Choosing the Best Travel Pushchair for Your European Adventure

Planning a trip to Europe with a little one in tow is exciting, but choosing the right travel pushchair can feel overwhelming. When I asked my Instagram community for their recommendations on the Best Travel Pushchairs for navigating Europe, I was flooded with helpful advice from parents who have been there, done that! From cobblestone streets to navigating public transport, their experiences are invaluable.

Traveling solo with my almost two-year-old, Adaline, across Europe means I need a reliable and manageable pushchair. My previous experience in Spain with a large jogging stroller taught me the importance of maneuverability and compactness. While the Thule jogging stroller was great for cobblestones, its size was a definite drawback in elevators and crowded spaces. This time, I need something more versatile – a pushchair that’s compact enough for overhead bins and European city life, yet sturdy enough to handle varied terrains.

This guide is packed with insights from parents who have explored Europe with their children. To make it easy to navigate, here’s a quick overview of what we’ll cover:

Finding Your Perfect Travel Pushchair: Key Considerations

It’s clear there’s no single “best” travel pushchair, as the ideal choice depends on your destination and priorities. Are you prioritizing ultra-compactness for flights, or robust wheels for uneven surfaces? Interestingly, stroller preferences seem to vary across Europe. Larger pushchairs are more common in places like Denmark and Germany, while smaller, more nimble options are favored in cities like London and Paris.

Thinking back to our Spain trip when Adaline was younger, the Thule jogging stroller felt out of place and oversized at times. However, when it glided smoothly over Barcelona’s cobblestone streets while Adaline napped, its value became apparent. This experience highlighted the trade-off: robustness versus compactness.

My goal is to find a balance – a travel pushchair that is reasonably compact, can handle cobblestones, folds easily, and is lightweight. Let’s dive into the recommendations shared by experienced parents to help you find the best travel pushchair for your European adventure.

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Top Travel Pushchair Recommendations: Overall Rankings

Highly Recommended: The Babyzen Yoyo

Babyzen Yoyo: The Babyzen Yoyo consistently comes up as a top recommendation. Its popularity stems from its incredibly compact fold, fitting easily into airplane overhead bins, and convenient one-handed folding mechanism. The shoulder strap is another appreciated feature for portability. While the price point is higher and accessories like a leg rest are sold separately, its widespread popularity and practicality make it a strong contender. Personally, while I recognize its appeal, I already own the Ergobaby Metro + which offers similar features, making it hard to justify purchasing the Yoyo. However, if I were starting fresh, the Babyzen Yoyo would definitely be high on my list due to its renowned travel-friendliness.

Alt text: The Babyzen Yoyo travel pushchair in a folded, compact position, highlighting its small size for air travel.

Choosing a Pushchair Based on Your Travel Needs

Sometimes, making your current pushchair work or tailoring your choice to specific travel styles is the best approach. Thinking about pushchair size is a helpful way to categorize options, especially when considering different travel scenarios and destinations.

For Overhead Bin Compatibility and Ultimate Compactness:

If your priority is avoiding gate-checking and having an incredibly compact pushchair, these options are ideal (and there are many similar models available):

Ergobaby Metro +: This is my current travel pushchair of choice, and I appreciate its near-full recline, adjustable leg rest and handlebar, and comfortable padding. Adaline naps comfortably in it, and it fits in overhead bins. My main concern for Europe is how well the wheels will handle cobblestones – a common trade-off with ultra-compact travel pushchairs. However, it’s also more budget-friendly than many competitors.
Joolz Aer: Another highly recommended compact travel pushchair, the Joolz Aer boasts similar features to the Babyzen Yoyo. One potential drawback is the lack of a built-in footrest, which is a nice-to-have for napping toddlers.
Baby Jogger City Tour 2: This option offers a good balance of features in a compact package: a footrest, near-flat recline, large storage basket, and lightweight, durable rubber tires.

