The Best Travel Stroller: 8 Models Compared & Our Honest Pick

Our Selection of Travel Strollers

If you’ve taken a look at our packing lists before, you’ve probably noticed that we like to travel light — and, above all, with smart luggage and useful travel gadgets.

Since we’ve been traveling with kids, we’ve also had to start including baby travel essentials on our packing lists for children — and that naturally includes travel strollers.

To save you the trouble of searching, we put together a shortlist and want to walk you through every travel stroller we found worth considering based on our research.

Our shortlist of the best travel strollers (not ranked):

1. Stokke Yoyo³
2. Cybex Eezy S Twist+
3. Easywalker XS
4. Bugaboo Ant
5. Silver Cross Jet
6. Ergobaby Metro Compact City Stroller 2020
7. Joie Pact Lite
8. GB Pockit

What We Look for in a Travel Stroller

As is often the case with almost everything you buy for your first child, we had absolutely no idea at the start of our search for the best travel stroller what to look for or what mattered most to us.

As we researched, though, things got a lot clearer — and we quickly knew what we expected from a compact travel stroller.

These were our criteria when buying a travel stroller:

1. Lightweight, under 7 kg
2. Compact when folded
3. Folds with one hand
4. Easy to recline
5. Comfortable for both child and parents
6. Clever and attractive design

Below, we’ll go into more detail on each of these points.

Lightweight at Under 7 kg

It was important to us that the stroller be as light as possible — after all, we really want to use it primarily while traveling and will therefore have to carry it quite often.

It should weigh under 7 kg so that it stays within the maximum carry-on weight limit for most airlines. And that brings us right to the next point.

Compact folded size for carrying in carry-on luggage

Our perfect travel stroller should qualify as carry-on luggage on the plane. Of course, you could also check the travel stroller, but the risk of something getting damaged is simply too high for us.

The stroller must therefore fold down small enough to be accepted as carry-on. Unfortunately, there isn’t just ONE standard carry-on size — every airline has its own specific guidelines.

Most airlines have carry-on dimensions ranging from 55 x 40 x 20 cm to 55 x 45 x 25 cm. We’ve used these as a guideline. Some low-cost carriers, such as Ryanair, have stricter size limits, though.

If you already know you’ll be flying frequently with a specific airline, it’s worth checking their regulations before buying a travel stroller.

Folds with One Hand

A small packed size is no use to us if folding the stroller is a hassle every single time. A basic requirement for us is that we can fold and unfold it with one hand.

That way, you can easily collapse the stroller at the top of a staircase — whether at a train station or subway — and carry both the stroller and your child up or down without having to put your child down.

Travel Stroller with a Reclining Function

The stroller should work for sleeping, not just sitting. So it was important to us that the seat be easily and continuously adjustable for when the child dozes off.

That said, “lying down” doesn’t have to mean completely flat. A slight incline is totally fine.

Comfort for the baby/child and parents

Of course, a stroller has to be comfortable for the baby or child. What’s often underestimated, though, is comfort for the parents. Just because it’s comfortable for the kids doesn’t mean it works for you.

So it was important to us that it feel good to use, too. That covers things like: Can you push it with one hand? Do you kick the axle while walking? Is the brake easy to operate? Is the handlebar high enough?

Smart & Stylish Design

We love smart, stylish design! So the way the stroller looks — and, above all, how cleverly it’s put together — genuinely mattered to us.

What Other Criteria Might Matter to You?

Those were our six criteria for the perfect travel stroller. Of course, a purchase like this is always personal, and everyone has different expectations.

These are some additional points that might matter to you:

• High weight capacity, so it can also be used for older children
• Reversible seat, so your child can face you while you push
• Suitable from birth: some travel strollers have a carrycot available as an accessory, so you don’t need a separate newborn stroller
• Height-adjustable handlebar — this can be a real factor for very short or very tall parents
• Useful accessories available, like a matching mosquito net for trips to Southeast Asia
• Spare parts available individually — so you can replace just a wheel instead of scrapping the whole stroller
• Ride-along board included — super handy if you have two kids or are planning a second

Our Top 4 Travel Strollers in Detail

Of the eight strollers on our shortlist, only four models met our personal standards.

