Getting there, together
The Key to Any Travel Experience, Especially with Family: Transportation
Getting there, together
Ask any family what they remember about a trip to Europe, and the answers are usually the Colosseum at sunset, a boat ride to a hidden cove, or the gelato that tasted better than any at home. What they rarely mention is how they got from place to place, and that’s exactly how it should be. When transportation is planned well, it disappears into the background. When it isn’t, it becomes the story.
For multigenerational families, getting around takes more planning than it does for a couple. Here’s what our team has learned about keeping families moving smoothly, from private transfers to island ferries.
Why Transportation Makes or Breaks a Family Trip
The biggest mistake we see is booking too close to departure. Family trips often need things a standard trip doesn’t: larger vehicles than the usual sedan or minivan, car seats, connecting rooms, or suites. The earlier you plan and book, the more likely suppliers are to have those special vehicles and room types available.
Ease, comfort, safety, and reliability matter more when the whole family is along. Traveling with kids brings its own beautiful chaos. Knowing that every transfer, train, flight, and rental car is prearranged with reputable suppliers means your travelers can stop worrying about logistics and enjoy each other’s company.
What Changes When the Family Gets Bigger
More travelers means more. More luggage, more strollers, more car seats, and more seats to keep together. A few things to know:
- Vehicles in Europe are smaller than in the US. Most European minivans fit up to five people with one bag each and a small carry-on each. A family of five almost always travels with more than that, so a larger vehicle or custom transfer needs to be requested.
- Larger families need larger vehicles planned in advance. Most operators can provide minivans for five or six travelers from our standard options. For more than eight people in one vehicle, we recommend a bespoke service request, and our bespoke team will go to the supplier for quotes on larger vehicles.
- Seats together aren’t always guaranteed. Seating together can be tricky, especially on scenic trains. Booking early gives families the best chance, but they should know they may not always sit together.
Traveling with Grandparents with Limited Mobility
When a grandparent has limited mobility, tour, transportation, and hotel choices all shift. We recommend private tours rather than shared tours, so the pace can match their needs. Larger vehicles make room for foldable wheelchairs, scooters, and walkers, which most suppliers can accommodate, but we need to know this information upfront when we are tailoring your booking. We also recommend ensuring hotels all have elevators and lifts and opting for private transfers or booking flights over trains and ferries. Fixed (non-folding) wheelchairs and scooters are much harder to accommodate in Europe, so it’s worth raising early.
Private Transfers: Car Seats, Strollers, and Luggage
- Car seats: Most of our transfer suppliers can provide car seats when requested for several months in advance. Share each child’s height and weight at booking, so the right seat is provided.
- Strollers: Families should bring their own stroller or buy one when they arrive in their first European city.
- Luggage: If travelers have more than one checked bag and one personal item each, let us know in advance. We’ll send a custom request to the supplier, or your Europe Specialist will select a larger vehicle.
Turn a Travel Day into Part of the Trip
When there’s something worth seeing between point A and point B, a transfer with a stop along the way breaks the long drive day and keeps younger travelers entertained and engaged. One family favorite: a private car transfer from Naples Airport to a Sorrento hotel with a two-hour stop in Pompeii, including a local guide and entrance tickets. Instead of a long day in the car, the family gets an unforgettable afternoon.
Scenic Journeys, Ferries, and Boats
Sometimes getting there really is half the fun.
- Scenic trains: In Switzerland, the Glacier Express and the Bernina Express are top picks. In Norway, the Flåm Railway is a highlight on the journey between Oslo and Bergen.
- Ferries: Ferries are one of the best ways to travel between the Greek islands. Our ferry partner monitors sailings hourly and contacts travelers directly if anything changes, so families aren’t left scrambling.
- Where boats make it easier: island hopping in Greece and Croatia, getting between mainland Italy and Capri and Anacapri, and crossing Italy’s lakes, including Lake Como and Lake Garda.
- Boat tours families love: the Private Caldera of Santorini Daytime Sailing Cruise, with great food, crew, swimming, and scenery (also available as a small group, shared, or at sunset cruise), and the Full Day Blue Cave and 5 Island Hopping Tour from Split.
- Self-drive boating: We don’t offer self-drive boat tours, but our partner companies, like Le Boat and The Moorings, do. Your Europe Specialist can help with these requests.
Before You Request a Quote
A few details make all the difference when we plan a family’s transportation:
- Book early, especially for larger vehicles, car seats, and special room types.
- Share each child’s height and weight for car seats.
- Tell us how much luggage the family is bringing, especially if it’s more than one checked bag and one personal item each.
- Flag any mobility needs, and whether wheelchairs or scooters fold.
- For more than eight travelers in one vehicle, ask about a bespoke service request.
Ready to Plan?
Bring us the family, and we’ll bring the plan. Reach out to your Europe Specialist, call us at 800-927-3876, or request a quote online for Custom, Groups, or Elevated.
Have questions about rail? Read The Basics and Need-to-Knows of Train Travel in Europe.
About the Author
