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Tell Trainline about the family days out you have planned - £300 voucher to be won NOW CLOSED

324 replies

JustineBMumsnet · 01/08/2016 10:30

Trainline is developing a new days out tool to help with finding new places to visit and they’d love to know which family days out you’re planning this year, and – if you’re going by train – how you plan on entertaining your children on the journey.

They also want you to get involved with helping them to shape their new tool - you can suggest new attractions to be included in the tool using the “suggest” button.

Here’s what Trainline has to say: “At Trainline we’re always looking for ways to make journeys smarter. Clare Gilmartin our CEO, is a mother of three, and keeps us focussed on our customers by reminding us that “it’s the little things that make a big difference”, from saving a few minutes by using a mobile train ticket to getting a great deal using the best fare finder, and this is the ethos that we have at the heart of what we do. Our latest days out tool helps you to find and plan a day out by train, just in time for the summer holidays, but we want your ideas to take it the extra mile.”

So, whether you’ve got educational trips or adventure filled days planned for the summer holidays (and beyond!), let Trainline know about them and your train journey entertainment tips below.

All those who share a day out or tips for entertaining children on the train below will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher from a store of their choice (from a list).

Please note that the days out tool is new and development of it is still underway. Some less popular train routes haven’t been added yet, but will be with time. There will also be more attractions added so please make suggestions on what you’d like to see next. Additionally, if you live in London please search from a mainline station to get the best results.

Thanks and good luck

MNHQ

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Tell Trainline about the family days out you have planned - £300 voucher to be won NOW CLOSED
OP posts:
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Ouryve · 01/08/2016 10:44

Actually just had a day out with ds1 at the weekend. Train to Harrogate, eat some lunch while watching and snappingthe various buses, catch a very nice bus to Leeds, take more pictures, then train home, again!

He took no entertaining, whatsoever, as his hobby was part of the trip. New likes tips also added to the experience, though I was the bored one, traveling home on a train that interfered with my mobile signal and had no WiFi.

It's the 21st century, Cross Country trains. Get with it!

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PickAChew · 01/08/2016 10:45

Like vtips = poke stops.

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healingmachine · 01/08/2016 12:40

Booking a train ticket on the site a few weeks before your journey can be beneficial as you get the best price for the best seats possible. Taking packed lunches helps a great deal. Looking for 2for1 discounts of different leisure activities especially on social media is also a great idea. Sometimes you can do things like collect Nectar points as well so it's always good to check. :)

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asuwere · 01/08/2016 12:49

We have had a few family days out (farms, parks etc) but no train trips. Our local station is having major work done and there is no parking which makes it awkward as its 2 buses away.
The day out tool looks good but would be much better if it asks for rough ages of children and how many people there are rather than assume a family is 4.

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lionheart · 01/08/2016 13:10

Trip to London to see some sites but also a couple of shorter rides along the South coast. Bridport, Hastings and Brighton.

A magazine devoted to whatever the latest interest might be is always a good investment (football, cars) although you have to be prepared to find out more than you wanted to know about goalkeepers or the history of F1.

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CopperPan · 01/08/2016 13:49

We love having days out by train, so much better than being stuck in a car! We've been to Margate this summer and we plan to go to Bournemouth and Windsor for Legoland.

I like to book seats when buying tickets, so we can get a table seat to ourselves and for some companies there are plug sockets for phones and tablets to keep us all entertained.

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Jazzshoesdance77 · 01/08/2016 13:53

We've got lots trips planned,to our local safari park,theatres and zoos!, we love catching the train and liverpool is only 40mins away!, we love going around the many museums and Albert Dock,and love all the theatres and liverpool1, my 11 and 12yr each have their own backpack,which they pack with a book,snacks,water,pen/paper,camera,hat/sunglasses in summer and hat/gloves in winter,they love having their own bag and if warm they put their own jkt in too carry too, they both have autism and it really helps them to see a map of the train stops so they count down how many to go,and they like to know what shop/cafe we will visit first and how long we will be in each place

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ButterflyOfFreedom · 01/08/2016 13:55

Train trips at some point are likely to include day trips to Cleethorpes and York and Manchester, and weekend trips to London.

My DC like to read, do colouring, and eat when on trains!!

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EDisFunny · 01/08/2016 14:11

A couple of suggestions for the tool:

  • add in an optional age range for children as that could affect pricing and possibly the suggested outings
  • add a link to any other transport that might be required for the suggested outing, e.g. bus links

I tried the tool on my mobile phone and the lack of those two things stood out.

We've used the train to travel quite a bit in Southern Wales, the mist recent trip was to Barry Island but we've gone to Caerphilly and Neath as well.
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Dizzybintess · 01/08/2016 15:10

We are hoping to go to London with my Dd who is 5.

