My friends over on instagram always have my back (so grateful!) and when I asked about what travel stroller to bring to Europe, I received 11 pages worth of helpful responses from people who have either visited Europe with their little one or live there! I’m going to share everything I learned in this blog post.
A little backstory… I’m planning a trip to Europe with my almost 2-year-old, Adaline, (she will turn 2 during the trip!) and while I’m excited about this trip, I am a little bit overwhelmed because I will be traveling home SOLO-with a 2-year-old (prayers appreciated!… but really lol). Ryan has to return home for medical school and I decided 10 days in Europe wasn’t enough. Adaline and I will be staying for over 2 weeks after he leaves! SO I’m going to have to be able to handle everything on my own, including a travel stroller.
This blog post has a LOT of information in it about travel strollers, so I created a table of contents to help you easily find the section that will be most helpful for you!
How To Choose The Perfect Stroller
Overall, it sounds there isn’t ONE perfect travel stroller- which is good news… and bad news. haha. Deciding which stroller to bring when traveling in Europe really depends where you are going and what you care about most in a stroller! For example, I’ve learned that in Denmark and Germany they tend to use bigger strollers vs in London and Paris they tend to use smaller strollers.
Back when Adaline was 5-6 months old, we visited Spain with her and we brought our trusty, yet huge Thule jogging stroller. It was actually the only stroller we owned at the time, and we thought- why not? The downfall of that decision was that I definitely feel like we had the biggest stroller in the entire country and looked like complete outsiders. Also, at the first hotel we stayed in, we had to strategically jam the stroller inside at an angle and fold down the handle bar to be able to squeeze into the elevator.
BUT when we were walking through the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona and Adaline was napping soundly as the stroller glided over the cobblestone like butter, I realized it wasn’t a horrible choice. I just wished I had a stroller with big wheels that was a bit more compact to fold down, lighter, and not quite as wide… and so the search began.
Since baby/toddler travel is my job, I have researched a lot about travel strollers, but I was really curious and wanting to learn what the best travel stroller actually was for the conditions of Europe- my main concerns being that it’s fairly compact but also able to handle the cobblestone. Here’s what my audience said, based on their experience in various countries!
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Overall Rankings
The Most Popular Suggestion
Babyzen yoyo: People love the baby zen yoyo travel stroller because it’s super compact, fits in the overhead bin of the plane, and folds with one hand. I also love that there’s a strap to carry the stroller on your shoulder! The biggest con is the price point is high and you need to purchase extra accessories, like a leg rest, separately. Personally, we already have the Ergobaby metro + and I feel like it does the same job as the baby zen for the most part, so I’m not splurging on the baby zen, BUT if I didn’t already have the ergobaby stroller, I would definitely consider this option, especially since t’s so widely loved.
Choosing a Stroller Based on Your Trip’s Specific Needs
I think this is a great option of you are trying to make a stroller you already have work or if you are visiting multiple different countries! Here’s a way to divide travel strollers/strollers that aren’t travel strollers by size.
If you are most worried about fitting the stroller into the overhead bin of the plane (not having to gate check the stroller) and something that is extremely compact, these travel strollers are your best bet (or something similar- there are so many great ones out there):
- Babyzen yoyo: explained above
2. Ergobaby metro + This is the travel stroller we have and love! We love that it almost fully reclines, has an adjustable legrest and handle bar, and has soft, ergonomic padding. She naps well in it and it fits in the overhead bin of the plane. The reason I’ve been hesitant about bringing it is because I feel like the wheels won’t handle cobblestone well. This is the issue with all travel strollers that are compact enough for the overhead bin of the airplane, though! It’s also a better price point than most other compact travel strollers.
3. Joolz Aer: Another highly suggested compact travel stroller. Has super similar features to the babyzen yoyo, the biggest downfall I see is there’s no foot rest, which is really nice for our daughter when napping!
4. Baby Jogger City Tour 2: Compact, has a footrest, almost a flat-seat recline, large storage basket, and lightweight, durable rubber tires
If you are most worried about a fairly compact travel stroller that can handle uneven terrain:
- Cybex Eezy S Twist +2: We just bought this one to try out at home! I love the idea of it because it’s still a travel stroller but has bigger wheels. The seat also turns 360 degrees (the baby can face you or out at the world!) and has a great recline for naps. It also sits really upright which is nice if your baby/toddler really likes to sit up straight.
