Children having their own seat on a packed train.

It doesn't mean you get your seat even if reserved. I had to stand Cardiff to London as they'd rammed the train full and the train almost moved off without me when the guard said to move off to a different carriage then blew the whistle. I still need to claim for that.

I’d move my child onto my lap to make room for an adult. I think anyone with any manners would. Can’t believe there are people who wouldn’t, but then I haven’t used public transport in the UK for a long time. Where I am people give up their seats to older folk without being asked and make room for anyone standing.

A lot pay for a ticket for their child. I always did and reserved them a seat too.

3 is getting to the cusp of being too big/heavy to sit on a lap for any length of time before the adult underneath gets a dead leg. Space is also getting tight in some of the airline type seats and no chance at a table seat, they wouldn't fit. If I had 2 kids I'd get them to share a 2 seat space with me but would struggle to have them on my lap for more than 10-15 minutes.

There's a distinct lack of "holding on" points for people shorter than 5'8 (I'm about 5'6 and can only reach vertical poles and seat backs on most trains).

Yep. It's incredibly tricky.

If it's busy and my son's wheelchair is folded so he's sat on a train seat, he looks like a typical almost 10 year old boy but he can't even stand.

The train companies sell far more tickets than there are seats full stop in the expectation that some passengers will have to stand (or sit on the floor). If you haven’t bothered to reserve a seat, then you are not entitled to one any more than the child without a reserved seat.

I just sit on the bags if they don't move them, amazingly they have always whisked them away before my bottom hits the seat. You can't do that with kids though, it's frowned upon. 😆 😆

I always sat my toddler age child on my lap on a busy train, but I would never ask someone to do this.

I’m the opposite - I would jump up and offer my seat for a young child! They need it more than I do.

Exactly this.

I am surprised at the number of PPs disagreeing.

Well actually it could be. We're not allowed to store laptops at the office, so we have to cart them home daily. Been at work all day up at six am.Carrying a heavy laptop to and from the office, I would actually prefer a seat with this laptop. Before you say, put it in the luggage rack, it's a laptop.I can't.We've got strict guidelines for carrying them.

If you wouldn't mind moving little two year old johnny into your lap, that would be really helpful.

So? Neither has anyone else.

It's a ticket to travel, not for a seat.

I hate this whole "your ticket is for the journey not a seat" nonsense. It's utter rubbish that train companies have made this the prevalent line of thought so they can charge extortionate prices and pack us all in like sardines. They shouldn't be allowed to charge full price if they can't guarantee you a seat. 'Standing tickets' should be thing and they should be heavily discounted.

I wouldn't ask a three year old to give up their seat as they could get bashed about on a busy service but I would silently hope their parent put them on their lap to make room for me. Definitely wouldn't ask the parent to do that though.

When I was a kid (10+), I was encouraged to offer my seat to adults and I do think this is the polite, right thing to do. I'm in my 30s but a car accident has given me all sorts of aches, pains and problems so standing for a long train journey would be very difficult for me, but nobody would know it to look at me. It's hard to know what people are going through but that works both ways; maybe the parent would struggle to have the child in their lap.

We all need to be moaning at the train companies for the ridiculous prices they charge for subpar services. It's no wonder we all get fed up on public transport. I learned to drive to avoid it but then got bashed up by a lunatic speeding!

Again, OP isn't suggesting that they can't sit, they can just sit on a parent's lap. Of course the parent may have a reason why that isn't possible, which is fine; it doesn't mean OP would be wrong to inquire.

It would be dreadful hardship for the parent though, unless it’s only a very short journey.

You can actually book and pay for a seat for a child under fare paying age. If you don't want them to stand or sit in your lap. Just pay for it. What I did.

There was a poxy dog in a pram on a cramped bus the other day. The actual people that had to move their folded wheelchair from the disabled space for our client to use had to have it cramped up in the front accesible seat with them. I'd have made the stupid girl with the dog in a pram fold it up. I'd say that's worse entitlement than a small child in a seat (that should have been paid for).

It hardly a dreadful hardship to OP to stand.

I would have always moved my child on to my lap when they were small-it’s part of the social contract and a considerate thing to do. It’s not that inconvenient to have a small child on your lap-in fact it’s a nice thing to do! I still give up my seat if there’s someone elderly and infirm.

Because they haven't paid for the seat, most likely.

I've just looked it up and a child travelling for free as an under 5 can only occupy a seat "if it's not required by a fee-paying passenger". But you can also buy them a seat if you think they need one. Tbh with my son I would have as he would squirm constantly and it would always really hurt my legs! So it depends whether they have, but a tricky one to broach....

This. It’s not like air travel. If anyone (adult or child) wants a guaranteed seat on a train they need to reserve one. Otherwise it’s first come first served. No way would I voluntarily have my 3 year old on my lap for a journey that could be several hours long for all you know. It would be hell on earth.

OP isn't denying child a seat, though, is she? She's simply suggesting they could sit on their parent's lap, which is hardly going to be a dreadful hardship to a small child.

does that include my 16 year old?

I've been kicked out of a seat on a train because someone had reserved it for their dog.

I think children should sit on laps.