Interrailing with kids - anyone done it?

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We are going interrailing this summer with our 11, 6 and 4 year old. I've planned a route with about 4 × 9 hour journeys and one overnight train. Has anyone done it before? Any tips for keeping the children entertained on the long train journeys?

We're doing long stop offs in Slovakia and Romania (1 week in each) with shorter stays in Munich and Budapest. I'd welcome any tips on things to do /see in these destinations too.

Really excited about this, just hoping the kids enjoy the adventure too!

Just found this thread. Bed are thinking of doing this next summer. My concern is that my son doesn't like eating out. Am I being unrealistic thinking I will find b&b accommodation with small kitchen facilities? This is my main concern!!

We used apartments to stay in quite allot as well as B & B - if you are travelling for a decent amount of time you need access to washing machines etc - so I wouldnt worry too much about your son - there is quite allot of accommodation available with kitchen facilities - just find somewhere you can enjoy eating outside !

I set off tomorrow... 7 and 11 yo DSs... Brussels, Munich, Salzburg, Vienna, Budapest, Trieste, Paris/Versailles , home .... nervous? Me?

Thinking about doing this next summer. How did it go?

Was absolutely brilliant. Hard work and the motto of the entire trip was 'dig deep' but they managed it and all got something valuable out of it. Highly recommend it. We are planning a rerun in fact, this time Scandinavia! Do it!!

Sorry, I've name changed !

We had an amazing time too. The kids were super good on the trains, but in any case it's a lot more relaxing than flying (imo). Top tips from me:

• You don't have to reserve seats on all trains, but as there was 5 of us I think I would for my own peace of mind. It was never a problem when we hadn't reserved, but it did make me a bit anxious.
• Lots of travel games, colouring and food for train journeys. More than once we were on 8 hour train journeys with no buffet car!
• Movies on i pads - frankly a great last resort for peace and quiet.
• take it slow. The little ones were very tired after long journeys so the long stops were appreciated by all.

Loved it. Wish I was back there now, there us so much left to explore!! We didn't meet any other families interrailing, which surprised me. Would be great to see more of it! Happy to answer any more questions. Vegas* any favourite destinations? Budapest was amazing - a lot better than I had imagined. Would love to go back sans kids at some point.

Budapest was our favourite too. I agree with all of your hints and tips especially if you take it slow advice. Because it was a heat wave it was just so tiring for all of us that we ended up in a pattern of spending a day travelling, a day at the pool wherever we were (Germany Austria and hungry all have a nice traditions of outdoor family pools with loads of lovely things to do) and then sightseeing in the evening finished off with Supper and a Netflix movie on the Ipads for the kids in their beds. We stayed in a mix of Ibis budget hotels and apartments that I got off booking.com If I had my time again I would've had more time in Trieste. We found the most amazing beach that was split between females with children and males and as I was travelling with a girlfriendit was perfect.

How much did you budget for accommodation? I so want to do this!!

I aimed for about £100 per night for the 5 of us, using a mix of hostels, air bnb and hotels. Some places were more expensive but the further east we went the cheaper it got so it averaged out around the planned budget. Air bnb were probably the best options overall. Needless to say everything was booked in advance - too many of us to try and accommodate at the last minute.

For anyone thinking of travelling by train through Europe go to the seat61 website. It gives the cheapest way and routes to travel all across Europe

baking do kids go free with seat61? The inter rail pass is offering two kids free.

It's an information website not one where you buy tickets. The author explains the best way to travel by train, the cheapest way to do this and even which platforms the trains go from. It does say that inter rail tickets aren't always the cheapest way to travel but I guess it depends on individual deals

Thanks!

Omg I was thinking of buying a caravan and doing a roadtrio around Europe but now am tempted by interrail. I want to take my 7 and 9 yr old all of next July. Some great ideas here thanks (and Budapest is now deffo on my list!)

Just reanimating this thread to say thanks, I'm planning to take my two (8 and 11) this summer, while they are still young enough for free child passes. Just bought the 10-day-in-a-month passes and made Eurostar reservations for the 1st day of the school hols - first stop Amsterdam!

Seriously thinking about this for Summer 2020. The Seat61 website is a real gold mine for info. Was just considering Germany/Switzerland/France/Amsterdam but will consider going farther afield after reading thing thread. Thanks all.

Have loved reading tgis. We've got two teenagers who have been really inspired by the Race Around the World programme. We'd love to have a European train adventure. I'd like to know how you manage with luggage? And when you get to places you're stopping in for a few days does it hinder you not having a car?

Resureecting this zombie thread as I am now thinking of an interrailing trip through europe in august - I have the whole month, it would be me a 5 year old DD, making the crossing by eurostar I think - I would love to interrail around eastern europe - berlin, vienna, krakow, prague, slovenia etc - has anyone done this?

My friends did this trip as children and still talk about it now. Your kids will thank you for the experience when older, although the 4 year old might not remember much. Have fun!

I just came across this thread today, don’t you just love mumsnet for this kind of thing?! My DH is 40 this year so we’re looking into travelling Europe by train this summer with our 3 DC who will be 10, 8, and 1. We lived and travelled Australia last year for 9 months, best experience ever, thirsty for more

I'd love to do this but what are the trains like? UK trains have scarred me!

I’m going to do it this summer so can let you know

Last summer we did Prague, Bratislava, Budapest, Vienna, Tyrol and Munich and back via Brussels. We flew to Prague and did the rest by train. All the trains were fine. Clean, ran on time, most had wifi. I didn't buy interrail tickets as booking a while in advance it worked out cheaper buying individual tickets. We even did the German bit in first class for a very reasonable price. I used Seat 61 and bought tickets via loco2.com and oebb.at mostly. Then I used booking.com for apartments. Budapest was my favourite place, followed by Munich. Bratislava was a pleasant surprise - I'd never been before. Vienna I found a bit dull but many people love it.

Waiting to see what happens with Coronavirus in terms of travelling now. It’s quite like flu so I don’t think it would be too bad for ourselves and the 10 & 8 yr olds but our little one will only be 15months so for him it could be deadly. Fingers crossed it goes away quickly