Passengers with Children
- In most cases children under 4 travel for free. Children, usually under 12 travel at heavily discounted fares. Even if a child is travelling for free a seat, couchette or other reservation must be made when necessary and will still require a reservation fee.
- Long plane and train trips can be difficult for children. Passengers should pack each child a backpack that he or she can carry, with quiet and fun toys.
- Snacks are a great way to keep children energised all day long. Children are always hungry, and eating a meal every two hours will break any budget. This strategy also works for adults.
- Dinnertime in most European countries does not begin until 8pm. A late afternoon snack will tide the family over until then.
- To keep boredom to a minimum, passengers should alternate indoor museum touring days with outdoor active sightseeing days.
- Passengers should have children pick one type of souvenir they want to collect from each place they visit. Key-chains, postcards, pens, and tourist maps are inexpensive, small and won't take up a lot of space.
- Passengers should have children bring photographs of their hometown and family. They will be able to proudly show locals where they come from.
- Passengers should always carry plastic bags for diapers and dirty clothes.
- Visiting popular European sites that the children may know about, such as the Eiffel Tower, London Bridge, leaning tower of Pisa is a great way to educate them and keep them entertained.
- Passengers should give a disposable camera to the children and let them take pictures of their vacation. If they are older, they should give them journals or scrap books in which they can collect ticket stubs and other small reminders of their European trip.
- Passengers should purchase a European language phrase book to teach the children how to say greetings in the language of every country visited.
