A train is a good place to be a child. There is room to stand up, a window to look out of, a table for drawing and a toilet you can reach without stopping the car. Europe’s rail network links many of the cities with the best things for families to see: science museums, zoos, aquariums and theme parks. The rules on what children pay are generous, too, if you know them. This guide explains how children travel on Interrail passes and on some of the big national railways, how seat reservations work for families, and three family rail routes that link cities with plenty for children.
The rules here come from the rail operators’ own pages: Interrail, Deutsche Bahn, SBB in Switzerland, SNCF in France and Eurostar. The attractions all have their own pages on JuniorTravelClub. Fares and conditions change, so check the operator’s page when you book.
Interrail with children
Children aged 4 to 11 travel free
The single most useful rule for families is this one. Interrail gives a free Child Pass to children aged 4 to 11 on the date they start their trip. Up to two children can travel free with any one adult, youth aged 18 or over, or senior. The adult doesn’t have to be a family member. Each extra child needs a Youth Pass. When you order, add the number of Child Passes you need to your basket alongside the adult passes. Interrail says the free Child Pass applies to all Interrail passes.
In practice, a family of two adults and up to four children aged 4 to 11 pays only for the adults’ passes. Teenagers aged 12 and over need their own pass, and Interrail runs a separate youth discount for ages 12 to 27.
Under-4s: free, but no guaranteed seat
Children under 4 on the trip start date don’t need a pass at all. They are not guaranteed a seat of their own, though, so on a crowded train a parent may be asked to hold the child on their lap. If you want to reserve a seat for an under-4, Interrail says you need a free Child Pass to do it. For longer journeys, getting the free pass and a reservation is worth it.
Reservations are extra, and sometimes required
Interrail passes don’t include seat reservations. On night trains and high-speed trains, you must reserve for every traveller, children included. On a night train, a child who needs their own bed needs a couchette or sleeper reserved and paid for. Interrail recommends adding the children as travellers on your account and booking reservations well ahead, so you are more likely to sit together, but it says that booking early can’t guarantee seats together.
National rail rules worth knowing
If you are not using a pass, or only crossing one country, the national rules can be even better for families.
Germany (Deutsche Bahn)
On DB long-distance trains, children up to 5 travel free and don’t need to be on the ticket. Children aged 6 to 14 travel free when they are with a passenger aged 15 or over, but you must add them when you book. Up to four children can go on one ticket, and you can’t add them once the journey has started. DB recommends adding children of any age to the booking, because it lets you reserve seats in the family compartment or toddler area.
Switzerland (SBB)
Children under 6 travel free in Switzerland, with or without an adult. For children aged 6 to under 16, the Junior Travelcard lets them travel free for a year on SBB routes, most other railways, boats and postbuses when at least one parent is with them. The parent needs their own valid ticket. The Children’s Co-Travelcard does the same for children travelling with another adult aged 16 or over. If you’re spending more than a day or two on Swiss trains, look at these cards first.
France (SNCF)
Children under 4 can travel free on a parent’s lap on TGV INOUI, TER and INTERCITÉS trains, without a booked seat. You have to declare the child when booking, only one child per passenger is allowed, and you must be able to prove the child’s age. If you want your toddler to have a seat, SNCF sells a fixed-price Forfait Bambin.
Eurostar
Between London and the continent, children under 4 travel free on an adult’s lap. A child who needs their own seat needs a child ticket. If one adult is travelling with more than one under-4, the others need tickets.
Three family rail routes
These routes link cities with plenty for children in each stop. Check timetables and connections when you book.
Route 1: London, Paris and Amsterdam
The classic first trip, with Eurostar from London.
- London: our three days in London with kids covers the free museums of South Kensington, the river and Hampton Court.
- Paris: the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie has its own children’s section, the Cité des enfants. Strollers can be borrowed at the cloakroom against ID, and there are rest areas throughout the building. Metro line 7 stops at Porte de la Villette. Our three days in Paris with kids has more ideas.
- Amsterdam: NEMO Science Center has a roof you can walk out onto, with food and a terrace. Every ticket has a start time, and weekdays after 2pm are often quieter. Artis is the city’s zoo.
Route 2: Amsterdam to Copenhagen via Cologne and Hamburg
A northern route through four countries’ worth of family days out, ending at Tivoli.
- Cologne: Phantasialand is near Cologne. Tickets are online only and tied to a date, and children aged 0 to 3 get in free with proof of age. The Cologne Zoo is in the city.
