Overnight train with 3mo - doable?

[ifaistos]

I'm thinking about taking the overnight train France to Berlin with my 3mo. He's quiet but wakes 2 or 3 times a night to bf. There are 1-bed wagons but they're expensive. Or I could just get a seat. Other options are 2-bed wagon, 4 or 6-bed couchettes but I feel like it's not fair to take a baby into a shared sleeping compartment. Anyone done a similar trip and got any advice to share? Not sure whether baby could sleep on bed with me if I get a bed, or if there's space for the buggy in the seating compartment or wagon. Also if the 2 bed wagons are single sex do you think I could share with another woman or is it too rude to turn up with a baby?

I;ve not done an overnight journey, but DH came to Belgium via Amsterdam from Switzerland in the summer. He shared a carriage with a man that died in his sleep.
He said the carriages aren't that big but adequate.
Could you consider flying? I think i'd be seriously miffed if someone got into my carraige with a baby. Sorry to be blunt.

No, fair enough, I don't think I'd be happy either. I try not to fly if there's an alternative. I think I'll get a seat if I can't afford the 1-bed wagon.
The man died in his sleep on the train? That must have been pretty strange for your husband.

we took the overnight train when ds was that age. we had a private 2 bed cabin and it was great. ds slept with me in the bed and could just latch on whenever, but he slept through the night.
I wouldn't take a seat, then you would be better of in a six-sleeper. in my wild teens I once shared a compartment with a six person family (the baby slept with the mum in the bed) and it was fine, the noise is very comforting to children.
look out for special offers, especially night trains have very good deals when you look for them.

Thanks mousymouse. Am looking at prices on bahn.de at the moment. Do you know of anywhere in particular for deals?
I'm still undecided about whether to inflict ds on others in a sleeper or not. Tbh I've had to share couchettes before with people who snore louder than he cries, and I'm thinking I can always go into the corridor if he gets noisy. Mostly he just wakes for feeding and drops off straight away. I don't know...

It was. DH had spoken to him as they left Zurich, had his dinner then went to sleep. In the morning, the train staff came round with breakfast and discovered deadman.
DH was seriously peeved, he missed his connecting train to Antwerp because he had to speak to the police.

I have used www.bahn.co.uk.

I don't think they would put other people in with you if you had a baby or child. I would consult the train company.

I would do the journey but pay for a one berth cabin.

I would not risk being in an open carriage as would not like the idea of falling asleep surrounded by strangers.

I also feel it would be unfair to share a sleeper cabin if you've got a baby with you. You might think quick cries aren't too bad (I'm saying this whilst having a "waker"), but for someone not used to it, it could be really hard. We've travelled on sleeper trains before, and the main difference when deciding between seat and cabin was the likelihood of getting some sleep.

I think your choices are cabin on your own or seat, sorry. You could call the train company and check whether they have any other suggestions.

We're considering overnight travel in Asia in a couple of months, and as we've got ds (3) with us, we're just going to have to cough up and get a private cabin. (So paying for 2 more benches than technically required.) I don't really think it's fair doing it any other way.