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Travelling by night train is a comfortable and practical way for families with children to cover longer distances in Europe. Children up to 5 years old travel for free, older children get a discount, and with a private family compartment you have your own space where no one else will disturb the night. You can read here what you need to arrange in advance and what to look out for.
Are night trains suitable for families with children?
Night trains combine very well with a family trip. Children often experience the journey as a little adventure: sleeping in bunk beds while the landscape rushes by. At the same time you save a hotel night and travel efficiently to your destination. The night trains (Nightjet & European night trains) have been popular again for several years now, and that certainly applies to families who consciously choose to travel by train.
The Nightjet, the night train service of the Austrian Railways, runs from the Netherlands to cities such as Zurich, Vienna, Innsbruck and Munich. This makes the night train a good choice for holidays to the Alps and major European cities.
The key to a successful trip lies in the preparation. Choose the right type of compartment. Book in good time. Take your children’s needs into account.
‘ The advantage of this option is that you pay a fixed price for the entire compartment, regardless of the number of children. ’
How much do children’s tickets on the Nightjet cost?
The Nightjet offers attractive fares for families. Children up to 5 years old travel completely free of charge, provided they share their seat or berth with an adult. This applies to seats, couchettes and sleeping cars. Mini cabins are the exception, due to the limited space.
Children between 6 and 14 years travel at a reduced fare. How high that fare is depends on the type of accommodation you choose.
Family discount and private compartments
There are special private family compartments available for families. You can book these for 1, 2 or 3 adults with up to 5 children up to and including 14 years old. A maximum of 6 people may travel per compartment. For larger groups you will automatically be offered several compartments.
The advantage of this option is that you pay a fixed price for the entire compartment, regardless of the number of children. That makes the Nightjet relatively affordable for larger families.
Which accommodation suits your family?
On the night train there are several types of sleeping accommodation available. What suits you best depends on your budget, the age of your children and the journey time.
Couchettes: affordable and functional
A couchette is a compartment with six berths. On both sides there are three beds stacked above each other. You share the toilet and washbasin in the corridor with other travellers. From three people onwards you can book a private couchette as a family.
Advantages of couchettes:
- Affordable for families
- Fixed price for the entire couchette
- Suitable for older children
Points to consider:
- Space is limited; large luggage is difficult to store
- Top bunks are high up and less suitable for children under 5 years old
- No private bathroom facilities in the compartment
So always let younger children sleep in the bottom bed. Older children actually find the upper bunks fun.
Sleeping compartments: more privacy and comfort
Sleeping compartments are more luxurious and offer extra convenience. They have 2 or 4 beds and come with a private washbasin and toilet in the compartment. This makes this option particularly suitable for longer journeys or if you are travelling with very young children.
Advantages:
- Private bathroom facilities
- More privacy
- More comfortable for longer journeys
The drawback is the higher price. For many families, a private couchette is a good compromise.
Safety and practical tips on board
The beds in couchettes have fall protection. This is suitable for children from around 5 years old. Younger children are better off sleeping in the bottom bed, together with a parent or with extra pillows to keep them stable.
In a private compartment you do not have to take other passengers into account. This makes for a calmer journey, especially if your children wake up during the night or get up early.
What should you take with you?
Keep your luggage to a minimum. Space in a couchette is tight, so choose practical, foldable bags instead of large, hard suitcases. Take a foldable buggy if you are travelling with a toddler; a big pushchair often does not fit well in the compartment.
Take enough food and drink for the children. Most night trains have a restaurant car, but opening hours are limited and the choice is often small. Sandwiches, fruit, biscuits and bottles of water are handy basics.
Entertainment during the journey
The journey often takes several hours before the night really begins. So make sure you have some entertainment: a little book, colouring pencils, a tablet with offline films or a small game. In a private compartment children have room to look outside and play something before it is bedtime.
Which routes are quiet and suitable for babies?
For families with babies, quiet, direct routes with few changes are the most pleasant. From the Netherlands the Nightjet offers direct connections to:
- Zurich
- Vienna
- Innsbruck
These routes usually depart late in the evening and arrive in the morning. This fits in well with the sleep rhythm of young children.
