Taking a flight is not my ideal way to start my holiday. Firstly, a runway delay with children is enough to never want to get back on a plane! And then, when you finally break free from your seats , you join the sluggish end of a passport queue that snakes wall to wall, seven lines deep, and your toddler suddenly pulls the belt cordon, hoping for a toppling domino effect!

Maybe flights don’t phase you, but you are thinking about how to reduce the environmental impact of your family holiday? Taking the plane has a huge environmental impact but luckily there are more options out there. Packing up your luggage and children on a train might sounds daunting but you might be amazed to find that it is so much easier than you thought!

Night trains on the other hand help families to travel in the peaceful hours of slumber! Children don’t feel so stuck in a seat for hours like they might on a train during the day.

If you are thinking about using a sleeper train to reach your next holiday destination, read my ultimate guide before you book so you can get the most out of your trip.

I know, travelling is stressful enough without making it even more complicated! Allow me to help you with some extra planning and you will be making incredible memories for you and your family.

A couchette on a sleeper train is an upgrade in all things cozy and a little bit of magic,  but I admit the physical space for maneuver is restricted.

Packing bags before you leave; bear in mind that the available space on a night train is compact. This means that opening large suitcases to pull out a couple of things for the night can be cumbersome and tricky. 

You can avoid this and instead leave that suitcase on the shelf! I find that having a rucksack designated to the night train is really helpful. This is why, having the rucksack to hand means that the suitcase can be stored away and only your essentials need to be packed away again in the morning. 

Essential items might include medication, a flask or formula, snacks, nappies, a book and warm socks. In here I would also keep the toothbrushes and wet wipes and entertainment for the morning if your have a later arrival time.

Clean bedding and a pillow is provided in the couchette so don’t worry about packing for these.

My first tip regards your final preparation before stepping on that train: Take the time to have a good evening meal. Plan for the place where you can eat. This could be at home or near the rail station, but for me, starting your over-night journey with a full belly is probably going to help you to relax for the night. 

The definition of a sleeper train means that space is critical. The luxury of beds and couchettes requires more space than open rows of seating. Therefore, in some train carriers the restuarant coach has been omitted completely.  Instead most stations have countless options for hot meals, sandwiches and ice-cream. 

Termini station in Rome for example has really excelled in providing travellers with great food options as well as a buzzing atmosphere – an experience to add to any holiday list. Termini Station has a dedicated food court where we actually ate before setting off on our night train to Munich. The food options are suitable for families, vegans and different preferences. It is conveniently located a few minutes walk away from your train platform.

Planning for you morning is also just as important. The breakfast provided on different sleeper trains varies so keep space in your itinerary to grab something you like the morning after.  Researching for coffee shops or supermarkets that are open at the time of your arrival just in case your breakfast on board leaves you a little wanting. Read about our trek into the Italian mountains looking for our breakfast here. 

Carry snacks as a back up as time on the train can be long if you are hungry! Looking at your arrival  and departure time you can get a good idea of how long you and your family are likely to be awake. Ensure your have some snacks or fruit that you can reach for if your children get hungry! As a mother of two young boys; snacks can resolve many problems!

The first time a child steps on a train to find a bed, and realising that they are allowed to sleep there, while it travels along the tracks under the night sky is likely to stir a lot of curiosity and excitement! The novelty of this is thrilling for children and to be honest for the grown ups too! 

Especially on your first trip, allow for some time for children to explore their space. There are many buttons, locks, windows and a ladder and sometimes these things need to be investigated by little hands! Rather than aiming to sleep straight away, give space to some buffer time in order to explore and to make sense of this new type of adventure. 

When the moment comes to settling down, look to the routine you would follow at home. Books are great to soothe and connect with children before sleep and in a private cabin, you can easily do this without noises or disturbaces from other passengers. If your children have a particular toy or use a dummy, bring them to help the feel safe in this new environment. 

Train coaches have a shared toilet and seperate sink, think about putting slide on shoes in your bag if you have space for them, to make night time toilet trips a bit easier. After travelling on a few night trains, I like to use the toilets in the station for brushing teeth and using the toilet. They can be much cleaner and have more floor and surface space. Station toilets tend not to be free however so ensure you have a couple of coins at the ready. 

In a shared couchette, there will not be a great deal of privacy so changing clothing may not be easy or appropriate. On night trains that have an early arrival time or when we have shared with strangers, I dress my children in soft leggings that can be worn dring the day but also comfortable to sleep in. This avoids changing without any problems.

 Lock your doors and keep important items next to you! The corridors of night trains can be a great place to look out of the window and chat to other travelers, but once you are ready to sleep, ensure you bolt your door to ensure thieves cannot enter during the night.

Couchettes are designed with security for the customer in mind and doors are fitted with double locks. Keep things safe so you can relax into the journey. And don’t risk losing anything that will cause you trouble!

On your train trip staff will provide families a safety barrier for young children. These are essentially a nets that is attached to the edges of the bunks and they protect your child from rolling out in the middle of the night!

 Before you book your tickets, think about your needs for space and make a budget.

Cheap seats can save you enormous amounts of money, but on a comfort level they are the bottom end of the scale. Seating tickets are more in comparison with a flight in the sense that you will be seated upright for the duration of the time, you might get a few hours sleep and will probably need to plan a day of rest for the next day.

Three year olds and under travel for free (or a surcharge to be paid) and they do not get their own bunk. Sharing a bunk is a squash so if you do it – I recommend to top and tail!

Considering the savings that can be made on a hotel room we made an upgrade to a private couchette on a recent trip and we loved the benefits that it gave us.

On a trip from Innsbruck to Utrecht we upgraded our couchette with OBB Nightjet and enjoyed a private room with washbasin, fold away table, breakfast menu and complimentary prosecco! We really enjoyed the experience and having the table to use in the morning for our breakfast was really comfortable.

Now you have read through my guide, I hope you feel confident to try it too.  The final thing left to do is, do it!