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TRANSPORT

Why Norwegian trains are better for journeys with small children than planes

Travelling by plane with small children can be challenging, as they may find it uncomfortable to sit still for extended periods on a plane, especially if they cannot sleep or play. In Norway, taking the train is perhaps a superior alternative - and for a good reason.

Published: 21 March 2023 13:06 CET
Norway train
There are many benefits to choosing a train journey through Norway over travelling to the airport. Photo by Jeremi Joseph on Unsplash

Most parents are quite familiar with the challenges of travelling by plane with their kids.

Children can get frustrated by the discomfort and stress, get motion sickness, and experience ear pain – to mention just some of the more common issues.

However, due to their convenience (in terms of journey times compared to trains) they remain the most popular travel choice for long distance travels in Norway. 

It is no surprise, then, that travellers to Norway are often in for a pleasant surprise once they muster up the courage to embark on a family train trip.

From dedicated areas for kids to play and special places reserved for prams to facilities with changing tables – there are numerous upsides to skipping the trip to the airport and opting for a train ride instead (provided you have the extra time on your hands, of course).

Norway’s children-friendly trains

Sitting still for long periods of time can be challenging for both adults and children.

However, when you’re on board a train in Norway, it’s often enough to look outside your window and be amazed by the country’s numerous natural landscapes.

Furthermore, Norway’s major railway route operators – Vy, Go-Ahead, and SJ Norge– all have train travel options aimed at making the trip more practical and enjoyable for the entire family.

Go Ahead Nordic offers family carriages with plenty of space for a pram and easily accessible toilets with changing tables. There is also a separate room with a TV and games at the front of the carriage. You can find out more about Go Ahead’s family offer here. 

The train company SJ Norge has a designated area for prams that all those travelling with smaller children can use. Furthermore, while passengers have a variety of healthy food and drink options to choose from, there are no restrictions on parents bringing children’s food and drink on board (this is also the case on Vy’s lines).

If there is a café on board the train, SJ Norge staff can also help you heat up the children’s food (as will Vy). Furthermore, the toilets in the family carriage are slightly larger and have changing tables. On some SJ Norge trips, parents are also able to pre-order food and then pick it up in the café when they get hungry. If you’re interested in SJ Norge’s family travel options, check out this site. 

Vy, formerly known as the Norwegian State Railways (NSB), has a separate family carriage on the Bergen Line (Bergensbanen), with a free-to-use playroom for the children and an associated section with seating for the whole family from which parents can keep an eye on the children.

Below you can see a tweet from a traveller who was impressed by the facilities on board. 

Two costumed performers also regularly appear in Vy’s family carriage – Børdi the cuckoo and Bædi the goat. The duo make trips even more enjoyable for the little ones. Children can have fun, read or watch TV in the playroom, while parents can easily access everything they need – such as luggage, prams and changing tables – at the family carriage.

Note that you’ll need to select the “family” option when booking your trip if you want access to the family carriage. More information and tips on Vy’s family travel offer can be found here.

Why the night train is a good idea for a family trip

Night trains can be a great way for families to travel through Norway, as they offer a cost-effective, comfortable, and memorable experience.

Taking a night train can save time as it allows you to travel overnight, meaning that your family will arrive at your desired destination in the morning, filled with energy and ready to start the day.

Furthermore, they can often be cheaper than taking a plane, and they also eliminate the need for overnight accommodation, meals, and often high transportation costs to and from the airport.

It is also important to note that most night trains in Norway offer comfortable sleeping accommodations, a major upside for most families with young children who need a good night’s sleep.

Last but not least, an overnight trip on the night train can be somewhat of an adventure of its own for the children, offering a memorable experience of going to bed in one city and waking up the next day in a completely new place.

Most railway operators in Norway have special (think discounted) ticket options for very small children on night trains if you book a sleeping compartment for children and adults. Make sure to check the ticket options on the website of your selected operator.

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For members

EES PASSPORT CHECKS

How will the new app for Europe’s EES border system work?

With Europe set to introduce its new Entry/Exit biometric border system (EES) in the autumn there has been much talk about the importance of a new app designed to help avoid delays. But how will it work and when will it be ready?

Published: 7 May 2024 10:29 CEST
How will the new app for Europe's EES border system work?

When it comes into force the EU’s new digital border system known as EES will register the millions of annual entries and exits of non-EU citizens travelling to the EU/Schengen area, which will cover 29 European countries.

Under the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), non-EU residents who do not require a visa will have to register their biometric data in a database that will also capture each time they cross an external Schengen border.

