My family will be traveling with my grandson who turns 2 next weekend. We will be in Europe for 2 weeks next month (for a wedding). The first week we will be in Florence, the next week will travel by train from Italy into France and then Spain. I am beginning to question whether we should bring his car seat. We will have 3 flights over and 3 flights back, with all of the rest of the travel by train. Does anyone know if car seats are used on trains?? It might be easier to have him in the seat for some of the flights (not during the night when sleeping), but I am just not sure it is worth the hassle unless we use it on trains as well. Does anyone know if airplanes require car seats for toddlers??
Thanks for thoughts and suggestions.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10623 posts
I have never seen a car seat on a train during my forty years taking trains in Europe.
Posted by
Atlanta, Georgia
565 posts
The little ones over two have to have their own seat but there's a few restraints you can buy that are less cumbersome than car seats. We bring ours on flights but that's because we rent cars and need them and our little one is less than 2 years. If I were in your situation I would look into the restraint that is FAA approved. I saw several on Amazon and a few mommy travel blogs. I sat behind a mom on an international flight a few weeks ago who had a 25 month old and this scenario looked ideal. I imagine trains would be the same. The huge benefits of the car seat have been a comfy place to sleep and being able to turn it rear facing so she couldn't kick the seat in front of her but I imagine she will outgrow those needs soon enough. Just FYI, if you do the car seat, Peg Perego makes a super safe and super lightweight seat and get the little trolley to pull it with. Weighs nothing when on the rollers. Best of luck!
Posted by
Midwest
2768 posts
I have never used a car seat on a train, but I find them essential on a plane for the under-3/4 year olds (by 4, they can usually sit in a plane seatbelt). My kids are older now (the youngest is 6), so we don't bring car seats. If we rent a car, we can rent a booster seat, but we usually go by train or plane. When my kids were younger, trains were a bit annoying because there were no seat belts and so my toddlers, so used to seat belts in cars, didn't quite get that they had to stay in their seats ;)
Airplanes don't REQUIRE car seats, as far as I know, Certainly no major US airline does. Any seat used on these has to be FAA approved (most are, but check). It's much safer and much easier for everyone to have a seat on the plane, but you are right - lugging it through airports and train stations will be difficult.
There is a portable harness thing for airplanes - it's called a CARES harness, it weighs about a pound and straps your child into airplane seats. It's not for cars or trains. I don't know about size or age requirements (we used it for a 3 year old). http://kidsflysafe.com/
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
On trains in Europe, children under age 4 can travel free without a ticket and without a seat assignment. They are expected to sit on your lap, or in any seat that you find to be free, or perhaps to roam the aisles (with supervision). In some countries (such as Germany and Switzerland) kids under age 6 don't need a ticket.