- Baby Jogger City Mini GT2: This is an all-terrain stroller with a one-hand compact fold, great recline for naps, hand brake, and adjustable handlebar.
If you are most worried about handling the uneven terrain most gracefully and less worried about the size:
- Thule Urban Glide 2: This is our jogging stroller and we love it! It offers a smooth ride for baby no matter the road conditions, has an integrated hand brake, swivel/locking front wheel, and one handed reclining seat. The biggest con is the weight and size, as it weighs 25.3 pounds (on American Airlines, you couldn’t gate check this stroller! BUT we gate checked our stroller on Delta and Delta partners many time)
2. BOB Jogging Stroller: Another great jogging stroller option! I haven’t done a ton of research about it since we have the Thule, but this link has a lot of detailed information about the features and comparing the strollers.
3. Uppababy vista: Another option people love is the uppababy vista! Some great features include an extendable, zip out canopy, full size, reversible toddler seat, stands when it folds, and an extra large, easy access basket.
Suggestions depending on Where you are traveling
Now, here are the travel stroller suggestions that I received! I divided the advice into countries, so that you can plan and read the best advice for your specific Europe trip!
Europe, in general
I live in Germany, but this year we have been to France, Belgium, the netherlands, Austria and Italy with our easywalker jackey he had great naps on the Go.😅
If you’re staying in big cities a babyzen yoyo would be best
We have the elody stroller very nice for each road and you can fold this one very easy. Also your child can lay down flat and it has a large sunhood if i say it correctly ☺️
Babyzen Yoyo is very common also super convenient if you’re flying within Europe and want a practical solution that fits in the overhead locker on a plane. Anything similar to this will work! Not sure of the season you’ll be here but make sure you have the integrated footmuff and (essential for the UK) rainproof plastic cover
Phil & Teds! Fits through all metro stations. It’s the go-to brand for European mommas. Lays flat for naps
The bugaboo butterfly without a doubt! It fits in the overhead compartment on planes so is super useful if you’re planning to fly between countries. It reclines well for naps and is very light so good for carrying up and down stairs if needed. And yes it’s super easy to fold up with one hand. I’m from Europe and I’ve travelled with the bugaboo butterfly within Europe and also in Mexico where the streets are a lottt worse than in Europe
As a full time traveler and European, I would definitely recommend the Yoyo stroller. It is kind of expensive but so worth it! It’s light, compact, very good quality and fits in the overhead compartment on the plane. Most airline know about so no fuss at the airport. It’s definitely a city stroller tho so if you plan on going off trail, you’ll need a carrier. Also, if you plan of buying this stroller, be careful. It is considered as a valuable item, and if you take your eyes off it for a second in certain cities in Europe (Paris for example) it will get stolen in a matter of seconds!
Hey! I am American/live in Luxembourg and travel a lot with our 11 month old across Europe . Granted I’m not in the toddler phase yet but we have the baby jogger city stroller and love it. It is compact/works well on all the terrains in the EU/ is super light. We haven’t taken it on the plane when traveling within the continent as the planes are quite small so we always check it at checkin/gate and have never had issues (20+ flights and counting!)
Stroller with a good suspension because the roads are rough!!!! We went with our pedigrio stroller and broke the wheels! A BOB stroller is great but they are bulky as well.
Yo-yo stroller helps it’s small but it was useful for travel cross country
Live in Finland, travel Europe often- usually take Uppababy Vista. Despite being big, it suits our style of walking holidays; handles uneven ground and naps on go. But not good for some cities if you want to use public transport a lot, eg London/Paris. Also too big for dinner at quaint restaurants! We use baby carrier or nothing at all, for those times ☺️
I live in europe (the Netherlands, near Amsterdam) I think it really depends on where you are going because every country is different. I have a macclaren quest because its very compact. Also used it in greece to wich worked out fine.
