Kids Travel Free in Europe by Train: Every Rule That Works in 2026
Your kids can see a lot of Europe for free, and it isn’t a sale, a coupon or a points trick. It’s simply how Europe’s train companies work: children ride free, or almost free, when they travel with a paying adult. Most parents never hear about it because nobody advertises it. It’s written in the fine print of each train company’s website.
This guide puts every rule in one place: Interrail for all of Europe, then Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain and Austria. I checked every rule below on the train company’s own website in November 2026, and I link to each official page so you can check it again before you book. Rules change, and the official page always wins.
Quick list: where kids travel free on European trains (2026)
- Interrail (all of Europe): under 4 free, no pass needed. Ages 4 to 11 free with a Child Pass, up to 2 children per adult pass.
- Germany (Deutsche Bahn): under 6 free. Ages 6 to 14 free with an adult, up to 4 children per ticket, but you must add their names when you book.
- Netherlands (NS): ages 4 to 11 free with the free Kids Vrij subscription, up to 3 children per adult. Under 4 always free.
- Switzerland (SBB): a CHF 30 Junior Travelcard gives a child (6 to 15) a full year of free train travel with a parent. The third child gets the card free.
- Spain (Renfe): under 4 free on your lap on long-distance trains. Ages 4 to 13 get 40% off. Under 6 ride Cercanías local trains free.
- Austria (ÖBB): under 6 free. Ages 6 to 14 half price.
Why trains are the easiest way to travel Europe with kids
Before the rules, a quick word on why trains are worth planning around. With small kids, the hardest part of a trip is rarely the destination. It’s the getting there: security lines, car seats, luggage limits and keeping a toddler in a seat for hours.
Trains take most of that away. Stations are usually in the middle of town, so you skip the airport transfer. Kids can stand up, walk to the window and have a snack at the table. You keep your bags with you, there’s no liquid limit for their milk or water, and you see the country go by instead of a cloud. When the children also ride free, it often ends up cheaper than renting a car for the same route.
Interrail: the one pass for all of Europe
If you’re visiting several countries, start here. Children under 4 travel free and don’t need a pass at all. Children aged 4 to 11 travel free with a Child Pass when they travel with an adult who has an Adult Pass, up to 2 children per adult. So two parents can bring up to four children aged 4 to 11 at no pass cost.
The catch: some high-speed and night trains need a seat reservation, and reservations are paid. The pass covers the ride, not always the seat. If your under-4 needs their own seat on those trains, you book a reservation for them too.
Official rules: interrail.com
Germany: Deutsche Bahn
Germany is one of the most generous countries for families on trains. Children under 6 ride free with an adult and don’t need to be on the ticket (adding them helps you reserve family seats together). Children aged 6 to 14 also ride free with anyone aged 15 or older, up to 4 children per ticket. That includes grandparents, aunts and older siblings.
The catch: the 6 to 14s must be named on the ticket when you book. You can’t add them once the journey has started, so do it at checkout. Local buses and regional transport have their own rules by region.
Official rules: bahn.de
Netherlands: NS Kids Vrij
Kids Vrij is a free subscription for children aged 4 to 11. With it, they ride NS trains free with an adult (12 or older) who has a valid ticket, up to 3 children per adult. Children under 4 ride free without anything at all.
The catch: each child needs their own personal OV-chipkaart with Kids Vrij loaded on it, and the card takes time to arrive. Order it before you travel, not at the station.
Official rules: ns.nl
Switzerland: the CHF 30 Junior Travelcard
Switzerland isn’t free by default, but it’s close, and it’s one of the most beautiful train countries in the world. The Junior Travelcard costs CHF 30 per child for a whole year. With it, a child aged 6 to 15 travels free on Swiss trains whenever a parent travels with a valid ticket. From the third child on, the card is free.
Travelling with grandparents or a godparent instead of a parent? The Children’s Co-Travelcard works the same way for one named companion aged 16 or older, also CHF 30 per child.
