TAKING THE EUROSTAR WITH KIDS – ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

by Alex Millsupdated on October 3, 2024October 13, 2024Leave a Comment

Have you ever considered taking the Eurostar with kids? We did it recently for the first time; it was an absolute dream compared to flying! I would highly recommend it. In this post, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about taking the Eurostar with kids and tips to enjoy it as a family.

OTHER POSTS YOU MIGHT LIKE:

We currently live in London so we have lots of family-friendly travel guides linked here.
Also, check out my Paris & Disneyland Pairs Guides here.

WHAT IS THE EUROSTAR?

If you haven’t heard of it before, the Eurostar is a high-speed train that connects some of Europe’s great countries, including France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and the UK. The most popular route is London to Paris (or Disneyland). You can see the full route map here.

Of course, they’re are not as many options as you would have flying but if you’re coming from The United States (or similar) and want to connect multiple cities in one trip, it’s a great option. It’s also great if you live in one of the cities serviced, to take a long weekend away.

BENEFITS OF TAKING THE EUROSTAR WITH KIDS

There were many benefits to taking the Eurostar with kids, including:

Under 4’s can travel for free (if they sit on an adult’s lap). We were lucky both ways and there were empty seats, meaning our 18-month-old could have his own chair.
Children aged 4-11 get a discounted fair which makes it more budget-friendly than flying.
Luggage is included in the ticket price, little kids don’t always travel light. Sometimes, with flying, the luggage can cost as much as the airfare. Adults can take two suitcases without weight restrictions, but you do need to lift them onto the train and luggage rack yourself.
It’s quicker. You only need to arrive 45 minutes – 1 hour before compared to two hours when flying. As you take your luggage with you, you don’t need to wait for your suitcase at the other end.
There are great baby-changing facilities. The changing table and bathroom are much larger than on a flight.
They have family seats. We were able to sit on 4 seats together with a table in the middle. This is perfect for kids to colour, play or watch their screens while you ride. They’re also more spacious and comfortable than plane seats.
They had both UK and European plug outlets so you can charge your devices en route.
The stations are generally more central than airports. From Paris Gare du Nord, we could walk to our accommodation. The airport would have been an hour’s drive. Anything to cut the journey time down with kids is great!
They offer free WIFI on board, however, the connection wasn’t great in our experience.
You can take your pushchair onboard with you but it does need to be folded and stored in the luggage rack.
You can take your own food and drinks onboard. You’re not restricted to 100ml maximums like when flying which is great. There’s also a cafe if you need it.

DISADVANTAGES OF TAKING THE EUROSTAR WITH KIDS

The advantages by far outweigh the disadvantages of taking the Eurostar with kids, but a couple of things to note:

Destinations are limited (as I already mentioned)
There’s quite a big step from the platform to the train. This was a little tricky with a toddler and luggage but not unmanageable.

BUYING EUROSTAR TICKETS

You need to buy tickets in advance and you can do this on the Eurostars Official Website. Generally, the further in advance you purchase, the cheaper they will be. If you’re flexible with your dates, you can click the “Find Lowest Fareds” button, located just under the search bar. Or simply follow this link. This will highlight the cheapest fares for you with adult tickets as low as £39 each way.

Trains run frequently throughout the day and the prices do vary between the times so check what works for you.

BOARDING THE EUROSTAR

You check in online a couple of days before and the tickets will be sent to your email address.

You need to arrive 45 minutes to 1 hour early for your train. You’ll go through airport-style security but it is a quicker, simpler process. One way we were asked to fold our pushchair and the other we weren’t but be prepared you might have to.

You then go through to the waiting room. It can be quite crowded and there’s not much to do but there are usually cafes and a small shop. Gare du Nord had a small wooden van that little kids could play with.

20 minutes before departure the gate will open and you can proceed to the train.

Your seats will have been allocated prior to boarding. If you’re seated in a high number you should get on at the coach before. Our seats were around 85 in coach 12 but getting on at the back of coach 11 was the closest entrance.

You can store suitcases in the luggage racks and smaller bags above or under your seats.

OTHER EUROSTAR TIPS

There are some extra deals you can claim with your Eurostar ticket. Including 2 for one entry to some London Museums, or 20% off TootBus stores in London and Paris. Click here to see all the current deals.

Dont forget everyone needs to have a valid passport to travel and everyone (including infants) will need a Eurostar ticket.

Thank you for reading our guide about taking the Eurostar with kids. I hope we’ve helped you to plan your trip.

OTHER POSTS YOU MIGHT LIKE:

We currently live in London so we have lots of family-friendly travel guides linked here.
Also, check out my Paris & Disneyland Pairs Guides here.

Happy Exploring,