I live in Germany, Munich, we always take our Ergobaby Metro with us, when we are travelling
Cybex Priam is the perfect stroller. Functional and also the looks 😍. German company also so really ‘European’
We have the ergo metro – it’s ideal for travelling in Europe! We live in the UK & taken it to Portugal & Spain so far x
I use the joolz aer. It’s not going to be as cushioned as a normal stroller (I have the uppababy) but my son sleeps in it pretty well anyway. The best but is it fits in the overhead compartment on almost all planes so it is small and is such a help when you are alone on the flight. It’s narrow enough to fit down plane aisles so it works well on the small streets in Europe. It also folds up and down with a one handed click. So you can store it easily in the room )which is likely to be small!) or when dining at a restaurant. Only downside is price and the fact that accessories (bumper bar and the foot rest) are extra. I think they are worth it though!
Other option similar to the joolz is the bugaboo butterfly. Apparently it has more storage space. It came out after I bought mine so I never tried it!
Live in Germany-we use the uppababby vista. Been to 12 countries with our now 14 month old. Glides like butter
Took my baby and toddler to Europe for 6 weeks last year, happy to answer any questions! We brought our Mountain Buggy Nano and had pretty good success with it.
You want something light but the brand of stroller doesn’t matter all that much. Most places, any of the good travel strollers will work. The hilltop towns in Italy or Greece… no stroller will work well. So you want something light you can fold up and carry.
Rome can be tricky too, it’s a bumpy ride no matter what but the mountain buggy worked ok.
Hi! We are from Germany (just moved to NZ) and travelled in Europe with our now 17 month old. We have the Cybex Priam and are very happy with it. It’s the perfect middle between not to big and great on uneven roads. Easy to handle alone, good storage space.. we also shared it with friends in Zurich for a few trips and they thought it was perfect (compared to their American model). We took it with us to NZ now and had no problems with it at the airport, as it is super easy to fold and unfold. Good luck and have a great trip!
We took our Nuna TRVL with our newborn and it worked well! Can take overhead bin so you have it for layovers. We carried the stroller (plus the car seat) up and down stairs if needed and it was light. Did ok on cobblestone and super easy to throw in a Uber. Can’t say much about sunshade or for a toddler tho.
I live in the Netherlands with my 15 month old (originally from Canada) and we use our baby bee rover stroller everywhere!! Definitely go for the sturdier stroller because the small travel size ones don’t stand a chance on the cobble stone. We’ve been all over Europe now and it’s held up so well and my daughter sleeps really well in it. It can be tricky getting into restaurants with it being on the bigger side, but staff will usually have a spot they recommend we put it or worse case scenario we have a little lock we can attach it to a tree or bike rack outside. Good luck 😊
Hi dear, fellow toddler mum from Vienna here 🙋🏻♀️ I feel like JOIE is a great and affordable option – which also offers different kind of tires, like really depending on your needs. It‘s super comfortable for napping, easy to handle, got a great sundeck that goes almost all the way down and has got UV protection. Also I feel like it‘s way easier to navigate through narrow streets than some other options of that kind while still having comfortable sleeping positions and great tires. Hope that helps 🫶🏼
Cybex Mios is a good hybrid – light enough for travel but robust enough for cobbled streets. Awesome sun canopy too!
Baby jogger citi or yoyo2 travel prams. Take it on the plane. We used it around London and could easily take it on the tube, trains etc. Not great for off-road though
We brought the Uppababy vista for our two week trip to France and Denmark. No shame at all. Great suspension and fits a lot of stuff! For Amalfi Coast, stroller was useless because of the stairs. Otherwise I suggest Nuna TRVL or LeClerc which has the one handle fold but lays flat. Also moved to Europe recently and many use the YoYo which is small, goes on all planes but is stressful to fold. Good luck!
We live in London and have travelled to quite a few places in Europe. We use the BabyZen YoYo, so easy to fold up and down, majority of airlines don’t question you taking it on board to go in the overhead bins. My daughter naps well in it, even over the cobblestones in Santorini (it was very bumpy but didn’t seem to bother her). One issue is the canopy doesn’t come down that far. Would definitely recommend buying the separate footrest. We actually use this as our main stroller now and keep it in the car, our Nuna is limited to the nursery run.