We also need to get from Cardiff to caersws to support some of my guides on a guide camp. My Dd will be coming with me
I don't drive so the train is essential

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PeggyMitchell123 · 01/08/2016 15:12

We are going to the Colchester zoo next week on train line and we also have a visit planned to visit my sister. My ds is very excited to see his aunt.

My tips for travelling would be to take a range of small toys, books etc to entertain your child and make it fun. Talk to them along the journey and play travelling games like I-spy

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SirNiallDementia · 01/08/2016 15:19

We're off to LIverpool tomorrow as the forecast is for rain all day. There's some fab museums there like the Museum of Liverpool and the World Museum which are all free to get in and have kids activities.

We'll probably stop off in Chinatown for lunch as we don't have any decent chinese restaurants in our hometown.

It's actually cheaper to get the train (£10 for a family) them pay the tunnel tolls and for parking when we get there. The family train ticket also lets you travel on the Mersey ferry so we'll do that if it stops raining!

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clopper · 01/08/2016 15:23

I think it would be useful to have further links attached e.g to bus timetables. I have taken my DC on days out on the train but generally and sadly find it often cheaper to drive.

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Iamthemotherofdragons · 01/08/2016 15:44

We're planning a day out in London with our 3 year old, hoping to go to the Science museum and London aquarium. She's very excited to be going by train as we normally drive everywhere. We're going to take sticker books for the journey as they seem to take a good amount of time to do.

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bluebump · 01/08/2016 15:50

We often go to Bristol on the train from Devon, it's an hour and a lovely journey. In fact I just got a friends and family railcard so we can go more often. Temple Meads is pretty close to the waterfront and centre and there is so much to do.

We've a trip planned in October and actually the suggestion above about having bus timetables linked is a good one, I'd suggest that too as for this trip in particular that would really help.

We had one of those eye spy books for trains years ago but my DS just loves train journeys now and doesn't need much amusing.

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jelliebelly · 01/08/2016 16:51

We often head into London which is only an hour for us by train. Best things for keeping kids amused and not disturbing other passengers - comics to read/ word search puzzles/ colouring - don't go anywhere without them !

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OhHolyFuck · 01/08/2016 17:01

I don't drive so every 'big' trip is by train, currently trying to organise a trip to Eureaka museum and catch up with an old friend before the end of the holidays

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timeforabrewnow · 01/08/2016 17:27

Day trip to Chester planned - to go with my daughter to have a look around the city centre. Going by train and using the family and friends railcard.

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LifeIsGoodish · 01/08/2016 17:59

Ah the Family Railcard - such a good investment! Picnic on the train (sometimes in both directions!), I-Spy, making up stories about the things we see, reading books, doodling, playing Consequences, ignoring each other on our tech, taking itchy-footed dc to find the end of the train (such an adventure opening doors between carriages when you're little!).

One of the best journey-tools is a child's shoe-box lid to use as a tray. Small enough to go in a backpack, big enough to contain a few little toys when you don't have any table. And one of the best toys to use in it is Story Cubes.

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bambooleaves · 01/08/2016 18:48

Our kids like the games where you have to see a variety of things- always hard to find a mountain on the south coast tho!

New pens and colouring books are used as emergencies but as we early use trains, the journey itself is normally entertainment enough!

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purplepandas · 01/08/2016 19:22

Day out to local places by bus or train are well received. Lunch in a park and some sort of child let activity (a.g. discovery trail, can building in the woods).

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leanneth · 01/08/2016 20:04

Reserving seats is a good idea for busy routes- we chose seats with a table, plug socket and also made sure it was near the baby changing toilets.
For the journey- picnic with extra snacks to break up the journey. Some books/ magazines and phones/iPads.

We have done trips to London and also to Birmingham. In Birmingham, Cadbury world is a lovely train journey and signposted walk from bournville station. Also in Birmingham, the science museum wasn't too far to walk from the station!

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hermancakedestroyer · 01/08/2016 20:08

We're off to London by train at the end of the week. Booking your tickets in advance can really reduce the price.
Entertaining the children is easy as there is so much to see and discuss out if the windows on a train. If you are lucky enough to get a table on the train you can take cards to play and pack a few snacks and drinks to feed the children with.

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leccybill · 01/08/2016 20:25

This app sounds great- def something I'd use.

We've just had a weekend away by train, up to Edinburgh. V cheap, quick and easy and the journey is an exciting way to start your holiday.
Earlier in the year, we had a day out to Llandudno with Arrival trains Wales, such a scenic journey, def want to do that one again soon. Disappointed that the terminus station in Llandudno was very limited, no facilities at all were open when we travelled back at 4pm on a weekday in half term.

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foxessocks · 01/08/2016 20:39

We're going on an open top bus tour of our local town this week! Sometimes it's nice to do the really local stuff because you just never explore your own town otherwise. In really looking forward to learning more about where we live and dd is just excited about going on the big bus!

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