Train vacation with children

Tips for a Train Vacation with Kids

Buying train tickets

For our train holiday with kids, we bought an Interrail Global Pass, which allowed us to travel on five days within one month. Other passes are available too, and you can easily order them via the Interrail website. You only pay for the adults, as children under 12 travel for free.
With the Global Pass, you can take one journey within your home country to leave the country and one journey to return home. We decided to park our car in Venlo (we live near Eindhoven) and take a regional train from there to Düsseldorf. We then changed to an ICE train to Munich.

Limit your transfers

Try to make as few transfers as possible and stay flexible, as trains in Germany can also be delayed. We spent our first two nights at Tirol Lodge in Ellmau. Using the Deutsche Bahn app, we had chosen what seemed like the ideal train journey to Wörgl in Austria, where we would catch a bus to Ellmau. We expected to arrive in Austria in around seven hours. Easy, right? Unfortunately, our very first train from Venlo was significantly delayed and eventually didn’t depart at all. As a result, we also missed our ICE train in Düsseldorf. Our entire day immediately took a different turn. We would also miss the bus in Wörgl, which only ran every four hours. So, be flexible!
Thankfully, it’s easy to find alternative connections using the various apps. But as we said, stay flexible and see it as part of the adventure. This is also one of the main advantages of the Interrail Pass: it’s valid on (almost) all trains, giving you plenty of flexibility. If you buy a cheap Super Sparpreis ticket for an ICE train, however, be aware that it’s only valid for your specific train journey.

Handy apps for your train vacation with children

Always reserve seats for the ICE and international trains through the Deutsche Bahn app. It costs little for families but provides a lot of comfort! You can do this last minute, so it’s not a problem if you suddenly take a different train. The Interrail app and the websites/apps of Deutsche Bahn, ÖBB, and VVT (both Austria) are a must!

The route of our Train Vacation with Kids

Ellmau Austria

The accommodation in Ellmau, Tirol Lodge, with its heated pool and comfortable family rooms, was delightful! It’s located in the Wilder Kaiser area, which is a paradise for families, with a fantastic playground on nearly every mountain peak.

The Tirol Lodge is located right next to the lift, but you can also hike up the mountain, which is what we did. It’s a total hike of 12 km. The last part is a bit challenging, but it’s manageable for sporty kids. The hiking trails in the mountains work just like ski slopes: blue routes are easy, and red routes are more difficult and steep. At the top of Hartkaiser lies Ellmi’s Zauberwelt, a playground paradise for the kids, complete with trampolines, a playground, and a water play area. And a delicious Kaiserschmarrn at the mountain restaurant is always a nice reward after such a hike! We rested our legs and enjoyed the warm mountain sun on our faces.

Salzburg Austria

From Ellmau, we took the bus to St. Johann in Tirol, where we caught the direct train to Salzburg, which takes 2 hours and 20 minutes. This train journey through the Salzburgerland is truly beautiful. We were lucky to have a sunny day. Every minute of the journey was stunning!

In Salzburg, we were there for just one day, but we would definitely go back. It’s a lovely city to wander around. We quickly decided to take the hop-on hop-off bus. In hindsight, it was way too expensive for what it offered. Our tip would be to explore the city center on foot and maybe rent bikes for a day to venture a bit further outside the city, for example, to Schloss Hellbrun. There is also Hellbrun Zoo there. Additionally, Salzburg has a nice toy museum. Or you can take the cable car at Hohensalzburg Fortress.

What struck us in Salzburg is how clean, tidy, and safe it is—just like everywhere in Austria. We also found it to be a romantic city, with its pastel-colored houses, narrow streets, and cozy terraces. It has a lovely, relaxed atmosphere!

Berchtesgaden Germany

After Salzburg, we traveled on to our bucket list destination, Berchtesgaden in Germany. We actually wanted to stay longer in Austria, but this was more practical in terms of our travel route. The Berchtesgaden National Park, located at the southernmost tip of Bavaria, is incredibly impressive in terms of natural beauty.

We took the bus to Königssee. It’s a tourist attraction, but definitely worth it. Although we think it gets very crowded during the peak season. First, we did the Malerwinkel circular walk to the viewpoint Rabenwand. It’s a short walk of about 30 minutes. You start on the left, along the boathouses. From the viewpoint, you have the most beautiful view over the Königssee!

We sailed to St. Bartholomä on an electric boat. Tip! Book your tickets online in advance! This boat trip will be a special experience in any season. With the autumn colors, it was beautiful. The most unique part of the boat trip is that halfway through, the roof of the boat opens, it gets very quiet, and the guide plays a tune on the trumpet… when the trumpet music echoes back from the mountains a few seconds later, it really gives you goosebumps!

Munich

After Berchtesgaden, we traveled to Munich. We discovered that there are fewer ICE trains running on the weekend. That’s why we were glad to be in Munich early to ensure we wouldn’t miss our ICE. It was generally busier on the weekend, and we couldn’t reserve seats for all the trains anymore. In Munich, we played the tourist in the city. We cruised around the city on rented scooters! The kids loved it!

About Ingrid

Hi! We are Arjan and Ingrid, and together with our kids Casper (10) and Nova (8), we prefer to be outdoors, in nature. Or staying active! Nature has always drawn us on our travels. With and without kids, exploring Norway, Italy, South Africa, or New Zealand. By car or by train. As long as it involves phenomenal landscapes, being active or sporty, and a bit of adventure, we are absolutely happy!

In recent years, we have mainly been found in the mountains. In the mountains, we find peace, relaxation, and feel incredibly at home. The magic of nature in our European alpine countries captures our hearts every time. In winter, we go skiing and snowboarding (this coming winter, we’re even going for an extended period!), and in summer, we explore new areas on foot, by bike, or by car.

Our children (and we too, of course) really recharge from adventures in the mountains. Happiness hormones are produced non-stop by being active in nature. And even though they sometimes mention sore legs, they want to head out every single day.

The Dolomites have been on our list for a long time, and this coming summer we are going there. Additionally, we would love to go to Iceland and Canada.

Follow Ingrid on Instagram: @peaksofplay