Travelling solo by train with 3 yo and baby

[Pippinsdiary]

Just looking for a bit of advice really

Having to travel just under 4 hours on the train with my 3 year old and 6 month old baby next month. I’m not a seasoned traveler by public transport!

When booking my tickets, I see under 5’s are free, but how does that work in terms of seats? Does that mean my 3yo isn’t guaranteed a seat as obviously I can’t have them both on my knee. Or should I book an adult ticket to guarantee her a seat?

I also don’t know if you can request to be in the accessible bit so I can use my pram for the baby or whether it would need collapsing? (Obviously providing no wheelchair users need it)

Any advice would be appreciated

Where are you travelling to and from? I do this quite a bit...

Under 5s go free but no seats. If you want them to have a seat, you will need to buy 2 x child tickets plus your adult tickets. You can buy a family railcard, which is around £30 but gives you 1/3rd off, so might save you more than you spend. If you are travelling with LNER, they do something called a Family ticket, but you can only get it on their website and only on certain trains but it basically allows you to book seats for the kids without buying a ticket.

Have a look at the train operators website and try to book tickets sitting in the carriage with the wheelchair access. Or exmaple, on LNERs website you can choose your own seats on the seatmap - maybe others are the same. Firstly because the nearest toilet usually also has babychange, but secondly because some train operators (LNER is one) allow you to keep the buggy unfolded in the wheelchair space providing a person using a wheelchair doesn't need it. If someone using a wheelchair gets on, you have to fold the buggy down.

Take the carrier and not the pram if possible, if not possible take the carrier as well as the pram so you can fold it and leave it/carry it through the station or if it’s crowded. They will both need to be on your knee if you don’t buy them a seat but get a family and friends rail are if it works out cheaper and then the three year old will get a seat. It’s great fun on the train with little ones, they love it and easier than the car usually. Take snacks and get a table if possible.

In terms of the actual journey, take LOADS of snacks / water - for DC and you. We basically do a lunchbox full of food and then a bag full of activities - story books, new sticker books, colouring in, little games, teddies. Basically whatever is the current favourite.

Download some Julia Donaldson adaptations onto your phone - in 3.5ys, we only needed them once when our train to York was delayed by 3hours making it a 5hour journey in total. DD1 did so so well, but even she was really fed up by the end. We have a mini yoto that we sometimes take with headphones instead now DD1 is nearly 4y. If you are formula feeding, extra bottles and milk / more nappies as well in case of delays. DD2 always has a huge poop as soon we get on a train 🙈

If it's a journey that you will do semi regularly, consider sending stuff to your first destination. We do it to visit my DM and DF, so I ordered some bits online for me and the DC - tops, leggings, pjs, underwear, a hoodie etc and i leave them at their house, so I can travel light going up and down.

Everyone has always been so considerate and helpful in my experience! So I think you will be fine.

I’ll be travelling from Bristol Temple Meads to Scarborough. So I have put 1 x adult and 2 x children and specified their ages, but there’s no option to chose seats, you can just request a table for example but that’s not a guarantee.

@IdaClair I will definitely be bringing a carrier but I do need the pram as I’ll be replying on things in the basket and on the handle bars! 😬 to book her a seat do I just need to book an adult seat then?

Ive looked at the family railcard but looks like an adult needs to be travelling with a child who’s atleast 5 to use it

Thank you that’s really helpful, I am dreading it! We do go fairly often but usually drive (not possible this time and the drive is horrendous anyway!) I’m considering sending my kids clothes up for the week so I’ll only need a backpack and stuff for the train

Bring back the old fashioned Guards Van with a large cage in it for mail & toddlers

I have just done a long journey on Grand Central and it was fine. DC under 5 so was free, we managed to find non reserved seats both ways but obvs will be more difficult with two. I could have bought him a child ticket at half price, and then been guaranteed a seat, is that an option?

Ive done the Scarborough trip with kids before. It’s nice, good fun. I’d always go carrier and rucksack to be more mobile especially with end destination a beach town and through stations. But don’t know if the stations you are changing at have lifts. You can check. Rucksack can be placed in the luggage rack above the seat so you don’t have to lose sight of your things. Especially important when the train fills up with people standing and you literally can’t get to a pram or case at the end of the carriage.

you just buy the child a ticket and it applies the discount.

Make sure the toddler gets to wee on the train as that was always a highlight for mine and pressing all the toilet buttons

Buy one adult and one child ticket for the 3yo and take the baby for free. Then you'll have two seats which should be enough.