The thing I love most about living in Europe is that you are able to go almost everywhere by the public transportation. So I’d recommend a stroller, which you can fold really easily and doesn’t take a lot of space nor isn’t too heavy. We’ve been all over Europe with the joolz aer (with the extra leg rest). Never disappointed us 😊 If you plan on going on a lot of hikes and being in the countryside, maybe you need something with a little bigger wheels.
We’ve been fine with our baby zen yo-yo
Hi there ! The crosswalk R by Jané is a perfect stroller, baby is confortable and the stroller can go everywhere.. and it’s a Spanish brand 😉
We have an ergobaby metro+ and take it everywhere when we visit cities / resorts. However if you plan on more rough terrain, take a sturdier one with bigger wheels (ie in the mountains/ dirt roads etc)
Cybex and Joolz are also common jn Europe, but I think you should bring whatever works better for you in the US, it will be fine here as well. We use Joolz Aer for travelling, but is not ok for bumpy rides
Silver Cross Pop 👌 live in England and travelled to Europe with it. It’s our travelling buggy. We leave the large pram at home just for local walks x
Live in the UK and brought the silver Cross zest umbrella pram for our trip to Rhodes. It was the only one that my 2 year old could lay down fully as he is so tall and I loved it. So light compact and has a strap to carry around. He loved his naps in it and I just added a sunshade. Love it over my travel system now I’m home🤗
Joolz AER has worked great for us. Also I have a British friends that swear by the Yoyo, we just decided not to go with that bc I preferred the fold of the Joolz and since we bought it when my son was 9 months old it has a higher weight limit than the yoyo. Hope this helps some! And he naps in it all the time, he naps better in a stroller than a crib though. Also the fold is the easiest I use it on my own with him all the time. I can hold him and fold it down with one hand.
I’m French living in London with my almost 2 year old – we travel around quite a bit. We like the Yoyo, but we added the little leg rest to make it more comfy for naps on the go. Haven’t tried any other compact stroller, but you will see allnover Europe EVERYONE has the Yoyo, so must be a sign (and/or excellent marketin). Safe travels!! 🥰
Hi I am from Germany. Sorry my english is nit the best. I have the Stroller “Gesslein F4” in buggy. Its perfekt you can walk every way with it. The Baby can sleep in it very good . We were in some Countries with it and your 16 Month old Baby and we walk some diffrent was.
Not sure if baby jogger is popular in the US but last time we went to europe we were using baby jogger city tour 2. It’s a cabin size, but still roomy for a toddler, roomy storage space, and easy to fold
We use a baby jogger city mini gt which we love! It’s really easy to manoeuvre, durable so good on cobbles and uneven pavements, is pretty light, lies flat for naps and has an amazing big hood. It also folds up so easily, with one hand! Highly recommend. We live in Scotland but travel a lot in Europe ☺️
People here used to use Babyzen yoyo or you have also Maclaren atom as very light and compact Travel strollers 😉. Also you can consider the option of renting them at the destination, most of them have this service already ☺️.
Spain
Hi! I am from Belgium and I went to Spain with my baby (9months at the time). I took this easy, light stroller with us. She could sit up straight, and even lay down and take a nap.
We used the uppababy minu in Spain recently. It was great. Fit in the overhead. Reclined and was comfy for naps. Big basket for storage. And handled the terrain well. Several times we said that this really could almost replace our full size stroller
Maclaren stroller i live in Spain
I live in the UK and have been to Spain with my toddler and we just used a lightweight Hauck stroller, light and small! Worked perfect!
England/UK
have the yoyo, get everywhere with it. Love it. Plus bub loves sleeping in it. I live in the Uk
YOYO 2 Babyzen is amazing. You can even take it with you up in the airplane. I’m from Spain and living in England and I had the Yoyo for travel and my time in Spain and I have to say now I just use my big stroller in England when I go to a park where I know is going to be lot of mud (as Yoyo doesn’t have big wheels and I feel I shouldn’t push my luck hahahahaha). You can even buy a bag to put it in as backpack!
