel rooms.
Public Transportations Capture Imaginations of the Young and Old
Regardless of your age, riding trains will spark your imagination. Your eyes will beam with every icy mountain you glimpse at or keep you wondering while looking at the vast endless plains that make you feel like it's never-ending. Train rides will make you go back to your childhood memories that endeared and instilled the wonders of locomotive rides. Exploring Europe by train exudes a sense of historic expedition which only trains can deliver. This machine that brings people from one place to another also brings them back to the bygone era encapsulated by the long history of train travel.
Trains Make the Journey as Equally Important as the Destination
While air travels get you to your destination quickly, train rides will sway you along with the breath-taking sceneries and immerse you in the voguish culture of Europe. With the panoramic clear windows framing every quaint picturesque village, enigmatic coastlines, mystic forests, descending countryside, and cunning mountain ranges, you and your kids will enjoy your journey as much as your destination. So, while you're at it, look out for some of the scenes from Harry Potter where the Hogwarts Express highlights some of the majestic Scottish Highlands.
Train Travel is Cost-Effective
To some, rail travel can seem quite pricey considering some airlines offer enticing low fares. But, trains in Europe also offer competitive pricing and some railways let kids aged six and below for free. Also, teenagers get a good bargain riding trains than airplanes. Additionally, families need not pay a lot for their huge heavy baggage than planes. On top of that, you get no additional surprise fees along the way. Your total cost of travel is significantly lower than riding airplanes or renting a car. So, many family travelers choose hopping on trains, watching sceneries, and playing board games than having to sit on a plane they can barely fit and kids can barely move.
Rail Travel is All About Fun Quality Times with Your Little Ones
Trains offer kids the freedom to be kids. There's no hassle on how many times you go on bathroom trips to change diapers. In trains, there are no such things as seat belts or car seats. Also, you can book a round table for your family so your kids can freely dump all their toys and scatter them as much as they want. If you have board games with you, your kids would love your undivided attention and just play with them. You will have all the chances in the world to spend time with your growing kids as much as you want.
You will get to read them bedtime stories while they're safely tucked on sleepers. Train rides will encourage more interaction and quality time with your kids while looking at one of the most captivating sceneries in the world and experiencing one-of-a-kind adventures that will leave traces in your children's memories.
Europe Train Travel Guides and Tips
Acquire Eurail Pass
Having a Eurail pass gives you access to 40,000 European destinations within its thirty-one unique countries in the continent. Eurail Pass is your ticket to every beautiful place on the continent. It lets you hop on every train you want without questions and hassles. Almost all rail lines in Europe honor Eurail pass, so your train journey will be more convenient, safe, and quick. Eurail pass cuts off ticket lines; thus, you can just easily get on-board on the next train you decide to without having to wait for hours and hours for tickets.
Eurail Pass Options
You can choose the kind of journey you want with Eurail pass. It offers a package for just one country or multiple ones. If you want to explore just one place, you can plan and buy your train ride package easily with a Eurail pass. If your family wants to explore not only just one, you can also choose packages that let you delve into the unique features of every country you chose.
Additionally, the One Country Pass delivers flexible options which allow families to travel at least three countries in Europe in a matter of a month. You can get aboard as many trains as you want and you will encounter no hassle. Moreover, Scandinavia, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland are considered as one country. The same with Benelux, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxemburg.
Eurail Global Pass
Eurail Global Pass is intended for your itineraries that include multiple countries. It gives you extensible options to visit different countries within a month or go to at least 10 in two months. Also, Eurail Global Pass is your ticket to unlimited train rides for three months if you choose to do so.
Multigenerational Eurail Discounts
Traveling on trains with two kids aged eleven and below means, only the adult is required to pay. Also, kids twelve and above or below 27 years old get a 23% discount. Additionally, adults with ages sixty and above enjoy a 10% discount on every train they hop on.
Train Travel Baggage Handling
Most of the European trains aren't stick to luggage limits. Hence, families need not pay extra for that extra weight. As for Eurostar, it is an exception since it offers a high-speed train ride from London and around the continent via Channel Tunnel. Thus, they require two large baggage and a small bag for each person.
The best thing to pack when traveling by train in Europe is only the essentials. While some rail systems offer no official help for suitcases, it will be more convenient for you and your family to get on and off the rain with lighter baggage.
European trains can fit big backpacks on their overhead storages while bigger luggage must be kept in your view at all times to avoid loss. But, if you want extra security for your belongings, you can latch them with padlocks and a cable.
Train Ride Class Options
Trains in Europe offer different classes passengers can pick upon getting their Eurail Pass. The first-class option offers wider rooms, seats, and legroom. Also, depending on your route and schedule, first-class options offer meals and other perks. Also, first-class passengers enjoy double seating arrangements where you and your kids enjoy a handy space for your family train activities.
Note: If you have chosen a first-class package, you can't book second-class options for your side trips and extra excursions. Thus, it is best to compare prices and packages that best fit your travel plans. So, before you decide on how much comfort you want to enjoy onboard, make sure to look at closely what is the most ideal option for your family and your chosen destinations.
Eurail Pass Booking
You can purchase your Eurail pass up to eleven months in advance. You will have a lot of room to schedule and plan your activities throughout your European adventure on trains. Usually, after booking, you will receive a hard copy of your pass delivered right at your doorstep. You can book your pass directly from Eurail's website or any authorized travel agency near your area.
Buying your pass online and ahead of time will save you up to 20% of the cost than acquiring it from European rail stations. If you buy your pass on the day of your travel or near your travel date, prices will be higher than purchasing it months before you hop on a train.
On an important note, have your pass activates before your first-ever train ride. You can do so by requesting a preactivated pass upon your purchase or give extra time to activate it before your ride.
Eurail Child Pass for Children Aged Four and Below
Although younger kids get to travel for free, if the train is full, you may need to have them seated on your lap. If that sounds like a hassle and uncomfortable, you can get your kids a Eurail Child Pass so they can have their own seat during the whole duration of your European train adventure. The good news? Eurail Child Pass comes for free with an adult ticket. How so? Just list your kids under 11 on your Eurail Pass.
High-speed European night trains require passengers to reserve seats ahead of time for both adults and older children. Also, if you're traveling around France, Italy, and Spain during summertime, it is best to reserve seats in advance since summer is the busiest time for train stations.
Riding Eurostar
Eurostar is a sleek yellow and blue train that looks like a rocket about to launch into the other space. It is an elegant rocket-nose locomotive that flaunts a modern facade that goes up to 186 miles per hour. Eurostar passes through Paris, Amsterdam and stops around Brussels and Rotterdam almost as fast as airplanes. Eurostar offers another kind of rush when traveling Europe by train. A 361-mile trip takes only about 20 minutes when boarding Eurostar. If your kids are sensitive to pressure changes, they may experience some uncomfortable sensations in their ears. However, Eurostar is the best choice if you want to go from one place to another as quickly as possible or if you have limited travel time.
All Abroad
Traveling by train around Europe will open your eyes to new horizons, cultures, and experiences. Grab the 7 great travel books for kids to keep them engaged. It will capture your child's imagination and help inhibit his/her creativity. Train travel will give you precious time to spend with your kids without work and chores in mind.
So pack your bags, get that pass, buy that ticket and download a map. Let your kids help you pinpoint your destinations and get ready to get cozy and relaxed on your very first train trip across Europe. A hand luggage pram can help simplify family travel as you wonder through the busy streets.
We hope this article has inspired you to hop on the train with your kids and explore the little wonders of Europe. Till next time..
Stay well, be well and take care.
