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Original poster

3+ hour transfer with toddler and baby

31 replies

Shesnotveryself · 15/08/2025 11:13

Would you book a holiday with a long hotel transfer? It's coach, boat, coach. Hotel is right by the port the other side so should be quick after the boat. The hotel and destination looks lovely and in my head a boat ride will be fun, right?! We have a 3 year old and 6 month old.

OP posts:
Simonjt · 15/08/2025 11:14

How long is the flight before the transfer? By boat do you mean ferry at least?

Parksinyork · 15/08/2025 11:15

Nope. I always look for 30 mins or under - that can by private taxi transfer, but it depends in your kids.

Original poster
Shesnotveryself · 15/08/2025 11:48

Simonjt · 15/08/2025 11:14

How long is the flight before the transfer? By boat do you mean ferry at least?

3 hours direct with Jet2

OP posts:
MiddleAgedDread · 15/08/2025 11:54

in a word.....no!

ooooohlala · 15/08/2025 12:03

That’s a full day traveling. The stressful bit with kids is always the changes (the baby’s just gone to sleep but you need to get them off a ferry and into a coach, the toddler doesn’t want to leave the airport, someone’s left the buggy folded up at the port…) and you’ll have a lot of them. I’m quite a seasoned traveller with kids, but don’t like the sound of that.

ooooohlala · 15/08/2025 12:03

That’s a full day traveling. The stressful bit with kids is always the changes (the baby’s just gone to sleep but you need to get them off a ferry and into a coach, the toddler doesn’t want to leave the airport, someone’s left the buggy folded up at the port…) and you’ll have a lot of them. I’m quite a seasoned traveller with kids, but don’t like the sound of that.

ooooohlala · 15/08/2025 12:03

That’s a full day traveling. The stressful bit with kids is always the changes (the baby’s just gone to sleep but you need to get them off a ferry and into a coach, the toddler doesn’t want to leave the airport, someone’s left the buggy folded up at the port…) and you’ll have a lot of them. I’m quite a seasoned traveller with kids, but don’t like the sound of that.

ooooohlala · 15/08/2025 12:03

That’s a full day traveling. The stressful bit with kids is always the changes (the baby’s just gone to sleep but you need to get them off a ferry and into a coach, the toddler doesn’t want to leave the airport, someone’s left the buggy folded up at the port…) and you’ll have a lot of them. I’m quite a seasoned traveller with kids, but don’t like the sound of that.

Mummydoctor · 15/08/2025 12:04

No! I wouldn’t with kids that age. I’d say maximum 1 hour transfer from airport to hotel on one mode of transport would be more than enough.

HermioneWeasley · 15/08/2025 12:07

No, sounds hellish and the transfer is as long as the flight! There will be loads of hotels suitable for young kids within an hour of loads of airports

Chewbecca · 15/08/2025 12:24

No. I wouldn't without the DC either. There must be a better option.

opencecilgee · 15/08/2025 12:45

Croatia? Or Greece?

Soontobe60 · 15/08/2025 12:51

Absolutely not! You’ll have been travelling for at least 5 hours before you actually land, depending on how far from the airport you live. You’ll have been squeezed into 3 seats on a packed plane with a 6 month old and toddler to entertain, then on arrival have to hang around waiting for your luggage before locating your coach. Again, you’ll be allocated 3 seats in the coach, it could be boiling hot, 3 yr old could be grouchy and hungry, baby needs feeding and changing THEN you’ve got a boat ride to contend with AND another coach!
Stay home, OP 😂

3678194b · 15/08/2025 12:56

It would depend on the cost of a taxi.

I've booked private transfer with Jet2 before and while the ride to the hotel was fine, collecting us from the hotel to go back the the airport on departure day, the driver was late and when we arrived at the airport we were the last passengers to arrive at a very long check in queue! That put me off.

