London with a buggy

[Zeeky]

We wanted to take our 3yr old & 10mth old into London for the day on the train, but wasn't sure what the logistics are of getting a buggy on the tube. Would we have to take DS out of buggy & collapse it to on the escalators & tubes or is it possible to get on escalators without taking him out? Just wanted some logistical advice!

are there two of you? adults that is? you can keep a child in a buggy on the escalators, and it is v easy to get onto tube trains with one. but I wouldn't fancy it in a heavy double buggy. nor would I want to have to hold onto a 3yr old by the hand, whilst holding onto a pushchair one-handed.

also bear in mind that a lot of tube stations have steps as well as escalators, you can usually get someone to help you up the steps (unless you're travelling at rush hour!). check out www.tfl.gov.uk for the journey planner and accessibility options.

You don't need to take your baby out at all - take the buggy on the escalators as they are - you just need to tip them back going down (so they are level iyswim) and same going up (only then the baby is tipped back).

Here's a list of tubes with step free access to street level (although as there are two of you then you can carry the buggy up a few steps I assume). People are always very helpful anyway :)

Dont know what buggy you have but assuming it's a Maclaren or similar its doable if you have strong arms! You can kind of balance the buggy on the escalator, I've done it a few times. The trickier bit is that very few stations have step free access so you have to hoik the buggy up and down stairs. Tiring but worth it :-)

double buggy would be more challenging.

if you can find suitable bus routes that may be easier than the tube.

As LB says, people always very helpful.

All aside from the widest side-by-side buggies are fine on the tube/escalators. Lots of stations have stairs; I've always carried light buggies like Maclarens up by myself, though someone will always offer to help.

I would try to avoid the rush hours on the tube, just because the sheer number of people.

Beg, steal, or borrow the smallest, lightest pushchair you can for the day (otherwise sod's law means the vital lift will be out of action and the alternative is 232 stairs).

You might also like to have a lok at the journey planner on the Transport for London website, so you have alternatives if there are engineering works or other weird hold ups. If you are doing short hops round London, you might be better off on a bus in some places (info on same website).

Thanks guys! DH will be with us to help carry the buggy up & down steps & look after 3 yr old. The buggy is a maclaren so fairly lightweight. DS1 loves the underground so it would have been a shame to have to use buses instead.

You'll be fine. At a pinch you can carry a Maclaren up teh stairs with kid in it anyway.