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Original poster

Baby seat that will fit in a coach

29 replies

Winter2509532467 · 07/02/2023 01:54

Hi all,

We’re going abroad for the first time with our toddler, who will be 20 months when we travel. I want to get a car seat that will fit in the coach for the transfer and also any potential excursions. I really am not comfortable with her sitting on our laps or sitting on a seat on her own!

Has anyone successfully used a car seat on a coach? And if so, what was the make and model?

I appreciate they are all different shapes and sizes, and might not even have seatbelts! However, I’m hoping to find something universal that will have a good chance of fitting in a coach.

TIA

OP posts:
sashh · 07/02/2023 02:41

Have you checked that the coach company don't have any seats?

I spent a summer working with National Express and every coach had booster seats.

I know that isn't good enough for a toddler. Do you already have a seat?

abmac95 · 07/02/2023 02:46

It won't fit the seats will it?

Imagine the chaos if everyone with a toddler took a car seat abroad and on coaches.

Original poster
Winter2509532467 · 07/02/2023 11:46

We have got an isofix car seat which is massive and really heavy, it’s a struggle moving it from one car to the other car, let along talking it on holiday!

So we just wanted something portable really that is lightweight that would have a good chance of fitting in a bus.

OP posts:

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Original poster
Winter2509532467 · 07/02/2023 11:47

abmac95 · 07/02/2023 02:46

It won't fit the seats will it?

Imagine the chaos if everyone with a toddler took a car seat abroad and on coaches.

The safety of my child is a higher priority than the “convenience” of other passengers!

OP posts:
Lizzy1328 · 07/02/2023 11:50

Hire a car and car seat if you're that bother!

EdwardianDream · 07/02/2023 11:58

I've just upgraded to private transfers for this reason (although my baby will be under a year old and still in an infant carrier). My understanding was that there may not be a seat available if baby is travelling as a lap passenger on the plane, as they assume the toddler will also travel on your lap on the coach.

Marblessolveeverything · 07/02/2023 12:07

I haven't seen anyone do this as the seat shape and belt is very different in most coaches. At that age we hired a taxi or car.

Have you emailed the coach service to confirm a seat can be purchased for toddler? Anytime I traveled the coaches were full and all children under four were told to sit on parents knee.

Original poster
Winter2509532467 · 07/02/2023 12:35

Ok thanks for your replies. I just wanted to know if anyone knew of a particular make that they had had success with on a bus themselves. The bus company wasn’t any help saying they don’t supply them.

I’ll have to look alternative options.

OP posts:
CatNamedBob · 07/02/2023 12:51

We got private transfers because I didn't want little DC travelling without car seats

PuttingDownRoots · 07/02/2023 13:09

Its a good few years since I looked into it (youngest now nearly 10) but it had to be a seat that could be fitted with a lap belt.
Our Britax eclipse was deemed suitable and toddler did use it on a minibus (lap belts) once. However I believe it is now discontinued.

Paturday · 07/02/2023 13:11

Yeah no you never see kids in car seats on coaches because their parents hired cars instead. It’s such a pain but that’s the best alternative really!

LIZS · 07/02/2023 13:12

A 20 mo is not usually allocated a seat. Coaches abroad may not have three point belts, if any.

FlounderingFruitcake · 07/02/2023 13:16

You have no way of knowing really. The coach could have lap belts, full seatbelts or nothing at all. Something airline approved would probably be the best bet since it’ll be small and you know can fit it with the lap belt but I don’t know how many (any?) UK sold toddler seats would fit this criteria. However it’s also possible that there won’t even be space because if baby is a lap infant on the plane they might well be expecting them to be a lap infant on the coach too. If it’s that important to you then private taxi or car hire is the way to go.

Twizbe · 07/02/2023 13:19

I'm clearly a terrible mother as I took my son on a coach transfer at 18 months and he sat on my knee.

You'd need a private transfer if you want a car seat. It's unlikely any would work with a lap belt or be really hard to transport.

helpfulperson · 07/02/2023 13:24

Essentially the whole coach performs the same function as a car seat providing a cocoon against injury. There are also significant risks if the seat doesn't fit and there is an incident.

Skyeheather · 07/02/2023 13:29

I have always sat my toddler in the window seat and put the seatbelt on them, they were fine as were everyone else's. I've never seen anyone use a car seat on a coach. The coach is never full as lots of people skip the transfer and go to straight to the taxi rank, the bus has never been too full that my kids have had to sit on our laps.

If you hire a car you can hire a car seat to go with it, maybe that would be better for you. Or book a taxi in advance and request a car seat.

Youcancallmeirrelevant · 07/02/2023 13:30

As others have said baby won't have a seat on the coach if its busy as they'll be classed as a lap infant, same as on the plane.

Hire carcor private transfer if you want to take a car seat

Hoowhoowho · 07/02/2023 14:40

Urban Kanga urbankanga.com/en/car-seats-2/#What

This was my taxi car seat when my daughter was that age. Now we use a bubble bum. Used both on coach with no issues.

abmac95 · 08/02/2023 08:44

Winter2509532467 · 07/02/2023 11:47

The safety of my child is a higher priority than the “convenience” of other passengers!

Show quote history

The entitlement here is just insane. What do you imagine ever other child does in this situation? Your kids not more special than anyone elses. Grow up or don't go.

Theyweretheworstoftimes · 08/02/2023 08:59

Urban Kanga recommended here. Use for taxi trips transfers and city breaks when we don't have a car but want to use Ubers.

Comes in a bag you can hang on the back of a pushchair

Abouttimemum · 08/02/2023 09:03

We went abroad twice last year with DS and the transfer coach was full of children / babies not in car seats, just like buses and coaches in the UK. Similar taxi rules too. If you’re worried hire a car and take your car seat.

Original poster
Winter2509532467 · 08/02/2023 10:23

abmac95 · 08/02/2023 08:44

The entitlement here is just insane. What do you imagine ever other child does in this situation? Your kids not more special than anyone elses. Grow up or don't go.

Show quote history

Gosh there’s no need to be so nasty. I came here to ask for a recommendation not to be insulted.

i wasn’t being entilited, I was responding to a poster who was basically telling me I was going to cause chaos by wanting my baby to be safe.

Why are people on this site so horrible sometimes?

OP posts:
Original poster
Winter2509532467 · 08/02/2023 10:24

Thank you to everyone who gave me a genuine nice helpful response.

OP posts:
mindutopia · 08/02/2023 10:49

My concern would be what would you do with it while you were out and about for the day? For an excursion, I would think it's possible that you may not have the same coach dropping you off as collecting you (unless you know you do). Then you'd have to carry it around all day. Honestly, when travelling, we booked a private transfer and booked them to provide a car seat.

abmac95 · 09/02/2023 05:19

Winter2509532467 · 08/02/2023 10:23

Gosh there’s no need to be so nasty. I came here to ask for a recommendation not to be insulted.

i wasn’t being entilited, I was responding to a poster who was basically telling me I was going to cause chaos by wanting my baby to be safe.

Why are people on this site so horrible sometimes?

Show quote history

Again grow up!

You are going to cause chaos!

You child should be doing as every other child on that coach will be doing, sitting normally in a seat or on a parents lap. Your child is not special. You are not special.

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