Avoid routes with lots of changes or detours if you can. Allow plenty of time for transfers. That way you do not have to rush with luggage and children.
Book well in advance
You should always book sleeping compartments and private couchettes in advance. They fill up quickly, especially during school holidays and around public holidays. So book as early as possible, preferably a few months before you want to travel.
Pay attention to the difference between reclining seats, couchettes and sleeping cabins when you book. Reclining seats are ordinary seats that you can tilt back, not berths. For families with children, reclining seats are not comfortable enough for an overnight journey.
Why families appreciate the night train
Many families who have travelled by night train say that the private compartment makes all the difference. Nobody gets on or off during the night, which means the children can sleep undisturbed. The adventurous aspect of sleeping on a moving train also makes it a special experience for children.
On top of that, you save a hotel night and you arrive at your destination well rested. This makes night trains not only a sustainable choice, but also an efficient option for longer distances.
Checklist for your journey
For a smooth journey with the family, consider the following:
- Reserve a private compartment, especially if you are travelling with young children
- Choose couchettes for an affordable option or sleeping compartments for more comfort
- Book well in advance, especially during holidays
- Pack light and use foldable luggage and buggies
- Take enough food, drinks and entertainment
- Build in extra time for transfers
- Let young children sleep in the bottom bed
For families travelling by night train for the first time, a short route such as Amsterdam–Zurich is a good first introduction. The journey takes about 12 hours and gives you enough time to align the children’s sleep rhythm with the departure time.
Frequently asked questions
Preferably choose a private compartment so that children can sleep peacefully and you can lock the door for extra safety. Always let young children sleep in the lower berths and use the fall protection provided or extra pillows/blankets as a “barrier”. Take familiar things such as pyjamas, a cuddly toy and possibly a night light to make the unfamiliar surroundings feel more homely. Pack light but in an organised way so that there is enough space in the compartment to walk and play.
For families with children, private family compartments in couchettes or sleeping cars are the most suitable, because you are all together in one compartment, have more peace and quiet and the children can sleep and play safely. Seats are the cheapest but the least comfortable, as you spend the night sitting (or half lying down) and often share with strangers. Couchettes have simple bunk beds (usually 4–6 per compartment) with shared toilet/washbasin in the corridor; they are affordable and practical for families. Sleeping cars offer the most privacy and comfort with better beds and often private bathroom facilities, but are clearly more expensive than couchettes.
Take a few compact games and activities with you, such as card games, sticker or colouring books, audio books/podcasts and an e-reader or tablet with films and series downloaded in advance. Before bedtime you can do a “bedtime routine on the train”: pyjamas on, brush teeth together, read a story and then dim the lights. In the morning you can spend time looking out of the window together, filling in a simple train diary (what do we see, where are we going) and playing a quiet game in the compartment. Make sure everything is in one small bag so that you can reach it easily without too much hassle with luggage.
Take a small “night bag” for each person containing pyjamas, extra layers, socks, spare clothes and a warm jumper or sleeping bag for children who get cold quickly. Make sure you have food and drink (snacks, bottles, possibly a flask), wet wipes, tissues, basic medicines (paracetamol, travel sickness tablets, plasters) and, if needed, nappies and a small toilet bag. For entertainment and calm, take books, audio stories on a phone with headphones, a small game, cuddly toy and sleep music. Finally, think of practical things such as travel documents, tickets, power bank, chargers, a small torch or night light and plastic bags for rubbish or any accidents.
Book as early as possible (ideally 2–4 months in advance, even earlier in holiday periods) so that you can benefit from early‑bird discounts and still have a choice of family‑friendly private compartments. Where possible, choose a private couchette or sleeping compartment for your family; these usually offer better value for money than separate seats or shared six‑berth compartments with strangers. When booking, check carefully that you are really selecting a couchette or sleeping compartment (and not an ordinary seat) and compare the total price with a hotel night you will be saving. Always check children’s fares and family deals, as children up to a certain age often travel free or with a big discount if they share a bed or seat.