Those 4 models are:

1. Stokke Yoyo³
2. Ergobaby Metro Compact City Stroller 2020
3. Easywalker XS
4. Joie Pact Lite

All 4 have the following in common:

• All weigh under 7 kg.
• All can be folded and unfolded with one hand.
• All are — according to the manufacturer — suitable as carry-on luggage (but always double-check with your airline).
• The child faces forward.
• All have a 5-point harness.
• All have a sun canopy with UV50+ protection.
• All have a leg rest, or one can be purchased as an accessory.
• All stand upright when folded.
• All have a continuously adjustable reclining seat — though not all lie completely flat, if that’s a priority for you.

In the table below, we’ve pulled together the most important facts and figures for all four models:

	Stokke Yoyo³	Ergobaby Metro	Easywalker XS	Joie Pact Lite
Folded dimensions	52 x 44 x 18 cm	52 x 44 x 23 cm	52 x 44 x 23 cm	46 x 25 x 53 cm
Weight	6.2 kg	6.8 kg	6 kg	5.5 kg
Max. load	up to 22 kg	up to 22 kg	up to 15 kg	up to 15 kg
Price	399 EUR	300 EUR	240 EUR	160 EUR
From birth*	Yes (200 EUR)	Yes (150 EUR)	-	-
Bumper bar	(from third-party suppliers)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Car seat compatible	Yes	-	-	-
Carry handle?	Handle & strap	Handle	Handle	Handle & strap
Push handle height	1.06 m	1 m	1.05 m	1.03 m (2-position adjustable)
Included in delivery	Rain cover, travel bag	Rain cover	Rain cover	Rain cover, travel bag
Available extras	Footrest, parasol, mosquito net, cup holder, footmuff, travel bag, car seat adapter, bag, ride-on board, carrycot	Carrycot, carry bag (backpack)	Travel bag, footmuff, soft cot, cup holder, ride-on board, mosquito net, bag/organizer, sun canopy, snack tray, winter insert, seat pad	Winter footmuff
	Buy now

*Note on “Suitable from birth”: According to the manufacturers, all four models are suitable from birth — but we see it a bit differently. We think a stroller is only truly usable from birth if it comes with a carrycot in which the baby can lie facing the parents. That carrycot is only available as an accessory for the Yoyo and the Ergobaby Metro. The extra carrycots attach to the frame in a way that lets you keep an eye on the baby at all times.

Now we’ll walk you through each travel stroller that made our cut and share our honest take on every model.

On paper, they all tick our most important boxes — but when it comes to handling and build quality, there were actually some pretty significant differences.

Let’s get into it:

Stokke Yoyo³

Our verdict: The best travel stroller on the market

After extensive research, we went with the Stokke Yoyo³ — and it won us over above all with its stability, quality, and clever design.

The Yoyo³ looks great and is seriously easy to handle. Folding it up and back out is genuinely a piece of cake.

It also offers the best accessory range of any lightweight stroller for travel. A mosquito net and sunshade are really important to us since we travel almost exclusively to warm countries — but handy extras like a cup holder aren’t exactly unwelcome either.

Our Stokke Yoyo³ has now completely replaced our old everyday stroller, and if we were starting fresh with baby gear today, we’d buy the Yoyo with the newborn insert right away.

If you can picture a travel stroller fully replacing your regular one — for example, because you’re on the go a lot and/or live in the city — and you don’t want to compromise on quality or comfort, the Stokke Yoyo³ is absolutely worth a look.

