Safely taking a 20 week old on a coach

[katolla]

I'm taking DD to Hungary, to a place that's a 3.5 hour coach ride from the airport in Budapest. What's the best way to take her on the coach? Would a sling or baby carrier be okay, if I wear a seat belt underneath? I'll be on my own and already carrying a buggy and luggage so not that keen on a car seat too, but obviously will if that's the safest thing. Trying to find out if the Hungarian coaches have seat belts, as I hear the French ones don't.
Thanks for any advice or experience you can share.

No a sling wont be ok as in the event of an accident you will crush her or fling her as it breaks loose. I would take a lightweight infant carrier as invariably even if you cant seat belt her in it will be some protection and also give you hands free at times.

is a carrier the same as a car seat? Surely that's more dangerous in the event of a crash as a flying car seat could hit someone?

Id say taking an infant carrier carseat is safest but It's unlikely the coach will have the correct seats belts to belt a car seat in safely anyway. But it might offer more protection than being unrestrained. I've seen video where the whole carseat has been thrown out of the vehicle in a crash but infant still ok as it offered impact protection.

I would have her in a sling because if you are thrown forward you will crush her.

In the UK I don't think you need to use a carseat on a coach, parents choice, many will hold child on their knee. But what is safe and what is legal are too different things. It's a hard decision to make I understand why you wouldn't want to lug a carseat with you, especially if travelling alone.

Would not have her in a sling

Do you have a car seat that clips to the frame of your pushchair? Then you could use that as the buggy whilst you're away?

QT I have had a look at trains and it looks like there might be one I can get.. What a relief if so!!

Teacher I have been looking at XLRs on eBay though haven't won anything yet.