Just buy 1 adult and 1 child ticket then you will get 2 seats. I’m sure baby will be sitting on your knee anyway.

so do I have to book her a ticket and put her age as 5 to pay for it? Because when I put her age it obviously just comes up as free and only 1 adult ticket

The ticket restrictions about over 5s are only because you dont pay at all for under 5s. If you want to pay for a child ticket then the family rail car stuff applies.

If there is a manned ticket office anywhere near you, pop in and talk to them. They usually have mythical powers for finding sensible connections, seat bookings etc.

I definitely need a pram which is annoying but it does fold them small. Scarborough is my home town so we aren’t going on holiday as such and won’t have loads of stuff. I’m probably over thinking it and hopefully the train will be fairly quiet anyway

Yes just put 5

it will get you 60% off her ticket and 1/3 off yours if you have the railcard, up to you if it’s worth it once you do the maths

You can book assistance to help you, so if you need to change trains a nice helpful bod will show up and make sure you, them, and they stuff gets to the right place. My mother is blind and uses it all the time.

A ticket does not guarantee a seat, only a seat reservation does. Some routes don’t have seat reservations (Northern Rail for example). I think the route you’re on should have them on both (3?) legs. You absolutely can use a family railcard even though your DC is under 5. You can get an adult and child return and book seats if available on the routes.

Ticket office at your local station can help. You can book online but be aware they are often listed in order of price, you will often be sold an ‘Advance’ ticket as that’s the cheapest but has no flexibility (you can only get the train/s listed on your ticket). If you’re returning within the month, an off-peak/Saver return is usually a good bet as it has the flexibility.

Thank you, I’ll have a look. Hmmm the family railcards T&CS says adult has to be travelling with a child 5+

I’ll be going and returning on set days so that’s fine.

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Introduce them to the Vice That Has No Name?

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Follow the Journey or Real Time Trains & Tracksy on your phone

RTT shows you the progress of the train & Tracksy shows you what the Signallers see on their displays

Where will you change trains?
Is it York?

You can definitely book a seat on that leg of the journey, it's probably the York to Scarborough leg that you can't book a seat for, which will be scuppering you if you're trying to book it as a single ticket.

It might be worth booking BTM-York as one ticket with seat reservations, and Scarborough to York as a seperate journey. That second train is unlikely to be jam packed.

Also think about how you will get off the train with baby, 3 year old, buggy and luggage. Good shout to request assistance. Use a sling for the baby, luggage in rucksack, one hand for folded buggy, one hand for 3 year old. 3 year old can take their own rucksack with snacks and entertainment.

I think the Trainline app is being dodgy. I’m on the browser now and have loads more options and have been able to see what seats I’ll be booking

They do not mind if you use the Family and Friends railcard with children under 5 to guarantee seats. I’ve been doing it for years, no way was I gambling having a squirmy 4 year old on my lap! I was actually asked by an inspector whether he needed a ticket last time - I said no but I prefer to buy one as he needs a seat. Job done. They never mind you overpaying for train tickets, if you see what I mean!

Here you go. I used to work on the railway, this is the specific T&C from the railcard website.

https://www.familyandfriends-railcard.co.uk/help/faqs/my-child-is-under-five-can-i-still-use-a-family-friends-railcard/#:~:text=is%20under%20five.-,Can%20I%20still%20use%20a%20Family%20&%20Friends%20Railcard?,benefit%20Family%20&%20Friends%20Railcard%20discount.

Being fair a ticket reservation does not guarantee a seat either. The train can just announce all seat reservations are invalid and seating is now unrestricted any time they like. That’s happened to me often most memorably when I was standing for 1.5 hours with my toddler and 5 week old baby and another time when I was sat for 3.5 hours on the floor next to the toilets with 3 dc, one with a painful physical disability and no charging points or snacks. Hopefully this won’t happen to you OP but a seat reserved does not guarantee you get a seat (unfortunately) It only takes one cancelled train and it all goes to pot.

I hope it doesn’t happen but if it does it does, I’ll just feel more confident going knowing I’ve got set seats

All booked now so fingers crossed

I used to do this with 2 kids of similar age on very long UK train journeys. We did the same as other posters - got a family rail card.

When I was travelling as the only adult I paid for 1 adult and eldest child as if they were over 5 to reserve a double seat. Non table seat so I could lift the middle arm and squeeze in all 3 of us with me on aisle to block them in.

When we all travelled we paid for both adults and both children as if over 5 to reserve a table for 4.

You really should not take up the accessible area with a buggy. Travel with a light umbrella fold buggy that you can put above seats and/or a carrier. With a 6 month old this should be ok. Travel systems are a nightmare for travel unless you really need the infant car seat at other end and cannot borrow one. I always swapped baby/toddler to carrier and folded the buggy on the platform to carry on - makes boarding and getting settled a lot easier.