Underground with a buggy

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Are we mad for even considering it? 2 yo in an umbrella fold pushchair. We have booked some parking to have some time in London on our trip back up north from the south.

Is it worth it? I've looked at the step-free tube guide but it's not an idiot guide.

Are pushchairs allowed on the escalators? If so that would take away all our worries but I suspect not?

Although northerners we've spent a fair bit of time in London pre baby so use of tubes etc doesn't really bother us, but I suspect a lot of hassle with a pushchair!

Any advice/hints/tips?

Certain lines are better than others for access. The jubilee line has a good lift system for example. The older lines such as northern and bakerloo sometimes have them , but due to the age of the stations they are hidden really well!

Technically you can get a pushchair on an escalator , but it's dangerous , so I wouldn't.

So no , it's not a crazy idea , just stay clear of the older lines/stations and avoid peak times and you'll be fine.

People take buggies down the escalators all the time without batting an eyelid but personally I never do, the thought just freaks me out too much. If I have the buggy with me I stick with buses, or if I definitely need the tube I use a carrier, would either of these be options for you?

With two of you you'll be fine. Even if one walks/holds the toddler and the other has the buggy on escalators.

Walking or bus might be easier for short journeys. You can also turn on the step free mode on TfL Go which is helpful.

It's fine to take pushchairs on escalators - but it isn't the safest. But most Londoners do it when needed.

I would just fold the buggy and hold the toddler.

buggy on escalator fine. If no lift or escalator and there is two of you just lift it up/down the steps. If just you I found I could hold the buggy with child in to my body and carry it up/down stairs myself - open people offered to help too.
if older toddler and good at walking can also pop them out for steps so they can walk whilst other parent carries empty pushchair

As pp have said. If it's a 2:1 ratio, one take the push chair and one the child on the escalators.

Otherwise plan for tube stations with the wheelchair symbol and you'll be fine.

Take a sling instead.

Fab! Thanks everyone.

Will be late morning/early afternoon on a Monday so hopefully quieter on the tube and one of us at either end of the pushchair on the escalator if required

There will be 2 of us so husband can be on pushchair carrying duty if/when required. 2yo is a good walker so should be fine; but I wanted to avoid the continuous folding/unfolding if possible.

I would honestly have a closer look at buses and bus routes. You are at street level all the time, there is a pushchair space (unless needed by a wheelchair) or you could fold the buggy and give your toddler the chance to 'drive' the bus at the top of the upper deck!

I always had no problem taking a buggy on the underground, if I got to stairs that I needed to get up or down, someone always helped holding the bottom. Escalators are really not that hard. Anyway there are two of you so it will be a doddle.

You can take a buggy on the escalator. As a Londoner I have done it a few times with a child in the buggy. If there are two of you it's safer if one of you takes the toddler and one takes the buggy. Also be sure to hold onto the buggy when you are on the platform as the draft through the tunnels can move buggies.

Very easy, I used to do it a lot with a double buggy which was non foldable. From kings cross you can get anywhere, it’s entirely accessible but once there you do have to be prepared to walk. We did all the museums - I used to beg a stranger to help me at south Ken, that’s the only really difficult one.

And obvs a double buggy doesn’t go on an escalator - so that was my caveat for using kings cross. But I was alone and had no trouble - when I used to do it with just one child and a buggy it’s really not very different from being alone as an adult. Getting on an escalator is pretty much the same as getting on alone. I used to lift the entire umbrella buggy with child in it where there were no escalators but I am native London so that probably did make a difference because I knew when it would be a long staircase/where there would be lifts etc

ie Finsbury Park, AVOID etc

I live in London and take the buggy on the escalator all the time 🤷🏻‍♀️ It would take about twice as long to get anywhere otherwise as i live in a bit of a step free tube blackspot.

If you are nervous, then as pp have said, have one person hold the front of the buggy and the other hold the back. Stay on the right and move quickly away from the bottom to sort yourself out. You'll be grand.

Tonight, all the lifts and southbound escalators at the st pancras thameslink were out of service, plus loads of problems at kings cross. I had a momentary panic and then managed to get 15month old DD home by my self using a combo of escalators and helpful Londoners assisting when going up and down stairs.

I used to take my buggy on escalators and carry it up and down the stairs on the tube, it's fine

Can you whizz about on the Elizabeth Line/buses/Jubilee?

Hip seats are fab for toddlers if you can get hold of one.

I commute daily on the tube with a yo yo buggy and get around by myself all the time ! Someone usually Helps with the stairs (but if there’s 2 then you can manage)

i wheel the buggy on the escalators

loads of people get around on the underground everyday with babies in buggies - it’s fine

I used to do so occasionally and often solo. I found people were endlessly kind. I particularly remember the gent who looked at my shattered three year old and my baby in the buggy and carried the three year old through the endless corridors that are Bank.

I don't really like taking a pushchair on the escalators but the TFL website has maps showing the tube stations that have lifts if it helps to plan your journeys.

tfl.gov.uk/transport-accessibility/wheelchair-access-and-avoiding-stairs

This is really helpful, thank you everyone.

Buggys/pushchairs aren't allowed on escalators in stations/shopping centre etc anywhere near where I live, just the lifts, hence my worries.

I'm 6 months pregnant so wouldn't be using a carrier and I want to avoid husband having to carry all day long, and DD would probably nap for an hour if we're busy so the pushchair is really the only option. But sounds like we will be fine so looking forward to it!