Baby on train etiquette?

[olivebean]

Possibly a silly question, sorry (!), but I've never taken a baby on a train before. It's a short journey (20 mins) by myself with my 13 month old. Can I leave her in her buggy when I get on or will I have to collapse it and sit her on my knee? Just wondering logistically how I'm going to collapse a buggy whilst holding a baby in one arm 🤦🏼‍♀️ so would prefer to leave her in it for the journey. What's the rules/etiquette with this? Thank you!

If it’s 20 mins, maybe you just stand with the buggy in the widest section where the doors are

Is the station manned OP?

As long as you can and do move out the way so people can get off. So many times I've seen scrums at the doors as people with buggy refuse to move them.

It really just depends on the train, some have space for the buggy to stay up, others have no room.

Depends on the train. On ours there is loads of space to stand by the doors but on others up near Leeds the other day there wasn't. When DD was 13 months (22 now) I could usually sit her down on a seat and she'd be fine for 20-30 seconds and then I'd just pick her up under one arm, buggy under the other to put the buggy away. Mine comes in two parts so I'd have done the first part then gone back for the second if no space to stand.

You won't be able to have a buggy where the seats are as it would block the aisle, so the options are to collapse it and sit on the seats or keep it up but you'll have to stay in the vestibule area, sometimes they have pull down seats but priority for those areas is for wheelchair users so you'd need to be able to move if needed.

Stand up in the door section.

Leave her in buggy and sit in a seat with the other one although it depends on the train lay out

Ah yes I realise now I am thinking of the trains I usually get. Other trains may vary!

I don't drive so have always used buses and trains. When mine were in buggies I always wheeled them on in the buggy and either sat in the disabled space or stood in the door area. Our local buses have a buggy zone. I never needed to collapse the buggy.

I always left mine in the buggy and either stood in the central bit by the doors, or some trains have flip up seating areas you can use if you pick a quieter time.

I'm not sure what this means. Do you just mean are there staff milling about?

I'm surprised you've managed to get to your baby being 13 months without having had to collapse your buggy one handed! But yes, in my opinion/experience locally to me you would be best to collapse it ahead of time so you can get on easier, there's not always room for buggys. Practise before you set off? Baby on one hip, bag on the floor if not a backpack, fold buggy, bag back on shoulder, buggy in free hand.

I think I would stand by the doors with baby in the buggy for a short journey.
I guess it depends on the seat layout of the train and how busy it is but perhaps you can find a seat close to the doors and have baby in the buggy next to you.
I wouldn’t bother taking my baby out and collapsing the buggy, too much faff and baby probably wouldn’t want to go back in!

Done trains have a big space near the toilets where wheel chairs and bicycles fir and there's usually one or a few seats there. If your train has that then you can sit there with the child in the buggy.

@Ginandslippers

I never use public transport, I either walk from the house with the buggy so baby can be in a safe place in the house while I put the buggy up / down, or I drive, so she gets transferred to her car seat and then I collapse the buggy and put it in the boot. Never had to physically hold her at the same time as collapsing the buggy. Maybe I should practice at home first 😂

Thank you - hadn't thought of this.

Some stations are unstaffed. If it's a staffed station you can request assistance on the day. You can request assistance for any journey in advance:

www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/plan-assistance.aspx

@Antarcticant

Ah Thank you!

Missing the point of this thread, but this post gives me flash backs to the buggy/wheelchair collapse threads!!

Trains don't tend to provide any spaces for buggys (which I find surprising but hey why should trains accommodate mothers?) but i think you should be fine if the train isn't busy. I'd head to the bicycle/disabled seats as that's the best bet for space.

The rail companies usually have train layouts on their websites as well which I find useful as you can see where the space is likely to be

My eldest is four and I don't think I've ever collapsed a buggy one handed while holding a baby! Like OP we walk or take the car so there's no need.

On our trains you would never need to collapse the buggy - plenty of places for wheelchairs, bikes and luggage. And the doors only open on one side so if you stand on the other side you won't be in the way.

Unless you're going at rush hour on a very busy service I'm sure it'll be fine OP - are you familiar with the trains from pre baby times? That'll give you an idea of what space to aim for if you are.

Almost 'the good old bunfight days'!😁

(And that's in no way meaning I am laughing at that situation before I get flamed by anyone!)

Yes OP, I meant is it staffed. Ex Railway employee here and that is the term used, sorry!

If it IS staffed just ask one of them for assistance and they can either help you lift the buggy on or provide a ramp. They can also tell you what type of unit, railway speak for"train" it will be and where to stand and what you will need to do when you get on re the buggy.

This used to be part of my very busy job, apart from when I was "milling about" 😆of course and I was always happy to do it.