This summer, passengers on selected Eurostar routes will have the opportunity to try out a new way to pass the time and potentially reduce noise levels, thanks to a new partnership with board game publisher Asmodee.
For many travellers, few things are more aggravating than being stuck on a plane, train or bus with a child having a meltdown. According to a study commissioned by Asmodee, 64% of respondents said they had been disturbed by noisy children on public transport, while 65% of parents admitted to feeling embarrassed when their own children caused disruption. Many turn to bribing with whatever they have on board: snacks, screens, tablets, video games and more snacks. This approach often has limited success and diminishing nutritional value.
‘Unnecessary stress and shame,’ said Bert De Smet, Director of Asmodee Belgium. ‘But it’s perfectly possible to travel with peace of mind, even with children. With a suitable board game, you can enjoy the journey as soon as you board.’
Eurostar runs 51 high-speed trains serving 28 destinations in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom and carried 19.5 million passengers in 2024. In collaboration with Asmodee, Eurostar is now trialling a selection of short, practical board games to entertain children, reduce screen time, and encourage interaction during the journey.
The benefits of playing games while travelling are clear. A recent study found that 61% of passengers believe that playing games makes time pass faster, while 48% say that they are relaxing and 47% feel that they reduce boredom. Furthermore, 46% consider playing games to be a helpful way to keep children occupied. Around 38% also said that they encourage positive social interaction.
This summer, Eurostar and Asmodee have created a selection of short, practical games for travellers.
‘This is one of the many ways we can make travelling with Eurostar even more enjoyable,’ explains Alex Wood, Eurostar’s Service Strategy Manager.
Whether passengers are heading to London, Paris or Cologne, Wood adds that ‘the journey is where the holiday begins’.
De Smet recommends choosing compact games with few pieces, such as card or dice-based options, and avoiding anything noisy or overly complex. No one wants to have to crawl between their neighbours’ legs and luggage to retrieve a missing king or queen while their child is bawling because he was about to win.
The curated selection includes fast-paced visual games such as Dobble Dinosaurs and Dobble Animal Crossing; card games like the absurd and strategic Exploding Kittens; memory-based mind games like Trio; the reflex-challenging game Jungle Speed; and Happy Mochi, a calm, family-friendly option designed for travel.
To avoid disruption, De Smet also advises packing components in sealable plastic bags rather than bulky boxes, and suggests using a small mat or dice app to reduce noise on tray tables. Travellers are also encouraged to bring their own favourites.
Whether this will lead to peaceful carriages or spark a bit of friendly competition remains to be seen. After all, where there are games, there are winners, and occasionally sore losers. Ideally, Zizou-style exits should be avoided.