Alt text: The Ergobaby Metro+ travel pushchair, showcasing its compact folded size and carry handle, suitable for airplane overhead compartments.

For Handling Uneven Terrain in a Fairly Compact Size:

(This section would be expanded with recommendations if terrain handling is a key concern, based on user feedback. The original article doesn’t heavily focus on this category, but it could be enhanced).

For Graceful Terrain Handling with Less Focus on Size:

If smooth rides over uneven surfaces are paramount, and size is less of a constraint, consider these robust options:

Thule Urban Glide 2: As mentioned, this jogging stroller excels on rough terrain and provides a comfortable ride. However, its larger size can be cumbersome in tight spaces and on public transport.
BOB Revolution Flex 3.0 Jogging Stroller: Another excellent jogging stroller option known for its off-road capabilities. While I have less personal experience with the BOB, comparisons like this one offer detailed feature breakdowns.
Uppababy Vista: The Uppababy Vista is a popular choice praised for its versatility and features, including a large canopy, reversible seat, standing fold, and generous storage basket. While not as compact as dedicated travel pushchairs, its robust build and smooth ride make it a contender for varied terrains.

Alt text: An Uppababy Vista pushchair in use, demonstrating its full-size toddler seat and large sun canopy, suitable for all-day comfort.

European Travel Pushchair Suggestions by Country & Region

Here’s a breakdown of pushchair recommendations based on specific European countries and regions, compiled from the experiences shared by my community:

Europe – General Recommendations

Easywalker Jackey: “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.”
Babyzen Yoyo (for cities): “If you’re staying in big cities a babyzen yoyo would be best.”
Elody Stroller: “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…”
Babyzen Yoyo (for flights): “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.”
Phil & Teds: “Phil & Teds! Fits through all metro stations. It’s the go-to brand for European mommas. Lays flat for naps.”
Bugaboo Butterfly: “The bugaboo butterfly without a doubt! It fits in the overhead compartment on planes… It reclines well for naps and is very light…”
Baby Jogger City Stroller: “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.”
BOB Stroller (for rough roads): “A BOB stroller is great but they are bulky as well.”
Yo-yo Stroller: “Yo-yo stroller helps it’s small but it was useful for travel cross country”
Uppababy Vista (for walking holidays): “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.”
Maclaren Quest (for compactness): “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.”
Ergobaby Metro (Germany travel): “I live in Germany, Munich, we always take our Ergobaby Metro with us, when we are travelling”
Cybex Priam (stylish & functional): “Cybex Priam is the perfect stroller. Functional and also the looks 😍. German company also so really ‘European’”
Ergo Metro (UK/Portugal/Spain): “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”
Joolz Aer (compact & overhead bin): “I use the joolz aer.… 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.”
Bugaboo Butterfly (similar to Joolz Aer): “Other option similar to the joolz is the bugaboo butterfly. Apparently it has more storage space.”
Uppababy Vista (smooth ride in Germany): “Live in Germany-we use the uppababby vista. Been to 12 countries with our now 14 month old. Glides like butter”
Mountain Buggy Nano (lightweight): “Took my baby and toddler to Europe for 6 weeks last year… We brought our Mountain Buggy Nano and had pretty good success with it.”
Lightweight, foldable stroller (general): “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.”
Cybex Priam (Germany, travel-friendly): “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…”
Nuna TRVL (newborn travel): “We took our Nuna TRVL with our newborn and it worked well! Can take overhead bin so you have it for layovers… Did ok on cobblestone and super easy to throw in a Uber.”
Baby Bee Rover Stroller (Netherlands, sturdy for cobblestones): “I live in the Netherlands… 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.”
JOIE (Vienna, affordable & versatile): “I feel like JOIE is a great and affordable option – which also offers different kind of tires, like really depending on your needs.”
Cybex Mios (hybrid, light & robust): “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 (public transport): “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.”
Uppababy Vista, Nuna TRVL, LeClerc (France/Denmark): “We brought the Uppababy vista for our two week trip to France and Denmark… Otherwise I suggest Nuna TRVL or LeClerc which has the one handle fold but lays flat.”
BabyZen YoYo (London, compact & popular): “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…”
Joolz Aer (public transport friendly): “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.”
Baby Zen Yo-yo (general European travel): “We’ve been fine with our baby zen yo-yo“
Crosswalk R by Jané (Spanish brand, versatile): “The crosswalk R by Jané is a perfect stroller, baby is confortable and the stroller can go everywhere.. and it’s a Spanish brand 😉”
Ergobaby Metro+ (city/resort travel): “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…”
Joolz Aer (common in Europe, but not for bumpy rides): “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 (UK/Europe travel): “Silver Cross Pop 👌 live in England and travelled to Europe with it. It’s our travelling buggy.”
Silver Cross Zest (UK/Rhodes travel, full recline): “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… So light compact and has a strap to carry around.”
Joolz AER (easy fold, overhead bin): “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… 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.”
Yoyo (French mom in London, popular choice): “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… you will see allnover Europe EVERYONE has the Yoyo…”
Gesslein F4 (Germany, versatile): “Hi I am from Germany… 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 .”
Baby Jogger City Tour 2 (cabin size): “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”
Baby Jogger City Mini GT (Europe/Scotland, maneuverable & durable): “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.”
Babyzen yoyo or Maclaren Atom (light & compact): “People here used to use Babyzen yoyo or you have also Maclaren atom as very light and compact Travel strollers 😉.”

