7 week vacation - need help
 

My wife, son (will be 9 months old) and I are planning a big vacation in Europe around Feb/Mar/Apr

We have family in AMS so that may be home base.

What is the best way to get around?

• Rent/Lease a car?
• Train (perhaps some sort of Pass)
• Fly - either buy a pass, or on "cheap" airlines

We plan to visit mostly Western Europe (France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, perhaps Croatia, etc ...)

Any tips would be great

I would think that if your intent is touring you could do best with a combination of rail pass (for going from city to city) and car rental (for getting off the beaten track near your cities) and not worrying about flights.

Here's a good guide to rail passes (published by travel guy Rick Steves):
http://www.ricksteves.com/rail/railpdf.htm

I have to wonder how much additonal burden (luggage, Huggies, etc.) will be posed by traveling with a 9-month old. I've seen other train passengers with an infant and you have my respect for feeling up to pulling that off...

With a kid I would rent a car. Maybe an SUV to handle the snowy roads you may encounter in France or Switzerland at that time of year. Or a VW minibus. I see lots of NL plates driving around in France, mostly on summer holidays, but sometimes in the spring too.

However for travel within Holland, stick to the trains.