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On our 12-day Christmas market trip, we traveled from Stuttgart to Munich, Salzburg, Vienna and Prague by train. There were ten of us: Chantelle and me, most of her immediate family, and her young niece and nephew.
Trains made the trip. They’re comfortable, the stations are right in the city center, and there’s no airport security. But moving ten people, their luggage and two little kids from city to city taught us a few things. Here’s what we’d tell any family or group planning the same.
1. Have one person book every ticket
One person in our group booked all of the tickets. That way, we knew everyone was on the same train at the same time, and nobody had to compare confirmation emails on the platform. If your group is splitting costs, settle up afterward. Don’t split the booking.
2. Reserve your seats (seriously)
We reserved seats on our trains, and we definitely recommend it for a big group. On many European trains, a seat you’re sitting in can be reserved by someone else, and when they board, you have to move. With a group of ten, that can mean getting split up across the train or standing in the aisle with your bags.
Reserving also gets the group seated together, which matters a lot with kids.
3. Travel light: carry-on size bags are a win
This was our biggest lesson. Carry-on sized luggage is a definite win. You’ll lift your bag onto the train, find a spot for it on the rack, carry it up station stairs and roll it over cobblestones to your hotel, often on a tight connection.
If you want to bring souvenirs home, pack an empty bag or an expandable one. Here’s our empty-suitcase trick and full packing list.
4. Make a plan for getting separated
The hardest part of moving ten people, luggage and kids was that we’d often get separated. Someone stops for a coffee, someone’s at the bathroom, and half the group is already on the escalator. What helps:
- Make sure everyone knows the plan: the train number, the departure time, the platform, and the hotel address at the other end.
- Pick a meeting spot in each station, like a café or the departure board, in case you lose each other.
- Have a group chat, and make sure everyone has phone data. If your plan doesn’t include international data, an Airalo eSIM covers all of Europe.
- Assign adults to kids. Decide ahead of time who’s responsible for which little one and which bags.
5. Get to the platform early
European trains leave exactly on time. With a big group, give yourselves extra time to find the platform, get everyone together and load the bags.
6. Know the station basics
- Bathrooms usually aren’t free in stations. Carry coins.
- Use the luggage lockers. Many stations have lockers where you can leave bags for a few hours and explore on a travel day.
- Bring snacks and water in a small day bag so you’re not digging through suitcases on the train.
7. Stay close to the station
With a big group and luggage, a hotel within walking distance (or a short taxi ride) of the main station makes travel days much easier. Our Vienna and Prague guides have the areas we liked.
Would we do it again?
Absolutely. Traveling by train took us through five cities without dealing with airports, and some of our favorite moments were just sitting together watching the snowy mountains go by. Read the full itinerary or our day in Salzburg at Christmas.
