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Parenting

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Original poster

Train travel with a toddler

3 replies

moita · 23/02/2018 15:42

After a pretty awful couple of months I'm determined to try and get out and about to see friends and family more, who live all over the country.

Problem is I find driving with my 13 month very stressful. He's fine if he's tired but if he doesn't nap then he screams/cries the whole time (no matter how many toys etc he has).

I've been thinking about getting a train instead as he'd be able to walk around (supervised of course). And hopefully he'd find it more exciting then being strapped into his car seat.

Journies would be actually quicker than the car as wouldn't have to stop for breaks.

Anyone else done this successfully with a toddler? Any tips?

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LoniceraJaponica · 23/02/2018 15:45

"as he'd be able to walk around"

It isn't as easy as you think. I have been travelling up and down the country by train a lot recently, and the trains are always crowded and there aren't always enough seats so people are standing. Plus the movement of the train doesn't make walking around that easy.

Rainatnight · 23/02/2018 15:51

Yes, we've done this really successfully, though it depends on the route and the train. As PP said, busy trains are difficult (our journey to the NE over Christmas - hot and extremely crowded - was so difficult, the woman in the seat in front of us was sending bitchy texts to a friend about us ). And Pendolino's aren't great cos the wobbling isn't good for walking/toddling.

With those caveats aside, we've had some great trips. We try to time them so that DD's nap is in the middle. We pack lots of books, snacks and a couple of little toys. I also have the emergency ripcord option of bubbles.

If you book in a wheelchair carriage, then, as long as a wheelchair user doesn't need it of course, then that space is a good one for the pushchair for the nap.

DD, as you suggest, walks around, smiles and waves at everyone and is generally really well behaved (apart from that one trip at Christmas...)

LoniceraJaponica · 23/02/2018 15:53

Oh, and avoid travelling on Saturday afternoons. The trains are full of fans going to and returning home from football, and they have usually imbibed rather a lot of alcohol.

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