UK range from cheap, compact strollers to larger frames like Quinny
We have a bugaboo fox at home which is all terrain but too big on public transport (rural UK) When we travel we use the Babyzen yoyo, you can take it as hand luggage on flights so when you get the the inevitable queue at customs in the airport you have it with you. We travel to Italy lots to see family, generally if cobbles are too rough for the small wheels there are larger paving slabs or flat pavements either historic ones which were for horses and carts or modern ones for wheelchair users. The basket underneath is rubbish but you can get an add on wheel at the back with a bag which we have found great. A cheaper option with similar functionality is the joie pact, this is slightly less robust feeling but lies completely flat if that’s important to you for naps. My little one isn’t that fussy about the seat so long as we keep moving! Have a great trip!
UK is fine though for bigger strollers
Kinderkraft is great for naps in the UK
Baby zen yo yo is what every Parisian and London mum has
I’m Spanish but live in London, most people use the bugaboo fox, mamas & papas ocarro. The one we have is are UPPAbaby Cruz and it’s been fine when travelling although I haven’t travelled on my own yet with my daughter (she’s 6 months old). What we love about the UPPAbaby Cruz is how big the basket is!
Baby zen yoyo is also very popular and it’s quite small and light
I live in London and for travelling we use the ickle bubba. I have flown with my baby by myself from an to America and this pram has been a saviour. Super light and fits perfectly in cabin.
The Yo-yo by babyzen. Incredibly light-weight. Will fit as cabin baggage on all major (including low cost) airlines. Not amazing on bumpy cobblestone but not terrible. Not a huge amount of storage but some. Will get in & out of cafes & on buses etc easily.
Just got back from Europe. Took the Uppababy Minu and it was great. I liked it better than the Babyzen Yoyo.
I am French and I live in Canada but go visit my family regularly. people always compliment me on my jogger big wheeled stroller. They admire how convenient it looks. So no, you don’t look stupid americans !
we use the babyjogger city mini for travel in Europe as it fits in the cabin baggage. I would also recommend the Yoyo zen as its the same and both small to get through the narrow doors we have in Europe
I live in the UK. We bought the Ergobaby Metro+ to take to Spain nearly a year ago and never went back to our old stroller. It manages cobbles etc really well. And it folds small + comes with a backpack carry case. Best purchase ever for travelling and every day!
Hi! I live in England and I have an Ickle Bubba Globe stroller. I don’t know if you can buy these in the US. It’s fab and it folds small enough to be a carry on for flights. It also lays flat for naps and isn’t heavy to carry once folded. Both my babies have enjoyed it and seem to be comfy. It is sturdy and also looks quite fancy!! xx
Germany
I live in Germany and we perfere the label ‚Joie‘ for strollers. Let me konw if I can help you further.
I live in Germany and almost every family is having this stroller: https://www.smythstoys.com/de/de-de/baby/joie/joie-kinderwagen/joie-kinderwagen-litetrax-4-sportwagen-buggy-coal-schwarz-grau/p/182704
Don’t worry about the size being „too American“, we have big strollers as well (I‘m German). And I think we definitely have more cobblestone than in the US. I would decide what is most comfortable for you for nap time and the plane. I would recommend bringing a bike lock though if you take a bigger one. So if there are places that you might not be able to take it to, you could lock it outside. That’s what I always do. Never had a problem.
I think it depends on the country. Germany uses giant prams for little ones, UK range from cheap, compact strollers to larger frames like Quinny
Joolz Aer. I’m from Germany.
Ireland
I live in Ireland and use a nuna next stroller
Summer Infant 3DLite stroller was amazing for us in Ireland!
Uppababy vistas are popular here and are not small ! Here being Ireland 🇮🇪
We went to Ireland with a 9 month old and brought the GB pockit city. I loved it – it handled the terrain pretty well (maybe a little bumpy on the cobblestone), but more importantly it easily fit into our minuscule rental car. It’s really hard to navigate the roads in the UK with a larger vehicle, so I knew we’d want a compact car but it would never have accommodated our Bumbleride Era we use at home.
Norway
Hey! I’m from Norway and we looove Britax smile 3 – we have traveled all around Europe with it and use it daily🤩👌🏼 my son is 2 and not going to have another stroller any time soon.
