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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To take a baby first class on a train?

69 replies

mrsjuan · 06/11/2009 19:39

I am taking DD to visit my parents next month (on my own) and am planning on traveling by train. It is approximately 2 hours on one train then a short tube journey, then another hour on another train.

My husband has often found in the past that by booking online, a first class fare is cheaper than a standard fare if you travel at certain times and has suggested I do this.

I am tempted by the free food and drink & bigger seats

DD will be 7 months and is currently fascinated by new surrounding & therefore very amenable in most circumstances. If she did make a fuss then, assuming there was anyone else in the carriage I could always take her into standard class!

I can't find anything on the website about traveling with babies apart from the fact that they go free but I would hate to break some sort of 'train etiquette' and get horrible looks from the other passengers!

What do you think?

OP posts:

Stayingsunnygirl · 08/11/2009 23:05

Tigerslight - I have travelled first class with all three dses, right from birth, and have never had any problem. The children have learned to behave in a reasonable manner - we made sure they stayed quiet, and didn't roam around bothering people, and in fact we've had plenty of compliments about their behaviour.

When ds1 was just under 2, and ds2 was 5 weeks old, we travelled all the way from London to Aberdeen by train, including eating in the dining car, without causing anyone any problems.

Travelling with anyone inconsiderate and noisy is unpleasant, be they adult or child, and in my experience, adults are just as likely to be inconsiderate as children.

MrsSeanBean · 08/11/2009 23:07

OP - why on earth should you not?! It's public transport. Go ahead and enjoy.

tinkerbellesmuse · 09/11/2009 08:17

morriszapp I agree travelling is stressful. It is particularly stressful when travelling a long distance, whether by train or plane, with two young children when pregnant. I've done it.

I disagree that people have the right to roll their eyes and sigh if they are annoyed simply by being near children. It is rude and imo unacceptable. If you can't handle it don't use PUBLIC transport.

I find it exasperating when people (most of whom are likely to be parents themselves) are immediately hostile to the presence of my children, who thanks to the wonders of portable DVD players are usually as quiet as mice on long journeys.

nappyaddict · 09/11/2009 09:26

TBM what did you do if they started crying or having a tantrum? I'm travelling to cardiff soon and was thinking about going first class but DS has the most horrendous tantrums so I'm not sure.

happywomble · 09/11/2009 09:33

We travelled first class on the eurostar ski train when DS was 10 months. He tapped a plastic cup on the table and we hadn't even noticed the noise but someone (single man) came and complained that it was stopping him reading his book!!! We were still in Bourg St Maurice station at this point so it didn't make for a relaxing journey home!

TheShriekingHarpy · 09/11/2009 11:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

fernie3 · 09/11/2009 11:43

My husband and I were on a half hour train journey with our two children the youngest was aged 6 months so needed to be held. There were no seats left on the train so my husband just perched on the end of a first class seat at the end of the carriage. It seemed safer than standing with a 6 month old and no one who had a seat was about to give it up!

He was fined for sitting in first class without a first class ticket! I dont see tahe problem with travelling first class just make sure you dont do it without a ticket whatever the reason because the DO fine with some companies.

LittleOneMum · 09/11/2009 11:44

I travelled first class from London to Edinburgh with DS when he was 10 weeks old - and yes, it was a busy time. Frankly my view was that I didn't want to spend 4.5 hours in standard with a baby. People gave us v dirty looks when we got on, but bless him he slept for 2.5 hours of it and then he was just smiling at everyone after that and anytime he made a noise, I'd slip out into the bit between carriages. At Edinburgh lots of people came to say goodbye to him and praise him for being adorable!

This weekend I did a v short first class journey (weekend first upgrade) with the same DS, now 2. again, it was fine. People do stare but as long as you don't take the mickey with noise (I took DS out and talked to him if he became noisy) then it's all fine. Good luck and enjoy!

bigchris · 09/11/2009 11:46

fernie3 - how much was he fined? I hope you complained, he wasn't even sitting in a seat!!!

fernie3 · 09/11/2009 11:47

he was fined £30 we did complain but got no where with it we make sure we reserve seats for any distance now!

WheeeFreshSparkleBang · 09/11/2009 11:55

On First GW i have often put my buggy in the wheel chair space so ds has somewhere to sit. (Before i get flamed obviously i move if someone in a wheelchair gets on)

annoyingly though in FC the wheelchair space is in the quiet carriage - i guess they assume all wheelchair users are quiet.

nappyaddict · 09/11/2009 13:13

TSH Good idea but I'm not keen on using headphones with children and I don't think the other passengers would be impressed if they had to listen to ITNG!!

LOM Where did you take him out to?

LittleOneMum · 09/11/2009 14:50

Just to the bit between the carriages where the toilets are. He enjoyed playing with the free biscuits/mugs so much that everytime I took him out he calmed down straight away and then would be good as gold (for at least 5 minutes!)

FlappyTheBat · 09/11/2009 22:45

MorrisZapp, why should I have to put up with dirty looks just because I like to travel first class with young children?

What gives so called business people the right to think that 1st class travel is for them and them alone?

My children were very quiet on the journey down, much quieter than some of the so called adults!
The journey back home was different and I spent a large proportion of that standing in the area between the two first class carriages.
I just wish some of my fellow passengers had had the same discretion when making mobile phones calls.
At times, it was reminiscent of the Dom Joly mobile phone skits!

caslonsmallcaps · 09/11/2009 23:00

Go for it but see if you can get a reserved seat that's one of a pair rather than a single. The single seats are actually a bit useless if you've got more than one slim briefcase with you. If the train's not busy you might do better with a double in standard class than in one of those.

Also watch out for them fully reserving all the seats in one section of first class so everyone's crammed all together, and leaving the other bits unreserved. If they have done that, move if you want to.

MorrisZapp · 10/11/2009 12:02

Sorry, I should have said that I would give dirty looks to loud/ irritating children, not to children playing with 'inside voices'.

I give dirty looks to business people too, and have politely asked them if they would mind switching their phones to silent on many occasions.

I'm not a business person myself, just a traveller in search of a bit of peace.

I'm a proud and self confessed 'grumpy old woman' who no longer cares about looking cool or being liked - if people are behaving inconsiderately then I will either politely ask them not to, or make my feelings known with a bit of eye rolling.

Us grumpies have the right to travel first class too

FlappyTheBat · 10/11/2009 12:27

Glad you cleared that up, the eye rolling and dirty looks started as soon as I entered the carriage, nothing like being condemned before the trial

kif · 10/11/2009 12:37

I travelled first class eurostar with a baby and a toddler.

It was great.

We ended up having a whole 'quad' to ourselves, so i didn;t need to keep Ds on my lap the whole way. The steady stream of snacks kept Dd happy. What's not to like?

It's called 'first class' not 'business class' or 'quiet area'. It's for people who are happy to pay a bit more for extra space and service. When i'm looking after young kids, extra space and service is just what I need!

Hulababy · 10/11/2009 12:49

Go first class if you want.

Only place to avoid with a baby or toddler is the quiet coach - available in both first and second class generally.

Noone should compain about it.

If they do, tell them they should go to the quiet coach.

First class does not mean quiet coach.

First class does not mean business people only.

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