Passports will no longer be manually stamped, but will be scanned. However, biometric data such as fingerprints and facial images will have to be registered in front of a guard when the non-EU traveller first crosses in to the EU/Schengen area.

Naturally there are concerns the extra time needed for this initial registration will cause long queues and tailbacks at the border.

To help alleviate those likely queues and prevent the subsequent frustration felt by travellers the EU is developing a new smartphone app.

READ ALSO: What will the EES passport system mean for foreigners living in Europe?

The importance of having a working app was summed up by Uku Särekanno, Deputy Executive Director of the EU border agency Frontex in a recent interview.

“Initially, the challenge with the EES will come down to the fact that travellers arriving in Europe will have to have their biographic and biometric data registered in the system – border guards will have to register four of their fingerprints and their facial image. This process will take time, and every second really matters at border crossing points – nobody wants to be stuck in a lengthy queue after a long trip.”

But there is confusion around what the app will actually be able to do, if it will help avoid delays and importantly when will it be available?

So here’s what we know so far.

Who is developing the app?

The EU border agency Frontex is currently developing the app. More precisely, Frontex is developing the back-end part of the app, which will be made available to Schengen countries.

“Frontex is currently developing a prototype of an app that will help speed up this process and allow travellers to share some of the information in advance. This is something we are working on to support the member states, although there is no legal requirement for us to do so,” Uku Särekanno said in the interview.

Will the 29 EES countries be forced to use the app?

No, it is understood that Frontex will make the app available on a voluntary basis. Each government will then decide if, when and where to use it, and develop the front-end part based on its own needs.

This point emerged at a meeting of the House of Commons European scrutiny committee, which is carrying out an inquiry on how EES will impact the UK.

What data will be registered via the app?

The Local asked the European Commission about this. A spokesperson however, said the Commission was not “in a position to disclose further information at this stage” but that travellers’ personal data “will be processed in compliance with the high data security and data protection standards set by EU legislation.”

According to the blog by Matthias Monroy, editor of the German civil rights journal Bürgerrechte & Polizei/CILIP the Frontex app will collect passengers’ name, date of birth, passport number, planned destination and length of stay, reason for travelling, the amount of cash they carry, the availability of a credit card and of a travel health insurance. The app could also allow to take facial images. It will then generate a QR code that travellers can present at border control.

This, however, does not change the fact that fingerprints and facial images will have to be registered in front of a guard at the first crossing into the Schengen area.

So given the need to register finger prints and facial images with a border guard, the question is how and if the app will help avoid those border queues?

When is the app going to be available?

The answer to perhaps the most important question is still unclear.

The Commissions spokesperson told The Local that the app “will be made available for Schengen countries as from the Entry/Exit System start of operations.” The planned launch date is currently October 6th, but there have been several delays in the past and may be another one.

The UK parliamentary committee heard that the prototype of the app should have been ready for EU member states in spring. Guy Opperman, Under-Secretary of State at the UK Department for Transport, said the app will not be available for testing until August “at best” and that the app will not be ready in time for October. The committee previously stated that the app might even be delayed until summer 2025.

Frontex’s Särekanno said in his interview: “Our aim is to have it ready by the end of the summer, so it can then be gradually integrated into national systems starting from early autumn”.

READ ALSO: How do the EES passport checks affect the 90-day rule?

Can the system be launched if the app is not ready?

Yes. The European Commission told The Local that “the availability of the mobile application is not a condition for the Entry/Exit System entry into operation or functioning of the system. The app is only a tool for pre-registration of certain types of data and the system can operate without this pre-registration.”

In addition, “the integration of this app at national level is to be decided by each Schengen country on a voluntary basis – as there is no legal obligation to make use of the app.”

And the UK’s transport under secretary Guy Opperman sounded a note of caution saying the app “is not going to be a panacea to fix all problems”.

When the app will be in use, will it be mandatory for travellers?

There is no indication that the app will become mandatory for those non-EU travellers who need to register for EES. But there will probably be advantages in using it, such as getting access to faster lanes.

As a reminder, non-EU citizens who are resident in the EU are excluded from the EES, as are those with dual nationality for a country using EES. Irish nationals are also exempt even though Ireland will not be using EES because it is not in the Schengen area.

Has the app been tested anywhere yet?

Frontex says the prototype of the app will be tested at Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport, in Sweden. Matthias Monroy’s website said it was tested last year at Munich Airport in Germany, as well as in Bulgaria and Gibraltar.

According to the German Federal Police, the blog reports, passengers were satisfied and felt “prepared for border control”.

This article is published in cooperation with Europe Street News.

 
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