We decided to embark on an eco-friendly family adventure to Sicily by train. Discovering a direct night train from Milan to Palermo and Catania, we decided to give it a try. The journey costs between €221 (going) and €206 (returning).

Day 1: Brussels to Milan

We started our journey from Brussels to Paris and then switched stations to travel onward to Milan. Here’s a cost breakdown of the first part:

• Eurostar: Kept August on our lap, so no ticket needed.
• French SNCF Trains: Used the “carte avantage adulte” discount.
• Total Cost: €190 (Brussels-Paris) + €125 (Paris-Milan) = €157/person.

To kick off the trip in style, we had lunch at Le Train Bleu in Paris’s Gare de Lyon. The restaurant boasts a spectacular interior of the golden age of train travel. We discovered it by coincidence by hearing a waiter singing an opera song from the stairs in the station hall.

Our train from Paris to Milano arrived in Porto Garibaldi, and we still walked to Milano Central Station in the evening. We stayed at B&B Hotel Milano Aosta, conveniently near Milano Central Station, allowing us to leave our luggage the next day until our night train departure.

Day 2: Night Train to Sicily

On our second day, we explored Milan with breakfast on the hotel’s rooftop, a stroll around the city, lunch, and visits to Castello Sforzesco Park and the Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology. August loved playing in the boats, trains, and helicopters, with plenty of kid-friendly activities.

We booked a private car for our family: the “Vagone Letto Deluxe – Tripla Cabina Intera” for €198 in total, or €66 per person. Departure from Milano Centrale was at 20:10, arriving in Catania Centrale the next day by 14:32.

To make sure August was comfortable, we brought his little sleeping tent and installed it on the lower bed (see our blog post on train travel with kids here).

Day 3: Arrival in Sicily

The scenic views along the Italian coast were breathtaking.

The most interesting part of the journey was in the late morning when the train was divided into sections of 3-4 cars and transported onto the ferry. You can leave most of your luggage in your coupé but take valuables with you when walking around the ship, as the cars stay open during the crossing.

We opted to start our Sicilian adventure in Taormina, getting off the train around noon instead of the intended stop in Catania at 14:32.

Our full experience traveling around Sicily by train and bus for a month will be detailed in a separate blog post.

Return Trip

I traveled back by night train from Palermo directly to Milan, mirroring our trip to Sicily: Departure: Palermo Centrale at 12:58, Arrival: Milano Centrale at 10:10. Switching stations, having lunch and traveled on to Paris where I stayed for the night. I was back in Brussels on day-3 by 10 am.

Costs for the return journey:

• Night Train: €45.
• Train Milan-Paris: €62.
• Train Paris-Brussels: €99.

Ecological Travel Tips for Train Travel with Kids

1. Pack food and drinks: Keep a variety of healthy snacks and drinks handy for the journey.
2. Entertainment: Bring books, coloring supplies, and small games to keep kids entertained.
3. Comfort Items: Pack comfort items like earplugs or sleeping tents for restful nights.
4. Frequent Breaks: Use long stops to stretch, walk around, and let kids burn off energy.
5. Travel Light: Use backpacks and a foldable stroller for easier mobility between trains and stations. See blogpost on travelling by train with kids. We had only 4 items with us:
   • One big hiking backpack with all Tine and my clothes, books, laptop…
   • A child carrier backpack (Vaude / Deuter), also containing all clothes and supplies for August (incl diapers, milk powder,..)
   • The sleeping tent of August, containing his teddy bear and all sleeping stuff. If August was in his stroller, we would put this tent in the child carrier backpack where August normally sits.
   • Our foldable stroller