toddler in a sleeper train

IF you're going to do this, you MUST put her in the bottom bunk, and on the INSIDE (against the wall). Have you been on a n/t before? Are you familiar with the (sometimes violent!) rocking and rolling in your bed, from left to right? The few times I've been in a 2-person cabin I've insisted on being in the top bunk - at least I got that 'mesh screen' to keep me in bed (although there have been some near disasters)...

I understand the whole rough train deal. We use the T to get to and from Boston quite often and our daughter is able to sleep on it (and I have fallen asleep on it from time to time in the mornings when I am without her). The two adults on the train are used to sleeping awkwardly and in unideal situations. I'm just really not sure.

I'm not so concerned about the night train as I am about your sanity after a month of traveling with a one year old! I could think of alot of precautions to take, but, in my opinion, one thing you should surely think about is not having very many "one-night-stands." Every once in a while stay at least two - preferably three - nights in the same place. You all, but especially your daughter, will appreciate a familiar place to came back to after being out and about all day.
Just one thought.

Oh no no! I forgot to mention we are spending more than one night in each place we are visiting! We are flying into London and staying there for three nights. Taking the chunnel to Paris and staying there two nights. THEN its night train time (yikes) to Florence for a week :), a few nights in Orvieto and week in Cinque Terre. But the night train to and from Italy is my worry.

I still don't know if you've used a n/t, but I forgot to mention the obvious... Unless you're made of better stuff than most, you won't get any real rest even in a 2-person cabin. Those trains lurch, squeal, come to ABRUPT stops (see before-mentioned netting...), and sit for long periods of time in BRIGHTLY LIT stations...not conducive to sleep. When all of that isn't going on, then they're disconnecting and connecting various train cars, engines, etc., to your 'bedroom'. Know what it feels like to have a train 'bump' into your bedroom? I do ;-) You 'might' doze a bit here and there... Because most n/t routes aren't really as long as they're made to be, you do a lot of sitting at stations in the middle of the night; I find it even harder to sleep then, than if the train is rocking (perhaps slinging) me to 'sleep'. I arrived in Florence, Rome, and Venice after a night train; those were miserable days. You can't go to your room and nap; it's probably not ready. So, now the two of you have arrived in a busy city, sleep-deprived, and your little one is either bright-eyed and bushy-tailed or exhausted...Either way, it doesn't sound like a good day. Now, that day you hoped to save is wasted to some extent. I'd really suggest finding a city 1/2 way, and spending the night in a hotel that doesn't have trains bumping into it all night...

I have had to make many overnight train trips, and can usually get a reasonable amount of sleep in. It is interesting to arrive at some sleepy little town at 2 am and hear the conductor talking (shouting?) to the porter in some language you dont understand. So it can be done. However all of Eileens points are valid

Many parents learn the trick of falling back to sleep many times in the night. If that is you it bodes well for the night train!

I'm with Eileen. I've done night trains several times, and despite what could only be described as "ideal" conditions (a 4-berth cabin all to me and my wife, blankets and pillows, eye shades, ear plugs, and comfy clothes, I never got more than 10 seconds of sleep on any of them. The constant motion, the noise (really loud squealing that even the best earplugs don't cut), all adds up to a completely sleepless night for me, and the next day I'm a zombie. I know some folks can sleep fine on a train, but some of us just are wired to stay awake if we're in something that's moving - it's a blessing (when driving - I'll never fall asleep behind the wheel) and a curse (when traveling). One last item: does your baby cry when he/she can't sleep? If he/she is crying all night, you're not going to get any sleep yourself (and you're not going to make many friends among your fellow passengers).

And just to be clear (or, beat a dead horse) - I sleep fantastically great on night trains! Love 'em - for the 45mins of sleep I can total up... Being thown from my bunk tends to make me wakey-wakey, though. And there's always a time or two on every 'sleep-over' when but for the grace of God, the sleep net that covers me head to ribcage, and my little fingers, I'd be thrown against the opposite wall only to land in a THUD on top of the sink. Other than that, I truly love night trains. I guess what I'd REALLY like is a bunk in a stationary train that rocks me all night...And I wouldn't spend the entire next day fighting the urge to bite everyone's head off. And thinking about how stupid Italians/French/Germans/men/husbands are. And I was never really worried about your little one sleeping; being flung out of the bunk, yes. Having exhausted parents the next day, yes.

Yea I understand that. Our daughter is an even tempered littler girl. She only cries if she is starving, has gone #2 or if she REALLY isn't tired whatsoever. We have no problem hanging out with her until she falls asleep... thankfully she is a good little kid. We'll see though.

If your daughter can sleep on the T, it appears she'll be OK with the slingng motion, and the constant stopping and restarting.
I say go for it. It's just another adventure! You mention the n/t as to and from Italy? If the trip "to" is truly horrible, you can always change your travel plans for the trip back and fly.

My idea exactly. If the ride there is not good I fully intend on finding a flight to our destination that would have had to been taken by night train. The only reason we did not just do that in the first place is because her dad is a bigger guy and HATES planes. Oh well. I guess I can spend a day alone in Paris with the little one until he reaches us if need be. haha

I don't see mention of one very obvious danger here. What happens when a full size adult slams into a tiny child in a bunk that is often no more that 2'3" wide. Pediatricians discourage small children in bed with parents in the comfort of their own home where there is no bouncing, rolling, or sharp turns. Just thinking.