To let my 15 ds get a train from Birmingham uni to Birmingham New Street then Euston Station on the train on his own?

[Owlbabie5]

Dp and Ds insisting he’ll be fine. I’m feeling twitchy. He has never been to Birmingham. We’d pick him up at Euston.

@ErrolTheDragon He's 15 not 18. Things can go wrong when travelling, doesn't everyone who's travelled at all know that? And if they go wrong and you end up at night somewhere that's not your home city, then it makes a difference if you're old enough to book into a hotel, for instance.

So by that argument, you think he should still be collected by his dad when he's 17?

I think the OP should decide what she thinks makes sense for her DS; I can think of reasons why I agree with the OP about their plans now.

So alone in New York is fine. Public transport in Copenhagen is fine.
But the tube In London is not fine?

Maybe if you shared your concerns we could reassure you?

About 20 years ago, I, a 15 year old from a Midlands town, was confidently getting trains in and out of New Street (long before the redevelopment).

New Street isn't confusing to teenagers who can cope with logic, it's confusing to adults who can't cope with the idea that (eg) platform 12 is a long platform, split into 12a and 12b, and two trains leaving in different directions can be on it at the same time.

And Euston isn't confusing, it's a terminus.

Your kid will be fine, stop fussing.

I still get met off the train by my Dad on many occasions and I am 44!
Euston to Heathrow by tube is a ruddy long journey. Add in stopping at Euston for a toilet break, maybe a snack, finding the tube station and all that it is nice that a 15 year old is going to be met by his Dad. The tube is a lot more confusing for non Londoners than mainline trains. Ignore what people are saying OP. Have your boy met at Euston.
Oh and very important - you need 50p to use the toilets! Make sure he has a few coins.

She's already said 'Happy to start him off doing it alone at a different time of day when he isn’t tired at a later date.'.

There’s a uni station? Wow, I was a student in 1975, happy memories

Not only that, but wherever you are in the country, if you simply ask for a ticket to “University”, or type that into a booking engine, you’ll get a ticket to it.

Good grief there are some nasty, sneery people on this thread.

OP isn't asking if someone who lives in London and has been traveling on public transport there since he was an embryo can get to Heathrow. She has asked a specific question.

The lad will have already been away for several days, living with people he doesn't know, learning all sorts of new things in a place he doesn't know. I'm impressed he is willing and happy to then get the train down to Euston. Most of us have a limit as to how many new things we need to do in one day, or one short period of time.

"Being as independent as you possibly can" isn't a competition you know. OP and her dh are in the area anyway. Here's a thought - they might be looking forward to seeing their ds and hearing all about the past week.

There’s a uni station? Wow, I was a student in 1975, happy memories Yup, the University station was there before 1975 too

YY to the last post.

I’m aware the tube is easy, he has read the maps and steered all of us when we visit London. Copenhagen is beyond safe. Re New York the area we’re staying in is incredibly safe and he won’t be using the subway.

I have no need to be reassured re Euston and Heathrow tube. We are in the area and he is being met. Was never up for negotiation. Dp will evaluate when he is there re the journey being done alone next time.

He entered a competition off his own back;won a place in said camp; will be staying with people he has never met on campus, doing challenging activities as a team;will find his way from the uni station to New Street and will then get the train to Euston. I suspect it will be busy as Heathrow strikes start the next day. Being met at Euston is what is happening.

No he gets no choice, we are the parents and we all fly to NYC the next day( assuming we can get on a plane). Don’t want any last minute dramas, there will be enough stress and he’ll be shattered. There is no need for him to do the last bit alone aside from satisfying Collaterly who has a strange obsession with him doing it.

I researched as one often does as a parent and I’m happy with him doing the initial parts alone.

Yes feel free to dump your kid at 8.30pm out of their comfort zone on Dartmoor or the middle of the sea and leave him to fend for himself

Because that is exactly the same as traveling on a well lit, well staffed, well signposted city tube system mid evening whilst in possession of a functioning brain and a mobile phone

I find it bizarre that you think a kid who can navigate his way across open country can't follow a street sign, a street map or recognise a uniformed member of staff.

No problem. My son has been doing a 110 mile journey every two weeks since he was 12. Admittedly, I did brick it the first time but actually I think he quite enjoys the independence.

It's fine. Many kids to it every Saturday from here to Saturday morning orchestra from 11 or 12.

At what age do you stop “letting” a child do things like travel on a train alone and start assuming they going alone unless they say something about wanting someone to go with them?

Bertrand, I'm normally with you, but you're like a dog with a bone about this! Different parents have different limits. It's not that hard to understand, is it?

Of course they do - my latest post was a more general one moving away from the OP. I think it’s interesting.

Surely there isn't a specific age. It depends on their personal experience. My children have to get a train to and from school so would have been happy for them to get a train across the country from about 13 given it is easy to work out platforms in advance nowadays. No way would I have "let" them use the tube at 13 or even 15 though as we don't live near London and don't use it. I know children do use the tube at that age but I bet they went on the underground with their parents first so knew how it worked.

Oh and very important - you need 50p to use the toilets! Make sure he has a few coins.

Not any more, you don't. Toilets at Euston and New Street are free. The problem at Euston at present is finding the entrance to the tube station owing to all the HS2 building work.

Hopefully some of the recent answers are to the OPs actual question re university to new st....

OP, you sound entirely sensible, and your DS sounds great. You really don't need to justify your plans re Euston to people who've got a bee in their bonnet who are giving unnecessary advice about something you didn't ask. There's no fixed age for doing various things, depends on the kid and the circumstances. In all probability your kid could do the underground but - well, what backforgood said.

I hope he has a great time in bham and you have a lovely trip.

Of course they do - my latest post was a more general one moving away from the OP. I think it’s interesting.

I hoped that was your intent but in the context of the way the thread developed it didn't come over that way tbh.
And it's not that interesting a question because the answer is always 'it depends'.

Bertrand et al are you not reading my posts from waaaaay back. He is doing all the Birmingham leg alone. He is simply not doing the last bit because I don’t want him to. Capability doesn’t come into it. He will have done more than enough to prove his non snowflake status to MNers with superiority bee in bonnet parenting complexes.

Thanks Errol for your voice of reason.

OP...Just to add in my experience of New Street to say that it should be absolutely fine for changing trains. When your son arrives from University Station, he'll need to go upstairs to the main corridor where he'll find the escalators and stairs to the other platforms, plus a load of shops and cafes. As a previous poster said, the local train from University will probably arrive at a higher numbered platform and the Virgin train to London Euston at a lower numbered one. There are display boards in the main corridor showing all departures and one at the stairs/escalator to each platform showing the next departure and all station stops. Just let him be aware that there are also slow local services departing to Euston from New Street. They stop pretty much everywhere on that line, and I think they are run by London Northwestern. Departure screens for these services will display lots of small stations. So if he is booked on the Virgin train, he needs to avoid catching the local. Spotting the Virgin train is easy as they are very distinct as is the staff uniform. If he thinks red, he'll be good for the right Euston train. Glad he's getting some brilliant experiences under his belt.

I'm still fascinated to know what it is you think is going to happen that won't happen if he has daddy there.

Dp will evaluate when he is there re the journey being done alone next time.

What will he evaluate? This is the bit I'm baffled by.

Apparently your son navigates your entire family across London when you visit, so what is it that your husband is going to 'evaluate'?

Well you’ll have to remain baffled. “ Daddy”

When I was last at Birmingham University station loads of pupils from Kings School (I think that’s what it’s called) got on to go home. New Street Station is brilliant and just like a shopping centre.