Advantages of the Stokke Yoyo³

• Very high-quality and sturdy
• Can be pushed super easily with one hand
• Folds up and unfolds effortlessly
• Patented Soft Drive System — the front wheels no longer need to be locked on uneven terrain
• Can also be used with a carrycot from birth
• Pocket on the back
• Nine different color options for the seat and sun canopy; frame available in white or black
• Viewing window to see the baby through the canopy
• Large ventilation window in the reclined position

Disadvantages of the Stokke Yoyo³

• Reclined position not completely flat (approx. 145°)
• Relatively expensive
• Handle is not height-adjustable

Special Features of the Stokke Yoyo³

• Can still be folded with accessories attached.
• Cup holder works for parents at the top and for the child at the bottom.
• You buy the frame for 390 euros plus the covers for 40 euros — which means you can swap to a new color for very little money down the line.
• Tons of accessories available, including a matching mosquito net (really important for us in Asia) and a padded carry bag — something no other stroller offers — so you can check the Yoyo as luggage or carry it like a backpack.

Buy the Stokke Yoyo³ online

Ergobaby Metro Compact City Stroller 2020

Our verdict: Not quite as good as the Yoyo³, but a bit cheaper

We really liked the Ergobaby Metro Compact City Stroller 2020 and were impressed by its quality. In the end, though, we decided against it because it offers very few additional features.

It’s a genuinely solid stroller — but the lack of accessories was a deal-breaker for us, and it just didn’t feel quite as premium or as well thought-out as the Yoyo³.

Advantages of the Ergobaby Metro Compact City Stroller 2020

• Very high-quality and sturdy
• High-quality wheels
• Pocket in the backrest
• Seating surface is nearly horizontal
• Can be used from birth with a carrycot
• Large mesh window at the head end
• Comparatively large sun canopy
• Viewing window to see the baby through the canopy

Disadvantages of the Ergobaby Metro Compact City Stroller 2020

• Folding mechanism is stiffer than on the Yoyo³
• No shoulder strap for carrying
• Handle is not height-adjustable and sits quite low (already uncomfortable for Jenny at 165 cm)
• No adapter available for an infant car seat
• When the sunshade is open, it rests on the push handle and gets in the way
• Very few accessories available

Special Features of the Ergobaby Metro Compact City Stroller 2020

• The only stroller certified by Aktion Gesunder Rücken e.V. (AGR) as back-healthy for both babies and parents.

Buy Ergobaby Metro online

Easywalker XS

Our verdict: The Easywalker XS offers great value for money and is, in our opinion, the best mid-range travel stroller.

400 euros for the Stokke Yoyo³ without accessories is, of course, a significant investment. Since we use our stroller really intensively, it was worth it for us — but we get that it’s not for everyone.

If you don’t want to spend quite that much, we’d point you toward the Easywalker XS, which comes in at around 240 euros.

It doesn’t match the Yoyo³ in terms of stability and build quality, but it does offer a solid range of accessories.

If you won’t be using your travel stroller as heavily as we do, but still want access to useful extras, the Easywalker XS is a really good pick.

Advantages of the Easywalker XS

• Very lightweight
• Good range of accessories available
• Great value for money
• Safety bar included

Disadvantages of the Easywalker XS

• No infant car seat compatibility for use from birth
• No car seat adapter available
• No carrying strap
• Handlebar not height-adjustable

Joie Pact Lite

Our verdict: An affordable option, but one we personally wouldn’t buy

The Joie Pact Lite came in last in our comparison — and by a fair margin. We weren’t convinced by its stability or build quality, and the handling didn’t win us over either.

If you only plan to use a travel stroller very occasionally and want to keep costs as low as possible, it might still be worth a look. But honestly, we wouldn’t recommend it.

Advantages of the Joie Pact Lite

• Very affordable
• Includes a play bar

Disadvantages of the Joie Pact Lite

• Tends to tip over in tight turns
• Relatively small seat
• Backrest sits quite far back even in the upright position
• No car seat adapter available
• No infant carrier available
• Very few accessories available

More Travel Strollers in Detail

Here are four more models we took a closer look at. Unfortunately, none of them met our standards — so we’re listing them separately.

That said, if your priorities differ from ours, these four are still worth exploring.

