18mo long journey. Train or car?

[Wingingthis]

Have to do a solo long (2.5 hour) journey with my 18mo tomorrow to the in laws. Can either drive or get a lift to the station and get a train and then get picked up the other end (30 min drive).
Downside of train is I have lots of stuff to bring with me.

What would you do?

Drive. Just stop at around an hour and half in check the nappy, have a feed / bottle / snack get them out of the seat and mobile for a while then back in for the last hour

Drive, preferably over nap time

Train, then you can walk the toddler up and down the corridor

Definitely drive during nap time. We do journeys of this length at least once a month and it works well.

I'd just drive. Nappy changes on trains are horrible and if you take the car you can throw in everything you might need.

I very regularly drive 2.5h with DD and fairly often do a 6 hour drive (with a long lunch break in the middle).

It's useful to drive when they're due a nap but if not, I give DD a couple of soft toys to play with, her Munchkin 360 with water in it and if she gets bored I sing at her.

Drive. We did 2 1/2 hrs with a 6 day old and have done it once a month for 8 years.

Mine have always loved the train. On long journrys they get to chose a special magazine (the ones with free little toys, stories and colouring/puzzle pages) and we do those. Keeps them entertained. Make sure you book a table!

Depends on how much "lots of stuff" is though.

l've always done long journeys with my dd by train. I didn't want to have to deal with if she was sick in the car, or needed an urgent nappy change, and we were on a motorway and couldn't stop (as the only adult in the car). And car takes longer overall, once stops for eating etc are factored in. On the train you can relax, eat while still on the move, entertain them. If you're getting a lift to the station, and picked up at the other end, you'll have help getting your stuff on and off the train (provided it's not too much).

Drive. 2.5 hours isn't long. I regularly did 6 hours plus. (Lived between families.)

I've just done what would be a 2.5 hour journey without stopping today, with 21 month old. Ended up being 3.5hours with stops and Friday traffic. I'm a solo parent so always have to do various journeys like this alone.

I would never consider a train if car was an option, just seems more effort and less flexible. Will you have car seat at the other end if someone picked you up?