Sweden
I live in Sweden and literally everyone has the bogabo fox! Perfect stroller for everything really! Small enough to fit on public transport but still comfy. I also use the yoyo babyzen but it’s not as smooth as the fox. Muuch easier to travel with though! Good luck!
Italy
We have a bugaboo fox at home which is all terrain but too big on public transport (rural UK) When we travel we use the Babyzen yoyo, you can take it as hand luggage on flights so when you get the the inevitable queue at customs in the airport you have it with you. We travel to Italy lots to see family, generally if cobbles are too rough for the small wheels there are larger paving slabs or flat pavements either historic ones which were for horses and carts or modern ones for wheelchair users. The basket underneath is rubbish but you can get an add on wheel at the back with a bag which we have found great. A cheaper option with similar functionality is the joie pact, this is slightly less robust feeling but lies completely flat if that’s important to you for naps. My little one isn’t that fussy about the seat so long as we keep moving! Have a great trip!
Compact if you’re going on public transport. Lots of public transport especially in like Italy- you have to collapse it before you get in
DO NOT BUY KINDERKRAFT. THEY ARE SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BAD IN ITALY
In Milan now there are 2 stroller everybody has. Inglesina electa and yoyo travel stroller
We brought our joolz aer and it was great. Kept it in overhead bin to avoid damage. Great for restaurants! Took it to Italy for 10days with 4month old. Had car seat too. Plan to bring this same one next time.
We took the silver cross clic to Italy. It was perfect and because it folds so small could take it everywhere with us!
France
I live in Paris and everyone has a Yoyo here because there is no much space in restaurants, streets etc so it is quite ideal
Baby zen yo yo is what every Parisian and London mum has
Denmark
Living in Denmark. We have a huge stroller from brutal Römer. We went to Florida in November. Everyone there had tiny small strollers, where the kids didn’t have very comfortable naps. We even got comments from many Americans about our stroller being big, and how it was good for our child with the right support. So as American, Europe is big and you will see differences. Here in Denmark everyone has big strollers
Scotland
I’m in Scotland baby jogger city mini gt all the way I’m a nanny and have pushed hundreds of prams this wins every time
We live in Scotland and use BabyJogger or Hauck Sport xo
Switzerland
We live in Switzerland and using uppababy vista
Hey there we have Nuna (the one with large wheels) living in Switzerland with our 2.5 yr old. It really depends on the country you are planning to go, because in Switzerland, many people have the large Thule stroller and it is so normal. But I can imagine if you go to Paris with that, or Italy, it might not work as well.
Portugal
We used our Uppa baby Cruz in Portugal… because of the cobblestones. But we also have the ergo baby compact one. Not sure how it handles on rough terrain though.
Greece
I recommend the gb pockit+ all city. I live in Greece
Went to Greece for 17 days with our 15 month old and we loved the joolz aer
Took our Bob jogger to Greece (Athens/Santorini) and Amsterdam! Didn’t even think about if I looked stupid with it lol I can’t imagine trying to bring a different stroller on the roads there. The Bob was so easy to maneuver and not bumpy at all
Netherlands
Took our Bob jogger to Greece (Athens/Santorini) and Amsterdam! Didn’t even think about if I looked stupid with it lol I can’t imagine trying to bring a different stroller on the roads there. The Bob was so easy to maneuver and not bumpy at all
Finland
So im Finnish but live in the us. I went home last summer and traveled alone with my then 1.5 year old and we had the uppababy with us. It was fine on cobble stone and I have no complains. Just make sure you have the travel bag to go with, so if any damage happens and you have the bag and everything is registered, they will replace your stroller. One part of our strollers seat got some minor damage, and uppababy replaced it right away.
Romania
We went to Romania for 6 weeks and the Thule jogging stroller was the best. We previously took our Mockingbird and that was too big and bulky. I know the Thule can be “big” but loved the storage for a full day out and it carrying everything plus I was never stuck not being able to go somewhere or contractor picking it up
I hope this helps you find the perfect travel stroller for your big European adventure!
If you need more help planning for your trip, be sure to check out my step by step guide for flying with a baby, as well as my instagram and tiktok which are full of helpful tips and tricks!
Safe travels and let me know what travel stroller you are going to bring in the comments!
Xoxo,
Kiersten