Official rules: sbb.ch Junior Travelcard · Children’s Co-Travelcard
Driving between Italy and Switzerland instead? Read our Northern Italy and Switzerland road trip with kids.
Spain: Renfe
Spain isn’t free for every age, but it’s good value for families. On AVE, long-distance and regional trains, children under 4 travel free if they sit on your lap. Children aged 4 to 13 get 40% off with their own ticket and seat. On Cercanías local trains, children under 6 ride free, up to 2 per adult.
Good to know: on Avant trains your under-4 still needs a free child ticket, and child tickets on Avant and regional trains can’t be changed, so book once your dates are sure.
Official rules: renfe.com
Planning Spain? Our Spain with kids complete guide covers where to go, where to stay and what to skip, and if you’re near Málaga, don’t miss the Cueva del Tesoro.
Austria: ÖBB
Children ride free until the day before their 6th birthday. From 6 to 14, they pay half price on standard tickets. The same child prices apply when they travel with grandparents, family friends or a caregiver, not only parents.
Official rules: oebb.at
How to use these rules on a multi-country trip
Each train company sets its own rules, so on a trip through several countries, think one leg at a time. A simple way to plan:
- Count your train days. If you’ll ride trains on many days across several countries, compare an Interrail pass (kids 4 to 11 free) with point-to-point tickets.
- Match each country’s rule. In Germany, name the kids on every ticket. In the Netherlands, order Kids Vrij cards before you go. In Switzerland, buy the Junior card once and use it all year.
- Check who sells your ticket. A cross-border ticket follows the rules of the company that sells it, and ages can differ on international routes.
- Book seats on busy trains. Free fare or not, a reservation keeps the family together on high-speed and holiday trains.
Before you book: 4 things to check
- Reservations: free travel covers the fare, not always the seat. High-speed and night trains often charge for reservations.
- Names and ages: some companies need children named on the ticket at booking. Ages count on the day of travel.
- Cards first: the Netherlands and Switzerland need a card or subscription set up before the trip.
- Cross-border trips: international tickets can follow different age rules. Check the company that sells your ticket.
Kids travel free in Europe: FAQ
Do babies need a train ticket in Europe?
Usually not. On Interrail, under 4s need no pass. In Germany and Austria, under 6s ride free. In Spain, under 4s ride free on your lap on long-distance trains, but Avant trains still ask for a free child ticket.
Is Interrail free for kids?
Yes for ages 4 to 11, with a Child Pass, when they travel with an adult pass holder, up to 2 children per adult. Under 4s travel free without a pass. Seat reservations are extra.
Which European country is best for free kids’ train travel?
Germany is the most generous for school-age kids: up to 4 children aged 6 to 14 ride free with one adult, as long as they’re named on the ticket. For little ones under 6, Germany and Austria are both free.
Is the Swiss Junior Travelcard worth it?
If you’ll ride Swiss trains more than once or twice in a year, almost always. It costs CHF 30 per child and covers a full year of travel with a parent, and the third child gets it free.
Do kids ride free on trains in Spain?
Under 4s ride free on your lap on long-distance trains, and under 6s ride Cercanías local trains free. From 4 to 13, kids get 40% off with their own seat.
Plan the rest of your Europe trip with kids
- Italy with kids: the complete A to Z family guide
- Piedmont with kids: chestnut forests, mountain trails and a 1,000-year-old village
- Liguria with kids beyond Cinque Terre
- Spain with kids complete guide
- Summer camps across Europe for kids
- Japan with a baby: our itinerary, trains and strollers (if trains with little ones are your thing, Japan is next level)
Planning a family trip to Europe? Follow me on Instagram @bravefamilytravel for more European family travel hacks, and comment TRAIN on any of my train posts and I’ll send you this guide in your DMs. Send this page to a parent who’s planning a trip too.
Rules checked on each train company’s official website in November 2026.
Xoxo, Marae: your travel mom bestie