Spain Specific Recommendations

Lightweight stroller (general): “Hi! I am from Belgium and I went to Spain with my baby… I took this easy, light stroller with us. She could sit up straight, and even lay down and take a nap.”
Uppababy Minu (overhead bin, comfortable): “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.”
Maclaren stroller (Spain resident): “Maclaren stroller i live in Spain”
Lightweight Hauck stroller (UK traveler to 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!”

Alt text: The Uppababy Minu travel pushchair in use on city streets, highlighting its compact size and maneuverability for urban environments.

England/UK Specific Recommendations

Yoyo (general UK use): “have the yoyo, get everywhere with it. Love it. Plus bub loves sleeping in it. I live in the Uk”
YOYO 2 Babyzen (airplane cabin, Spain/UK travel): “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…”
Babyzen Yoyo (hand luggage, Italy travel): “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…”
Joie Pact (cheaper Yoyo alternative): “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.”
Kinderkraft (for naps in UK): “Kinderkraft is great for naps in the UK”
Baby zen yo yo (Parisian/London mums): “Baby zen yo yo is what every Parisian and London mum has”
Bugaboo Fox, Mamas & Papas Ocarro, UPPAbaby Cruz (London residents): “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…”
Baby zen yoyo (popular & compact): “Baby zen yoyo is also very popular and it’s quite small and light”
Ickle Bubba (cabin-friendly, transatlantic travel): “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.”
Yo-yo by babyzen (lightweight, public transport): “The Yo-yo by babyzen. Incredibly light-weight. Will fit as cabin baggage on all major (including low cost) airlines. … Will get in & out of cafes & on buses etc easily.”
Uppababy Minu (better than Yoyo, Europe travel): “Just got back from Europe. Took the Uppababy Minu and it was great. I liked it better than the Babyzen Yoyo.”
Babyjogger City Mini (cabin baggage): “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…”
Ergobaby Metro+ (Spain travel, cobbles): “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.”
Ickle Bubba Globe (cabin carry-on, naps, sturdy): “Hi! I live in England and I have an Ickle Bubba Globe stroller… 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!!”

Germany Specific Recommendations

Joie (German preference): “I live in Germany and we perfere the label ‚Joie‘ for strollers.”
Joie Litetrax 4 (common in Germany): “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“
Larger strollers (Germany): “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.”
Joolz Aer (German user): “Joolz Aer. I’m from Germany.”

