Family travel
Everything you need to know about travelling with children on Eurostar.
Our tickets are now more flexible than ever before. And from 4 November, you’ll be travelling in our new travel classes Eurostar Standard, Eurostar Plus, or Eurostar Premier.
Travelling with children on Eurostar
We understand that taking your tiny explorers on tour comes with unique challenges. That’s why we’re here to help everything go smoothly when you bring the kids.
Travelling with children
Children under 4
Kids under 4 years of age can travel for free and without a ticket on our routes between Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, provided they sit on your lap.
Child tickets are available to purchase if you’d prefer them to have their own seat or if you’re travelling alone with more than one tot in tow.
Children aged 4 to 11 years old
If your kids are aged between 4 and 11, they get to travel with you across Europe at a discounted rate*:
€15 in Standard
€25 in Comfort
€40 in Premium
*Child fares will increase during the Olympic Games (24 July - 14 August 2024) to €25 in Standard, €40 in Comfort and €60 in Premium.
From 4 November, fares for children aged 4 to 11 years old are approximately 50% cheaper in Eurostar Standard and Eurostar Plus. This does not apply to Eurostar Premier.
Children under 4 (in Eurostar Standard, Plus and Premier) can travel for free, provided they can sit on an adult's lap.
Exchange and refund conditions for tickets of children up to 11 years old are the same as the exchange and refund conditions of the ticket of the accompanying adult. Find out more about our fares and fees.
Children’s facilities on board
We know travelling with little kids means you need dedicated spaces. On our trains, we’ve got a baby-changing table, a washbasin, and a bottle warmer in coaches 7, 17 and 27. Choosing a seat in one of these three coaches will make your journey easier.
In addition to your regular luggage allowance, you can take a pushchair on board free of charge. It needs to be folded before boarding and stored in one of the baggage racks near your seat.
Under 18s
Unders 18s travelling on our routes between Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands
All children and teenagers under the age of 18, whether accompanied or not, travel under the responsibility of their parents (or guardians or other persons whom the parents have authorised to accompany them).
Parents or guardians must make sure that anyone travelling under the age of 18 possesses the necessary documents to cross any national border.
Please note: we do not allow children under the age of 12 to travel alone on our routes between Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Travelling with children
Children under 4 years old
Children under 4 travel for free on Eurostar – provided they can sit on an adult’s lap throughout the journey. If your tiny tot would prefer their own seat, you’ll need to buy a child ticket (more details below).
Travelling with more than one child under 4? They'll each need to sit on an adult's lap. If you’re travelling solo with two or more kids under 4, one can sit on your lap and travel for free, and you must buy child tickets for the others.
Remember, kids of any age need their own passport to travel.
Fares for children aged 4 to 11
Take the whole family to Europe in comfort with our special fares for kids aged 4 to 11 years old in Standard.
A child ticket can only be booked with an adult ticket on eurostar.com. If you need to book a standalone child ticket, please get in touch with our contact centre.
From 4 November, fares for children aged 4 to 11 years old are approximately 30% cheaper in Eurostar Standard and Eurostar Plus on trains during peak travel periods, with a discount of approximately 30% to 50% available on trains during off-peak travel periods. This does not apply to Eurostar Premier.
Exchange and refund conditions for tickets of children up to 11 years old are the same as the exchange and refund conditions of the ticket of the accompanying adult. Find out more about our fares and fees.
Children's facilities on board
Family seating
If there's space, you can choose to sit around a table and spread out the colouring books or get stuck into a game on the way.
Baby changing
All of our trains have baby-changing facilities. If you'd like to sit nearby, visit Manage your booking and choose your seats once you've booked.
Children's meals
If you're travelling in Standard Premier (or Eurostar Plus after 4 November) with your child(ren), you can request a child’s meal for them. Visit Manage your booking at least 24 hours before travel to let us know.
Child luggage allowance
Kids travelling on a child ticket can take:
- 1 piece of luggage (up to 85cm long)
- 1 piece of hand luggage
Pregnant or travelling solo with children under 4
We’re here to help
We know travelling while pregnant and/or with little ones in tow isn’t easy – we’re here to help.
If you think you need an extra pair of hands, you can pre-book assistance for your journey.
One of our team will be able to support you through the whole departure process, from going through the ticket gates to passing security and stepping on board.
Booking assistance
We’ll also be able to help you once your train arrives at its destination. If you only need assistance for part of the departure process, just let us know and our team will take care of it.
Some of our local providers in France and Belgium can only offer assistance to pregnant women but aren’t able to do so for adults travelling alone with children.
Please let us know at least 48 hours in advance if you need us. Find out how to pre-book assistance
Unaccompanied under 18s
Unaccompanied travellers under 18 will need additional documentation for travel. Please read the relevant section below and we strongly recommend checking the latest government advice before you travel – for both the country you’re departing from and the country you are travelling to.
Children under 12 years old
Children under 12 must travel with a responsible person aged 16 or older.
Children aged 12 to 15 years old (inclusive)
Children aged 12 to 15 (inclusive) can travel on their own to some Eurostar destinations, as long as they’ve got a fully completed Eurostar unaccompanied minor form and only travel on trains departing between 06:00 and 17:00 local time. The form must be signed by their parent or legal guardian (or by a responsible adult given consent by the parent or legal guardian) at the station in the presence of a member of the Eurostar team. The child will need to keep this signed form with them throughout their journey and show it to the onboard team if they’re asked.
When the parent or legal guardian gives written consent for the young person to travel, they accept and agree that the young person will travel unaccompanied and be treated as an adult passenger for the entirety of the trip (i.e. the young person will not be supervised by a member of the Eurostar staff). The responsible person must also ensure arrangements are in place for the young person to be met on arrival.
Documents the child will need to travel:
- Eurostar ticket
- Passport
- Eurostar unaccompanied minor form signed by a parent or legal guardian
Additional requirements for French residents
As above, plus:
- Authorisation des sorties de territoire (AST) form signed by a parent
- Photocopy of the identity card or passport of the parent who has signed the AST form
Please note: children under 16 years of age cannot travel unaccompanied on our direct trains to or from the Netherlands.
Teenagers aged 16 and 17 years old
Teenagers aged 16 and 17 years old can travel by themselves. However, they’ll need all the usual travel documents and must meet all the legal requirements.
To travel, they’ll need the following documents:
- Eurostar ticket
- Passport
