Train Travelling with my kids in Europe
This summer, we embraced train travel and embarked on an unforgettable journey across Europe as a family. It was a fantastic way to create lasting memories.
Wow, what a summer! As someone who loves the flexibility of working for myself, being able to seize quality time during the holidays feels incredibly rewarding. This year, my family and I decided to hit the trains and explore some of Europe.
I absolutely love travelling by train. There's no motion sickness, it allows us to be truly present with our kids during the journey, and it's a far more eco-friendly option – an all-around winner! While we've enjoyed train holidays for the past two years, this summer I wanted to step it up, go a little further, and explore some new countries, officially Interrailing.
Interrailing is a method of train travel across Europe using an Interrail Pass, a flexible ticket that allows you to hop between countries and cities for a set period, offering freedom and affordability compared to buying individual tickets.
So, we hit the tracks and our adventure took us to: London - Brussels - Dusseldorf - Efteling - The Hague, and back to Brussels.
It was a true adventure, filled with memories (many related to food!) that will last a lifetime. My daughters, aged 11 and 8, were brilliant travel companions.
As a self-proclaimed "country girl," planning a city-hopping break might not seem like my typical holiday choice. However, we are also massive foodies! This trip was the perfect blend of exploring different cultures, discovering little pockets of green and blue for our nature fix, and enjoying many car-free locations.
Brussels: Cobblestones and Cosmopolitan Charm
Our first stop was Brussels, where we stayed in a hotel with a tiny pool. It's a beautiful city I visited pre-kids many years ago. From frites and street performers to amazing architecture, the city centre was wonderfully car-free. Exploring the cobbled streets and soaking in the cosmopolitan atmosphere was a delight.
Dusseldorf: A Taste of Home and River Views
Next, we travelled to Dusseldorf, my partner Phil's mothers birthplace. We stayed in the vibrant Japan district, which was a treat as it's brimming with our favourite foods. We discovered an amazing restaurant called Vegan1979 opposite our hotel, and it was so good we ate there every night! Dusseldorf boasts a huge, stunning river running through it, providing our "blue" fix. We also kept active with plenty of steps, climbed a huge tower, and enjoyed some delicious ice cream.
Efteling: A Fairytale Escape
A highlight for me was visiting Efteling. Having taken our girls to Disneyland Paris last year, I'd heard Efteling was even more magical. We stayed at a nearby Eurocamp and visited the park for a full day. It was truly enchanting and completely immersed in nature. We highly recommend it! Getting to the Eurocamp was the only time we used an Uber, as the train station wasn't easily accessible from our campsite. We also hired bikes for a day and enjoyed an amazing 25km ride through stunning villages, surrounded by nature and, of course, hunting down more ice cream!
The Hague: Coastal Contrasts
Our next stop was The Hague. I don't know many people who've visited before, but online reviews promised a city that wouldn't disappoint, and I'd love to go back and explore it more. It's a city by the sea, and thankfully, the city centre is almost entirely car-free, with trams and bikes whizzing about. Just 15 minutes by tram, and we were on a beautiful, clean beach – a huge contrast to the city centre. It was a perfect time to soak up the sunshine. The Hague, we will be back!
Homeward Bound via Bruges
We whizzed home via Brussels for a few nights, taking a day trip by train to Bruges. It was stunning, but too busy for my liking! We did enjoy a lovely canal boat cruise, which was a nice reminder of the projects we're currently working on.
Interrailing was epic fun, and next time we'll definitely plan to go even further afield. Our longest train ride for this trip was under three hours, so we never felt like we were travelling for too long. We often travelled over meal times, which gave us something else to focus on during the journey.
Top Interrailing Tips for Families
Pack Light: You can always purchase necessities along the way and packing cubes help to keep things organised.
Backpacks are Best: Much easier for navigating train stations and on/off trains.
Plan Your Main Route: Have a rough idea of your destinations, so you can map and pre check journey times are work for your family.
Book Accommodation: Book in advance where possible, but leave flexibility for the end of your trip if you prefer.
Mini Soft Cool Bag: A lifesaver for snacks and drinks, out of your main backpacks.
Overflow Bag: An big Ikea bag is great for extra items or lugging coats and for any beach trips.
Entertainment: Pack colouring books, cards, and other travel games, we avoided any electronic devices on train travel and as this is something our kids are used to they were (for the most part) happily reading, looking out the window, sticking or colouring during journeys coupled with some good snacks.
Keep hydrated: Biggest cause of meltdowns is thirst and there are lots of water refill stations.
Book Seats: Reserve your train seats in advance, as they can fill up quickly, as some trains only have limited Interrail seats.
Look our for Interrail deals: you can order passes here.
Celebrate the Glimmers: Enjoy the small moments of joy – you'll have plenty of stories to share!
Have an amazing time, be present, and connect. If you're considering interrailing with your kids, give it a go! It's a wonderful way to travel and gets a big thumbs up from our family.