However, I've had a coach transfer with Jet2 on another holiday. It took much longer than expected and there were loads of drop offs. I guess it's down to location, time of year as to how busy it is, etc.

tedibear · 15/08/2025 12:59

we looked at Turkey this year and the majority of the ones we wanted to go to were 2hr transfers. I would like to go but it just puts me off massively especially after a flight and with kids. So for me I wouldn’t do it no. With a baby and toddler we always tried to get it within 30-40mins and always booked a taxi.

Twilightstarbright · 15/08/2025 13:00

Sounds quite a faff but if you are a seasoned traveller and your kids travel well it might be fine. Are you the only adult? Big difference if there were 4 capable sensible helpful adults and two kids opposed to a single adult.

RabbitsEatPancakes · 15/08/2025 13:05

No, but then we always take car seats on holiday and get private transfers. Everyone says coach transfers almost always take longer than they say. Long wait at airport for different flights and then multiple drop off.

It's too long after a flight. Baby will be fine unless an early crawler but 3yo could be tricky. Are you going to be alone or 2 adults?

If you do then I'd have a new bag of toys/ snacks in hold luggage you can pull out after thr flight for the coach.

HamSandwichKiller · 15/08/2025 13:05

It depends on how close you are to the departure airport.
We’re about an hour away from Bristol Airport and I’ve rejected some Croatian holidays on the basis we’d need a transfer/ferry/transfer on the other end. It’s too much faff and my kid is a tween who can carry his own bags

PotteringAlonggotkickedoutandhadtoreregister · 15/08/2025 13:10

It will not be fun…

AnotherVice · 15/08/2025 13:15

No way!

Ohmygodthepain · 15/08/2025 13:15

I've just been to Spain.

45 mins drive to the airport from home, 25 mins faffing to get the transfer from car park to terminal. 2 hours getting through the airport, walk to plane, fly for 3 hours after 30 mins delay on the tarmac. Land, then coach from the plane to the terminal, foot to immigration and luggage. Foot to car hire, 90 mins wait to get to the front of the queue. 25 mins in a multi storey car park trying to find the bloody car then an hour drive to the apartment.

8 and a half hours door to door.

That was awful with just 2 adults. Coach/boat/coach on top of a 3 hour flight with 2 kids sounds like a nightmare!

Doseofreality · 15/08/2025 13:40

Fuck no!! All it would take is for your flight to be delayed and it would go from borderline hellish to actual hell.

Original poster
Shesnotveryself · 15/08/2025 13:50

2 adults, Croatia. I'd probably baby wear for most of it and leave the toddler to DH. I've travelled a bit but this would be the first abroad with 2 DC. I'm really struggling to find a young child friendly hotel that's not a HUGE splash park style resort or super pricey. Literally want somewhere walkable to town/village, ideally by the sea, toddler pool and not grim - it's harder that I expected even out of the holidays!

OP posts:
Pineapplewaves · 15/08/2025 14:12

No I wouldn’t - remember you need to be at the airport at least two hours before the flight, your flight might be delayed, then there’s the flight itself, then you need to allow an hour to go through passport control and get your luggage, then you board a coach……… We’ve just done a two hour transfer with a five year old and it was “just” bearable (constant asking if we are there yet, complaining of being hungry, asking when dinner is, asking if we will arrive in time for dinner etc).

Pineapplewaves · 15/08/2025 14:15

Shesnotveryself · 15/08/2025 13:50

2 adults, Croatia. I'd probably baby wear for most of it and leave the toddler to DH. I've travelled a bit but this would be the first abroad with 2 DC. I'm really struggling to find a young child friendly hotel that's not a HUGE splash park style resort or super pricey. Literally want somewhere walkable to town/village, ideally by the sea, toddler pool and not grim - it's harder that I expected even out of the holidays!

Have you looked at the TUI Blue Hotels? TUI Blue Flamingo Beach in Lanzarote has everything you are looking for I think……. It’s very baby/small child friendly, on the beach, you can walk into town/the marina.