how easy is it to manage a baby and pushchair on the underground?

[hereandthere]

feasible or stupid idea?

Easy on some lines, horrible on others. New jubilee line is fine. What's the journey?

I have NEVER taken dd with pushchair on the tube and not been offered a hand by everyone in sight.

I use the Met/Piccadilly line in west London and it's OK-ish. The stairs at the stations are the worst bit - and 9 times out of 10 somebody helps with that. Helps to have a light buggy (I have a Maclaren Quest). Haven't ventured into town proper yet though.

are you going to be on your own? are you confident about taking baby in pushchair on escalators.? I think it would be fair to say that it is very hit and miss as to whether tube stations have lots of steps/escalators and no lift. I would say that if you are with someone, you'll be fine (and to be fair if you are a lone person struggling with a buggy, someone usually will help you - but it can be quite hairy if you are by yourself.

If you avoid rush hour it's feasible. Not something I do if I can help it though.

st pancras to south kensington.

How old's your baby? Can you wear a sling/backpack carrier?

Fine if with someone else, escalators are a bit scary otherwise. Tubes themselves more buggy friendly than most buses!

I used the underground regularly with Ds' wheelchair. I would never attempt without someone with me. I find it scary and quite hard TBH. The stairs are a nightmare and the escalators (especially at Kings cross) are huge and I hate holding onto the chair as I am scared it will slip.

So no change then...I don't rate Kings X St Pancras as a friendly, easy to use station at the best of times, TBH. Loooong escalators and bad booking hall layout. We use public transport loads in London with and without buggy and agree people often stop to help. But I'd be tempted to cab this journey...or go to much less busy Euston Square and trundle round on the Circle line (allowing the extra time...)

Because I go to Great Ormond Street I have to use Kings Cross and then use the underground to Russell Square, which does have lifts but you have go up a flight of stairs to get to them. TBH I am shocked that the nearest station to GOS is so wheelchair and buggy unfriendly IYKWIM??

My local station is renovating the platform atm. Not sure if they're putting a lift in though...should bloody do - it's been shut for several months!

We hopped on and off the tube all the time when we were in London last October. We never had a problem.

I'll admit I had dh to help me up and down the stairs but there were lots of occasions where people thought I was on my own and offered to help me up/down the stairs, which was lovely. We did try at all times to avoid rush hour though, but on the odd occasion where we misjudged it and got caught it was fine.

tbh i'd go on the piccadilly line from kings x to south ken, it'll take ages in a cab (although the picc line isn't the most helpful in terms of people lugging your buggy up & down for you tbh)

i've only taken ds on the tube in his buggy about twice & he's 3.... we do take lots of buses though.

helooooooooo young woman! sorry to desert you so soon at the tate..how was the rest of your day?

hi! we had a lovely wander along the river to borough market, m & i got home around 5, exhausted. hope you got back to school in time. see you soooooon? xx

yeah we got back fine. taking dd1 to barbie fairytopia (!) - you have all this pinkness to come

wow . right, gotta sleep, will e-mail you. xx

I manage to get about quite well on the tube - it's the buses that cause me a problem . I went with DP for the first several trips, but I am lucky that I live at a station with a lift and not far from the new part of the jubilee. I do manage very well usually, the only time I come unstuck is when I don't check the TFL website to see where is accessable, I'll try and put the details in for you and see how is best to get there. I have only recently started taking DS in the pram on the escalator, I had to as the lift was out of service.

The planner sugeests using buses - but here is a link to a map which shows you which stations have step free access - it's the third map down - tube access