- Hamburg: Miniatur Wunderland is indoors and air-conditioned, so it works in any weather. Reserve a free entry window in advance: in the summer holidays, demand regularly exceeds capacity, with waits of several hours on some days. Tierpark Hagenbeck has its zoo and aquarium on one site, and the Humboldt penguins are fed every day at 11:45.
- Copenhagen: Tivoli Gardens lets children under 3 in free and sells the Ride Pass at half price for ages 1 to 7. Rasmus Klump’s World is the playground for small children, with a baby house where you can warm bottles. The Blue Planet aquarium is a walk of about 600 metres from Kastrup metro station.
Route 3: The Alps by train, Munich to Vienna or Zurich to Lucerne
Two short routes for mountain scenery from the window and a museum at each end.
- Munich: the Deutsches Museum has the Kinderreich, a hands-on area for ages 3 to 8, and children up to and including 5 get in free. Children under 12 must be with an adult, and bags larger than A4 aren’t allowed inside.
- Salzburg: a fortress above the old town, Hohensalzburg, makes a good stop between Munich and Vienna.
- Vienna: Schönbrunn Zoo is open every day of the year, children under 6 go free, and every toilet block has a changing table. At Haus des Meeres, children can touch the doctor fish and the koi. Leave large prams at home there, as space is tight.
- Zurich and Lucerne: start with Zurich Zoo, then take the train to Lucerne for the Swiss Museum of Transport, the obvious museum for a family travelling by rail. From Lucerne station, the S3 or Voralpenexpress takes 8 minutes to Luzern Verkehrshaus. Under-6s go free on the museum ticket. The Swiss Chocolate Adventure ride is recommended from age 6.
Good to know with kids
Book seats together early
On busy routes, reservations matter more for families than for anyone else. Book them as soon as you can, add every child to the booking, and use family compartments where they exist. Interrail itself says it can’t guarantee seats together, so have a plan B, such as one adult with each child.
Carry proof of age
Free and reduced fares depend on age, and operators can ask for proof. SNCF says you must be able to prove a lap child’s age. Keep passports or ID cards to hand, not in the big case.
Pack for the train, not the destination
Bring one small bag per child with snacks, a water bottle, a drink, a book or tablet with headphones, and a change of clothes for the youngest. Keep it at your seat and put the big luggage away. A light pushchair that folds with one hand is easier on and off trains than a big pram.
Choose the right days
Many family attractions have their own rhythm. NEMO is often quieter on weekday afternoons, Miniatur Wunderland is calmer early in the morning and late in the afternoon, and Tivoli describes weekdays as its quieter days. Travel on the busy days and visit on the quiet ones.
Rail and museum combinations
Children who love trains will want to see more of them. The Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne and Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg are both on our routes, and both make a railway holiday feel like it has a theme.
Plan and book
Book attraction tickets with timed entry before you set off: Miniatur Wunderland, NEMO and Tivoli Gardens on Tiqets. City passes can help in the bigger cities: Go City Paris and Go City Amsterdam. Check what each pass includes before you buy.
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Frequently asked questions
Do children travel free on Interrail?
Children aged 4 to 11 on the trip start date get a free Child Pass, with up to two free children per adult. Under-4s need no pass at all, but have no guaranteed seat. Children aged 12 and over need a Youth Pass.
Do children need seat reservations?
Interrail passes don’t include reservations. On night trains and high-speed trains, every traveller needs one, children included. To reserve a seat for an under-4, you need a free Child Pass.
Is Interrail worth it for a family?
It can be, because children aged 4 to 11 travel free with an adult. Compare the cost of the adults’ passes plus reservations with point-to-point tickets for your actual route. In Germany and Switzerland, the national family rules can be just as generous without a pass.
Do children travel free on German trains?
On DB long-distance trains, children up to 5 travel free without being on the ticket. Children aged 6 to 14 travel free with a passenger aged 15 or over, as long as you add them at booking. Up to four children can go on one ticket.
How do children travel on Swiss trains?
Children under 6 travel free. For ages 6 to under 16, the Junior Travelcard lets them travel free for a year with a parent who has a valid ticket, and the Children’s Co-Travelcard does the same with another adult aged 16 or over.
Can a baby travel free on Eurostar?
Yes. Children under 4 travel free on an adult’s lap. If you want them to have their own seat, or one adult is travelling with more than one under-4, you need child tickets.
What is the best first family rail trip in Europe?
London, Paris and Amsterdam is the easiest to plan, with big museums, zoos and aquariums at each stop. For train-mad children, the Alpine routes end at the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne.
Tickets & tours for these places
Bookable tours via GetYourGuide. Affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
