I must be mad... tips for train travel with young kids

[Readysetcake]

Got a 4 hour train journey with my 4 and 1 to DC today. I’m slightly concerned at how it’s going to play out. I can’t take masses of toys etc to entertain them as I have big bag of clothes and work laptop.

Do I take youngest in Pram or not? I like the idea of him being strapped in around the platforms. But worry about getting it on and off the train.

Never taken them both on the train before, so all tips welcome and gratefully received!

Following! Got 3.5 hour train journey with 7 month old next week - dreading it!

Do you have a sling? I always found that easier on trains into toddler years. Baby/toddler in sling, big backpack, pram folded. Dump stuff in vestibule, turn round and help child onto train (lifting if there is big gap. If you have booked seats, it makes life a lot easier (paying extra for child to have one, otherwise you could find yourself with two children and one adult sharing a seat.

I'd take the pram and squeeze everything underneath it. Do you have booked seats?
If you take a picnic for the train and buy a magazine full of tat at the station, that can last a long time.
Also take them both to jump up and down in the vestibule a lot (or leave 4yo at the seat if they want), and a walk to the buffet for a pack of crisps and your vital coffee is exciting.

You've got changes if clothes, so a couple more nappies than you think and some surprise toys they've not seen, and it'll be fine.

It’s a personal thing, but I found a buggy good. Especially if you have to see to an older child. In trains a one year old can’t just sit up on the train seat without being held, so it helped with feeding and snacks, to have the baby in a buggy and you can bring them out occasionally but know that they are safely strapped in otherwise.

You will be fine. I’ve done loads and loads of trips on trains.

Bring snacks and drinks. Bring an iPad. Bring one or two small toys. Bring paper and pencils or an activity book for 4 year old. If they do these.

Go into the disabled section of the train carriage as you can leave the buggy up then if there is space ‘obviously if there isn’t a wheelchair user there, in which case move’.

Arrive in time enough for the train but not so early you are standing around for ages.

Go to toilet on station or before you go.

Have fun! Trains are great fun.

Take the buggy!

Absolutely take the buggy and don’t be afraid to ask a fellow passenger to help lift it on & off the train.

Oh getting on and off train with a buggy is usually pretty easy.

Most of the time you can just wheel on, and wheel off backwards.

If you do find the door has steps, put yourself right in the middle of people and look expectant and say ‘would you mind helping’ and get them to lift the buggy up the steps by the feet.

Bring a good fold up buggy that is light. You can always bring a sling too.

Have two bags. One a rucksack that you can fit under buggy, with all your stuff. And that can be quickly worn if you really need to fold up the buggy, hold baby and the pram. It’s doable.

And a smaller bag with all the snacks and toys etc, spare nappies. Don’t bring too much.

Go in the family gates and a train person will hold them open for you.

Train travel is great fun with young ones, mostly dependent on getting a seat so do reserve if you can. We used to go on the train as a preference over driving. You can play games, spot things out the window, have a picnic, read, draw, chat, snooze etc. My children always loved it. I used a sling for any little children, a ruck sack with supplies and then a tight hold of the big one's hand.

I always find that in situations like this, fewer toys/books/magazines work out better than a massive bag of toys. If the children know you've got loads of toys they don't really concentrate or play with one thing because they are always wanting to get something new out. Same for snacks, if they know you have a full bag of snacks, they are constantly hungry and nagging for them.
A four year old will be happy with a new notebook and some fancy pens for a while, this playground in a pocket is a really good idea for travel too.

I always paid for tickets for the DC under 5 so I could book them a seat at a table. I had a rail card so only had to pay £1 for a ticket.
Colouring books, food sweets get them at the station if you cant carry them

That's a good point about the family railcard. It usually works out cheaper buying an adult ticket with the third off and child tickets for a pound, than just the adult ticket alone and then you can reserve seats for the children.

Train is the best way to travel with little ones. DH and I have done long journeys by train, car and plane, and train is by far the best. You don't have to stop for breaks as you can have snacks and go to toilet / change nappy on the train, there's more space than on a plane, they can explore a bit and look out of the window.

The main thing is to travel as light as you can, take a sling/carrier for the 1yo (makes getting on and off stress-free) and take small things to keep them occupied, eg one or two small books, colouring book and crayons, small pot of play dough, one or two small vehicles... With a tablet as an emergency back up for when they're getting restless and you need a break from trying to entertain them your 4yo might like to listen to music or books on some headphones?

Oh thank you all so much for your tips, they’re excellent!! I’ll definitely take the buggy now.

The 1yo is almost 2 but the size of an almost 3 yo so I go rid of our sling as I just couldn’t carry him.

Magazines are a great shout and I’ve loaded the tablet with films. Tbh my 4 yo will be a breeze she loves colouring and audio stories. It’s the toddler that gives me the fear. But love the idea of a trip to the buffet car. They’ll enjoy that.

Thanks again everyone!

Ah yes, nearly-2 year olds on a train.
I would say:
Mags, stickers, I-spy and ipad for the 4 year old
Buggy, snacks, the patience of a saint and the kindness of strangers for the 1 year old

Last time I took mine on a 4 hour journey was at that age and I had several walks from end to end of the train (the guard was very kind and gave toddler a biscuit), ended up carting screaming toddler over my shoulder to the vestibule after she had a screaming shit fit that I wouldn't let her run up and down the aisle just as everyone was getting on at Derby.

I also bossed strangers around like an angry major general because no one was mad keen to help me get my buggy up on the parcel shelf even though I had the toddler, a massive backpack and a 7 month bump to contend with Good luck!

How could I have forgotten stickers