	Cybex Eezy S Twist+ 2	Bugaboo Ant	Silver Cross Jet	GB Pockit
Folded dimensions	65 x 45 x 31.5 cm	55 x 38 x 23 cm	55 x 30 x 18 cm	35 x 30 x 18 cm
Weight	8.3 kg	7.2 kg	5.9 kg	4.7 kg
Max. load	17 kg	23 kg	15 kg	22 kg
Price	347 EUR	499 EUR	280 EUR	175 EUR
From birth	Yes	Yes	No	No
Bumper bar	No	No	Yes	No
Car seat compatible	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Carry handle?	No (but travel bag available)	No (but shoulder strap available)	No (but folds like a trolley for rolling)	No
Handle height	103 cm	95–104 cm	96 cm	101 cm
Included in delivery	Sun canopy	Sun canopy	Hood, safety bar	Small sun canopy
Available extras	Carrycot, travel sleeping bag, footmuff, travel bag, organizer, rain cover	Rain cover, mosquito net, footmuff, bag, car seat adapter, shoulder strap, cup holder	Rain cover, protective cover	Rain cover, travel bag
	Buy now	Buy now	Buy now	Buy now

Cybex Eezy S Twist+ 2

Our verdict: The Cybex Eezy S Twist+ 2, along with the Bugaboo Ant, is a travel stroller that lets you push your child facing you — a real advantage when the baby is still small or easily overwhelmed by new surroundings.

Advantages of the Cybex Eezy S Twist+ 2

• Reversible seat (can be switched with one hand)
• Continuously adjustable backrest
• Reclining position
• Large sun canopy with mesh window
• Relatively large storage compartment
• Can be used with a carrycot from birth
• Car seat compatible

Disadvantages of the Cybex Eezy S Twist+ 2

• No play bar
• Push handle not adjustable

Buy the Cybex Eezy S Twist+ 2 online

Bugaboo Butterfly

Our verdict: We’re not convinced by the Bugaboo Butterfly. It’s relatively expensive, and folding it up is far too fiddly for us when we’re on the go. Probably only for die-hard Bugaboo fans.

Advantages of the Bugaboo Butterfly

• Reversible seat
• All-wheel suspension
• Adjustable handlebar (works for parents over 1.90 m tall)
• Fully reclining position
• Compatible with an infant car seat (with adapter)
• Can be used from birth with a baby cocoon (sold separately)
• When folded, it can be pulled like a trolley with frame covers protecting it — ideal for travel
• Multiple storage compartments

Disadvantages of the Bugaboo Butterfly

• Relatively heavy for a travel stroller
• Relatively expensive

Buy the Bugaboo Butterfly online

Silver Cross Jet

Our verdict: The Silver Cross Jet was on our shortlist for a long time and ticks almost all of our boxes — with one exception. While it’s very easy to fold and unfold, you need two hands to do it.

Advantages of the Silver Cross Jet

• Reclining position nearly horizontal
• Can

• be used with an infant car seat from birth
• Safety bar included
• Adjustable calf support
• Sun canopy with ventilation opening and viewing window
• High-quality suspension

Disadvantages of the Silver Cross Jet

• Push handle not height-adjustable (the angle makes it sit a bit low for taller parents)
• Backrest sits quite far back even in the upright position
• Storage compartment is hard to access (due to a bar) and not suitable for larger items

Buy Silver Cross Jet online

GB Pockit

Our verdict: The GB Pockit impresses on weight and pack size — but beyond that, it offers too little comfort for us. If you don’t mind a fixed seat position and no extra features, it’s worth a look as a bare-bones compact travel stroller.

Advantages of the GB Pockit

• Lightest and smallest travel stroller (according to the Guinness Book of Records)
• Folds down quickly into a handbag-sized package

Disadvantages of the GB Pockit

• Seat position cannot be adjusted
• Very small sun canopy
• No large storage compartment

Our Conclusion

That’s our travel stroller comparison wrapped up. We’ve been using the Yoyo for almost five years now — the predecessor to the current model — and we’re seriously happy with it. We use it all the time and everywhere, and it has completely replaced our original Bugaboo Cameleon.

We took it with us on our parental leave trips to Australia and South Africa, and it was accepted as carry-on luggage by every airline. The Yoyo was so well-known to airline staff as a carry-on travel stroller that we never once had to explain it.

We really wouldn’t want to be without it — and we can recommend it without hesitation.