UK train travel with kids: top tips for stress-free journeys (and where to head this summer)

Whether you’ve got train-obsessed toddlers or active teens, travelling by rail can be an easy way to get kids from A to B. Not least because it allows you to move around, giving you the freedom to stretch wriggly legs or walk the aisles with a baby carrier. And with plenty of distractions inside and outside the carriage, as well as access to onboard loos and snack supplies from the buffet cart, there are lots of benefits to taking the train. 

Plus tickets are free for under-5s, and kids 5-15 travel at a discounted rate. And if you’re travelling with Avanti West Coast this summer, there are 500,000 Family Advance seats up for grabs so you can take the whole family for less. Lead-in fares start from just £42 between London Euston and Birmingham for up to two adults and three children (one way). Rates are valid for travel until 8 September giving you the whole summer holiday to explore. 

- Mumsnet user, AnotherEmma 

For guidance on how to keep kids entertained onboard, we’ve gathered top tips from our UK Holidays forum which is full of sage advice from Mumsnetters who are well versed in family travel.

1. Take fun stuff onboard 

Take activity books, crayons, some small toys, stickers, and be ready for plenty of eye spy!”  Justyouwaitandseeagain

DM used to have a trick when we were little on long journeys…every half hour something new would appear from her bag…little things like crayons and a pad of paper.” DelurkingAJ 

Sticker books were my absolute go-to.” JassyRadlett 

2. Load up on snacks

I used to prepare an 'airline style' lunchbox with their usual food but cut into different shapes - cucumber rounds instead of long, for example. I don't know why but it made it all a bit more exciting and a bit more of an adventure.” SarahBellam

If you take a picnic for the train and buy a magazine full of tat at the station, that can last a long time. A walk to the buffet for a pack of crisps and your vital coffee is exciting.” jackparlabane

3. Play games 

You will find that there is a fair amount of entertainment out of the window. You can have some ongoing spotting games, points for spotting various things on a list, and bonus for extra interesting ones. Some things can be train related and some other.” steppemum

Consider travel games like ludo, snakes & ladders and the '50 things to do on a journey' type books/cards” cassell 

4. Take care of tech 

Buy a powerbank for your phone so you can keep it charged.” ChazsBrilliantAttitude

Take a tablet as an emergency back up for when they're getting restless and you need a break from trying to entertain them.” AnotherEmma

Buy toddler headphones, nobody wants to hear your phone.” gogohm

5. Travel light (but have essentials to hand)

Use a backpack instead of a suitcase.” Aroundtheworldin80moves 

Have wipes, kitchen roll and spare clothes easy to hand for spillages.” ChazsBrilliantAttitude

I always found [having a sling] easier on trains into toddler years. Baby/toddler in sling, big backpack, pram folded.” Aroundtheworldin80moves 

Where to travel by train with kids this summer

Here's a selection of fixed family ticket prices* for Avanti West Coast, departing London Euston.

1. Birmingham: Fares from £42 per family

2. Manchester: Fares from £56 per family

3. Liverpool: Fares from £56 per family

4. Preston: Fares from £59 per family

5. Lancaster: Fares from £59 per family

6. Glasgow: Fares from £93 per family

*Exclusions and limitations apply. See Avanti West Coast for full terms and conditions.

About Avanti West Coast

We’re Avanti West Coast and we’re busy making rail the greener, cleaner, and comfier way to go.

We cover long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland, connecting six of the UK's largest cities: London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

With our recently introduced Evero fleet of brand new trains and refurbished Pendolinos, you can enjoy free Wi-Fi, ergonomic seats and at seat charging for electric devices in all classes of travel.

Find trains and tickets quickly by booking through our website or Avanti mobile app (iOS / Android) and avoid booking fees, leaving you with more to spend on your trip instead. With the app you can save and browse recent journeys, plus keep tabs on your train in real-time. Plus, if you join Club Avanti, you'll get 10% off your next journey.

About the author 

Rachel Erdos is an Editor at Mumsnet where she commissions, edits and writes content with a focus on family travel. She has written hotel reviews, features and destination guides for top publications including the Guardian, Four Seasons Magazine, Travelzoo, Visit Britain and Visit London. She loves nothing more than researching and writing about fun things for families to do in destinations near and far, as well as trawling the Mumsnet holiday forum for inspiration for her next trip away with her husband and two kids.