Train seats more wwyd

[trainfirsttimer]

I know I'm not BU as such, but in getting quite stressed and anxious over this
In my area when travelling on a train you don't pay until the child is 5. I plan on travelling with my children (under 5) but where do we all sit? I can't rely on a table not being reserved, there won't be room in those two together seats, I can't think of any other option
I'm genuinely getting stressed and down over this so please be kind

No OP. You buy the railcard then you'll have to buy tickets for all 4 of you and the discount is then applied to those 4 tickets.

It means you must buy a ticket for at least one child, irrespective of how old that child is, to avail yourself of a family railcard discount. Ie to use a family railcard you must buy at least one child ticket along with your adult ticket(s).

I have a family rail card only because it paid for itself on one trip.
Recently I used it locally paying for a seat for my baby only because it was cheaper to use it and pay for baby than just pay for me.

Thymelord she doesn't need to buy tickets for all three children if she doesn't want to, but she must buy at least one child ticket to use the family railcard.

Ah right, sorry my mistake.

Are you good at asking for help op? I'd happily grab your buggy / a child and hoof them on th etrain for you if i was boarding and didn't have loads of stuff with me.

Realistically you're going to need:

Backpack with luggage, youngest in a sling
twin in each hand

which leaves needing someone to lift the collapsed buggy on (can you collapse it on the platform AND watch all 3??) and stash it somewhere for you.

The F&F railcard is definitely the best plan. I travel a lot up and down the UK with my 2 young DC and have always paid for 1 child's seat as the discount means that the combined price of q adult and 1 child is less than 1 adult alone. I get annoyed on my solo journeys now as I pay more!

If you are travelling scotrail you won't always be able to reserve seats. Virgin or cross country you can.

My first tip would be NOT to book through trainline. First you pay a fee but more importantly if you book directly with the companies you can use their online seat selectors. And if there's a problem you can call and amend by phone which doesn't work if booked via trainline. And please never book the quiet coach!

I have only done it with 2 small kids so always book virgin's coach at disabled/babychange toilet end, and pick one of the 'priority seats' (not the same as the disabled or companion ones) as they have extra leg room. I then sit on the aisle and it blocks the kids in.

However in your situation I would be tempted to either book all of your kids a table seat, or be sneaky and book 3 of the seats (so pay for 3 kids) round a table of 4. It's then unlikely anyone will pick that last seat, or choose to sit in it when they see you.

The buggy provision is rubbish. My maclaren didn't fit either overhead or in the luggage rack (the racks have 3 tiers so it was too long) a slimmer umbrella fold is better as goes above. I have ended up folding and asking the guard. Without fail, they tell me to leave it in the disabled space which I don't like doing.

It really isn't as bad as you think. Pack lots of snacks, quiet toys and don't be afraid to use tablets (with headphones or super quiet). People are great at helping when they see you with kids on your own IME.

Last tip, use the trainline app live arrival bit to plan any changes as you travel, as they show the platforms before they are announced.

Good luck!

Family railcard and 1 child's ticket. That's what I do whenever we go on the train (the 2 kids and I share the 2 seats) and it often works out cheaper than just an adult ticket without the railcard anyway. I've had people ask me to move the kids before, but I just explain that I've bought a ticket for them as they need a seat. Never had anyone go off at me about it.

Yes the Family Railcard with an Adult and a Child paid for, generally works out cheaper than a single Adult Advance ticket.

And definitely book via the main train company you'll be travelling with, not the Trainline. You don't pay a booking fee and they guarantee the best price.

Ensure you don't travel peak if you buy a ticket - in many busy commuter services adults without a seat get priority over kids with seat reservations - so you could end up with 3 kids on your lap.

@RobotGoat - you're lucky then. Many London bound commuter routes tell you that if you travel peak cheap kids tickets are not valued as much as full paying adults

Groupie the reason for that is that those services are chiefly for commuters who pay huge sums for their season tickets and are about to go to do a day's work (or are on he say home from a long day). I don't think it's unreasonable that they have priority over children off on a day out, frankly. Non-workers on peak trains mostly have other choices of times/routes. Not always because of medical appointments etc . But usually.

And I remember as a child travelling that it was always a condition of my discounted ticket or bus pass that I could not occupy a seat if a full-fare paying Adult was standing. I don't know when this expectation changed, but it's not a bad principle generally.

Ask for assistance getting onto the train, in advance, from the train station. They will find someone to help you board.

You are getting too stressed about this, I have traveled alone with my three for years on trains and people are usually nice, we've had some great experiences and met some lovely people. I would always book a seat for a child who can walk, you just book as many tickets as you want seats for, it won't ask their ages and I have never been challenged been when travelling with a toddler only.

Keep your pram empty in case it needs folding and use a big rucksack. I usually was able to use the disabled space and the two seats for someone to accompany that person when my children were actual babies though, you just need to be prepared to fold.

Sorry, that was harsh, it is stressful, I just think it will be fine based on my experience and it would be a pity to cancel I am sure.

The family and friends card is cheaper. So you buy one adult ticket and one child and it works out cheaper than a standard adult ticket. So even when I had a 4yo I bought one.
Seats wise, can you put the twins in a pushchair and sit in the wheelchair/ buggy area which usually has some fold down seats. People always help me on and off trains with my buggy.

Having just checked the website it is 10 pound more expensive to add children even with a family railcard

Then you pay the £10. You can't expect 3 seats for free surely?

And your own adult ticket is likely to be £30 cheaper.

To be honest, it really doesn't have to be this stressful. Buy the number of seats you want, be prepared to fold your buggy as there doesn't tend to be space and have toys/snacks etc in a bag.

Just buy tickets for them regardless of whether you "have" to or not - that way you can reserve seats when you book.

Did you get sorted op?

OP the money saving website has a code giving you 20% off the price of a f&f railcard if you buy before the end of July. The code is SUMMERMS17.