Eurostar With a Baby

Eurostar is one of the easiest ways to take a baby abroad from the UK: no liquid limits for milk, no pushchair fees, room to walk about, and London to Paris or Brussels in a few hours without a flight. Here's what Eurostar's own rules say, and what to know at the border.

Everything below comes from Eurostar's Help Centre and official UK and EU government sites, checked October 2026. Rules change, so check before you travel.

Quick answers

Question	Answer
Does my baby need a ticket?	No, if under 4. Under-4s travel free on an adult's lap, without their own seat (Eurostar: under-4s)
How many babies per adult?	One infant per adult traveller
Can I get a seat for my baby?	Yes, by booking them as a child aged 4 or over. The child fare then applies
Do I tell Eurostar my baby is coming?	No. Eurostar says you don't need to add under-4s to the booking form or notify it
Turning 4 mid-trip?	Your child needs to be under 4 on the outbound journey, and won't need a ticket if they turn 4 before coming back
Passport?	Yes, every child, whatever their age, needs a valid passport
Pushchair or pram?	Free, on top of your luggage allowance (Eurostar: pushchairs)
Milk and baby food?	Bring your own. There's no limit on the volume of liquids (Eurostar: food and drink)
Baby changing?	Yes, there are baby changing facilities on board (Eurostar: toilets)

Lap baby or their own seat?

A free lap seat is fine for a short hop to Paris or Brussels with a small baby. For a wriggly toddler, or a longer trip to Amsterdam, a seat of their own can make the journey far calmer. To get one, book your under-4 as a child aged 4 or over and pay the child fare (Eurostar).

Choose your seats after booking. On trains to and from London you can change seats any time in Manage your Booking, subject to availability (Eurostar: choosing seats). There are toilets at the end of each coach, and Eurostar suggests picking a seat nearby if that matters to you. A seat close to the toilets saves a long walk with a nappy bag.

Pushchairs and luggage

Pushchair, pram or buggy: a folding one goes free, on top of your individual luggage allowance (Eurostar).
Luggage to and from London: one item of hand luggage plus up to two more items, each up to 85cm long at its widest point. There's no weight limit, but you must be able to carry and store your own bags (Eurostar: luggage).
No cabin-size rules to meet, so you can take the pushchair you already own. If you'll be on metro stairs at the other end, a light, one-hand-fold pushchair or a sling helps.

Milk, baby food and security

There's a security check at the station, like an airport, and you may need to take items out of your bags for scanning. Unlike airlines, Eurostar doesn't limit the volume of liquids you carry (Eurostar: security checks), so expressed milk, ready-made formula and water for bottles are all fine. You can bring your own food on board, and there's a café bar on trains to and from London.

Bringing baby milk back into Great Britain

Because of animal disease outbreaks in Europe, you can't bring milk, cheese, butter, yoghurt or most meat from the EU into Great Britain for personal use. There's an exception for babies: you can bring up to 2kg per person of powdered infant milk or infant food, as long as it doesn't need refrigerating before use and is in branded, unopened packaging (unless it's in current use) (GOV.UK: bringing food into Great Britain). Eurostar flags these rules on its own help pages too.

Passports and the EU Entry/Exit System

Every child needs a passport, including babies on your lap (Eurostar). Apply in good time before you book. Full guide: baby passport UK (photos, timelines, GHIC and EES).
EES (Entry/Exit System): the EU's new border registration for non-EU nationals, including British nationals, on short stays. It's being rolled out gradually from 12 October 2025, it's free, and there's nothing to apply for in advance. It happens at border control at your departure station (Eurostar: EES).
Babies and EES: the EU says fingerprints of children under 12 aren't scanned, even when they're covered by EES (EU: EES FAQs). A facial image may still be taken. More detail in our travel documents / baby passport guide.
When to arrive: arrive at the time shown on your ticket. Eurostar says this already allows for ticket, security and border checks, including any EES steps (Eurostar: EES). With a baby, aim for the start of that window so a feed or nappy change doesn't eat into it.

Tips for the journey

Pack a small changing kit in your hand luggage so you can leave the big bag in the rack.
Walk the train. A gentle stroll through the coaches settles many babies, and the train is a much easier place to do it than a plane aisle.
Plan the other end: check step-free routes from Gare du Nord, Brussels-Midi or Amsterdam Centraal before you go.

Why it's the greener way

Taking the train instead of flying to Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam is one of the simplest ways to cut a family trip's footprint, and you keep your own pushchair rather than buying a "cabin" one. See pushchairs on trains and ferries for National Rail and ferry rules, and packing light with kids.

Sources (checked October 2026)

Eurostar Help Centre: under-4s, pushchairs, luggage, food and drink, security, toilets, seats, EES
GOV.UK: bringing meat, dairy and animal products into Great Britain
European Union: EES FAQs