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Original poster

Toddlers and package holiday coach transfers

17 replies

KL07 · 15/04/2014 12:22

We've booked a package holiday this summer. My son will be almost two when we travel. The transfer from airport to resort is only short - 30 mins or so - but is by coach. I may be being over cautious but am worried about the safety aspect of taking a toddler onto a coach with no suitable child seatbelts available, even for a short journey. I wouldn't take my son on a coach here in the UK and sit him on my lap with no seatbelt, even for a short journey like this one, so can't feel comfortable doing it abroad.

I've made one online enquiry about a private taxi transfer with a suitable car seat and the quote is £120 return which isn't insignificant.
Does anyone know if car seats or restraints can be fitted in a coach like this? We can't take his car seat with us as it's ISOFIX only and rear facing. What do other people do? Thanks!

OP posts:
PotteringAlong · 15/04/2014 12:27

I just held him on my lap. Just like I do on a bus in the uk!

MissRainbowBrite · 15/04/2014 12:28

Where are you going? We went to Mallorca last year and used a fab company called Janerbus, we got a taxi door to door for not a huge amount more than the coach.
They were really polite, efficient and would highly recommend.

MissRainbowBrite · 15/04/2014 12:29

Sorry, meant to add that they provided an age appropriate seat for DD who was 16 months at the time.

SavoyCabbage · 15/04/2014 12:33

I took my dd on a coach (she is 7) in a high backed booster but there was no seatbelt. She fell into the aisle and she was really hurt. I wouldn't do it again.

It's not the same as a bus that's tootling about a city. They can go quite fast. Well, very fast.

TheScience · 15/04/2014 12:41

We had the same issue when DS was the same age. Although he wasn't heavy enough for a booster seat we took a trunki booster as it at least positions the seatbelt in the right place and kept him restrained.

Original poster
KL07 · 15/04/2014 12:50

I agree Savoy, and unfortunately, although rare, you do hear of horror coach crashes abroad from time to time and I'm a natural worrier.
We're going to Corsica. When we went to Menorca last year with him we booked a taxi with a car seat but the whole thing was much cheaper.
I'll look at the trunki booster seat, thanks!

OP posts:
Justeat · 15/04/2014 22:13

The transfer may only be 30 mins, but u may have to wait 2 hours for the coach - like us last year!
Book a private transfer.

Justeat · 15/04/2014 22:13

The transfer may only be 30 mins, but u may have to wait 2 hours for the coach - like us last year!
Book a private transfer.

SooticaTheWitchesCat · 17/04/2014 10:20

If you are that worried book a private transfer. It doesn't have to be a taxi, private transfer companies are often cheaper than taxis.

specialsubject · 17/04/2014 16:54

I used to be a transfer rep in Greece. Coaches are much less likely to crash than cars, they are driven by professionals who know the roads and have regulated hours.

the ones we used had seatbelts so you could fit a car seat to them, although I never saw it done. But you can buy another car seat and take it with you.

For the run we did I would MUCH rather be in a coach than a taxi, although that may be a reflection on the relative standards of coach drivers vs taxi drivers! Did it in a taxi a few times, bloody terrifying. Always felt very safe in the coach.

can't guarantee safety (that's life for you) but I think you are much safer in the coach. If your transfer is 30 minutes then it is unlikely to involve a motorway or fast road anyway.

junkfoodaddict · 20/04/2014 12:11

Has anyone placed a booster seat in a coach before?

I'm going to Turkey in July and DS will be 2 years and 7 months. Our flight lands at 12:55am and the coach journey is 2 hours approximately!!!!

I'm thinking about taking a trunki seat and a seatbelt adjuster (DS is very tall - 98th percentile for height) as the seatbelt won't fit him properly.

Good or bad idea?

ilovepowerhoop · 22/04/2014 19:11

the coach may only have lap belts so your booster would be useless.

BobTheFly · 22/04/2014 19:21

Will he even have his own seat on the coach. When we took dd at not quite 2, she classed as an infant on the plane and transfer.

poocatcherchampion · 24/04/2014 08:51

this worries me too. I have no solution and we have decided to do a package holiday in spite of this. 2 babies so one on each set of knees.

rational me knows it will be fine.
my sister takes her baby Ds on national express coaches around the country. no way José!

Nocomet · 24/04/2014 09:12

Majorcan roads aren't particularly busy, it was the 10 minute trip on the London motorway (from the cheep car park) that terrified me with small children.

AliceMum09 · 11/05/2014 20:31

We're looking at going to Menorca next year, when our children will be 9, 6 and 3. The 9 and 6 year olds will have Trunki Boostapac seats, and for the 3 year old I'll be taking my mum's Britax Prince car seat to use on the plane and on the transfer coach. It's a narrow seat, that can be used with a lap belt only (it's a Group 1 9-18kgs seat).

I would never allow my children to travel without an appropriate seat, despite the local laws or the UK tour operator saying you don't need to use a seat. Using the Britax Prince is a compromise for me anyway, as DD2 is in an ERF seat in our car, and won't be travelling in a forward facing seat here until she is at least 5 (and that's the very least, she is petite and only weighs 22lbs despite being 2 years old!)

Islander124 · 06/06/2014 15:13

omg i hadnt even thought of this!thank you op!

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