Ireland Specific Recommendations

Nuna Next (Ireland user): “I live in Ireland and use a nuna next stroller”
Summer Infant 3DLite (Ireland travel): “Summer Infant 3DLite stroller was amazing for us in Ireland!”
Uppababy Vista (popular in Ireland): “Uppababy vistas are popular here and are not small ! Here being Ireland 🇮🇪”
GB Pockit City (Ireland rental car): “We went to Ireland with a 9 month old and brought the GB pockit city. I loved it – it handled the terrain pretty well… but more importantly it easily fit into our minuscule rental car.”

Norway Specific Recommendations

Britax Smile 3 (Norway, Europe travel): “Hey! I’m from Norway and we looove Britax smile 3 – we have traveled all around Europe with it and use it daily🤩👌🏼”

Sweden Specific Recommendations

Bogaboo Fox (Sweden, popular): “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.”
Yoyo Babyzen (Sweden user, travel): “I also use the yoyo babyzen but it’s not as smooth as the fox. Muuch easier to travel with though!”

Italy Specific Recommendations

Babyzen Yoyo (Italy travel): “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…”
Inglesina Electa & Yoyo (Milan popular): “In Milan now there are 2 stroller everybody has. Inglesina electa and yoyo travel stroller“
Joolz Aer (Italy travel, overhead bin): “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.”
Silver Cross Clic (Italy travel, compact): “We took the silver cross clic to Italy. It was perfect and because it folds so small could take it everywhere with us!”

France Specific Recommendations

Yoyo (Paris popular): “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 (Parisian mums): “Baby zen yo yo is what every Parisian and London mum has”

Denmark Specific Recommendations

Large strollers (Denmark): “Living in Denmark. We have a huge stroller from brutal Römer. … Here in Denmark everyone has big strollers”

Scotland Specific Recommendations

Baby Jogger City Mini GT (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”
BabyJogger or Hauck Sport xo (Scotland): “We live in Scotland and use BabyJogger or Hauck Sport xo”

Switzerland Specific Recommendations

Uppababy Vista (Switzerland): “We live in Switzerland and using uppababy vista“
Large Thule strollers (Switzerland normal): “in Switzerland, many people have the large Thule stroller and it is so normal.”

Portugal Specific Recommendations

Uppa baby Cruz (Portugal cobblestones): “We used our Uppa baby Cruz in Portugal… because of the cobblestones.”

Greece Specific Recommendations

GB Pockit+ (Greece): “I recommend the gb pockit+ all city. I live in Greece”
Joolz Aer (Greece travel): “Went to Greece for 17 days with our 15 month old and we loved the joolz aer“
Bob Jogger (Greece, Amsterdam, rough terrain): “Took our Bob jogger to Greece (Athens/Santorini) and Amsterdam! … The Bob was so easy to maneuver and not bumpy at all”

Netherlands Specific Recommendations

Bob Jogger (Amsterdam, rough terrain): “Took our Bob jogger to Greece (Athens/Santorini) and Amsterdam! … The Bob was so easy to maneuver and not bumpy at all”

Finland Specific Recommendations

Uppababy (Finland, cobblestones): “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.”

Romania Specific Recommendations

Thule Jogging Stroller (Romania, storage & terrain): “We went to Romania for 6 weeks and the Thule jogging stroller was the best. … loved the storage for a full day out and it carrying everything plus I was never stuck not being able to go somewhere…”

Final Thoughts on Choosing Your Travel Pushchair

I hope this compilation of real-parent experiences helps you narrow down your choices for the best travel pushchair for your European adventure! Remember to consider your specific itinerary, transportation plans, and priorities when making your decision.

For more travel tips, check out my step-by-step guide for flying with a baby and follow me on Instagram and TikTok for more travel inspiration and advice!

Wishing you safe and happy travels! Let me know in the comments which travel pushchair you choose for your trip!

Xoxo,

Kiersten