Getting the train with pram

[GhostWorld]

I've got to travel on 3 separate trains (about 2.5 hours overall) and I'm nervous about the pram situation. On the train website it says you have to close the pram down but I'm taking the pram so I can use the storage underneath, plus it's massive when I close it. Can anyone reassure me ill be okay haha. I'm hoping to find a space where I can leave the pram up and sit near it with the baby (he's 9 months so won't be happy sat in the pram for too long). Is there anything I need to know? Thanks

On shorter journeys I’d just leave dc in the park and stand in the vestibule but by the doors or look for the disabled carriage. So if any of your journeys are short just do that.

For longer journeys give the provider and/or station a ring and see what they say. They might be able to offer you assistance.

Oh and if you have a sling give it a go because it could be really helpful!

I've never checked our trainline's policy on prams. I've always took it on and left it at the fold up seats beside the toilet and sat beside it or at a table where I could still see it as my DD got older and wouldn't sit in the pram for long. It's quite a bulky travel system so wouldn't be able to fold it and I usually put her back into it a stop or 2 before ours and never had any issues or complaints. 😊

Cross country are wankers for this and I always had to completely fold it up. Transpennine always let me sit in the wheelchair spaces with it provided no one was using them (and that i’d move if they needed it, which obviously I would). I seem to recall LNER being fairly relaxed as long as I wasn’t blocking an aisle.

Really inconsistent though and it definitely put me off taking train journeys with the baby.

I fell of the train with DD in it and DS holding on, the gap was huge. I would say fold it if you can!

We used to make regular 4.5 hour train journeys with the pram.

During peak times you'll probably be asked to fold as the only spaces that could accommodate it are wheelchair, luggage or bicycle compartments and these may well be booked up or needed.

If you're travelling at a quieter time you may be able to keep it up but you need to make sure you're not blocking the aisle or doors.

With DC2 we got a smaller pushchair (baby jogger city mini) and a sling for public transport and it made the journey so much less hassle!

Rucksack on back and bag that could be hooked over/under the pram or in luggage when we had to fold.

And also echo what @bloatedandfedup says, we have had stations where we've had to fold to get off because the gap is too large to wheel the pram off and can't always expect someone to lift it.

There are wheelchair ramps but they're unlikely to use it for a pram that they say should be folded.

I really wouldn't want to do it.
If you're just using the pram for storage (shopping?) then a bag on wheels is much less cumbersome.

Depends on the service : local , commuter or Inter-City and the time of day. Last train I caught was absolutely packed, literally no room for a pram plus you can't block the corridor or any of the exits. In fact a guy tried to get on with a bike and was told where he could stick it.

I get the train (mixture of South western and Southern) quite a lot with DS up to my in-laws.

My experience is, if it’s quiet you can usually leave the pram up in a wheelchair space. However if it’s busy or more over a wheelchair user needs the space, you have to collapse it down. For this reason, I tend to travel with our stroller and as lightly as possible. If I need to collapse it down, I tend to just plonk DS on the floor so he can’t fall off the seat/try and walk off. I’ve found the guards at stations across the south coast and London generally very helpful and kind with getting the buggy on and off and manoeuvring round the train if it’s busy.

Basically, take everything you need in backpack and try to avoid using the pushchair as storage, because there is every chance you’ll need to collapse it down and it’s such a pain trying to empty it out whilst stopping your DC from hurting themselves.

I don't drive so I've done many train journeys with dd. Definitely be prepared to fold the pushchair. Use a rucksack. Take a sling if you have one. Now might be the time to invest in an umbrella stroller.

Some trains have wheelchair areas the you might be lucky enough to get. Some trains have a section by the disabled toilets that have fold up seats so you could keep the buggy unfolded there. But wheelchair users (quite rightly) have priority over these areas.

Thanks everyone for your responses, have to say I'm even more nervous now haha! Our pram is part of a travel system so not exactly lightweight or small even when folded. I will take the wrap and also a rucksack in case I do need to fold it but I'm hoping it's going to be not too busy..

I'm also scared about nappy changes! I suppose I will get to the destination even if its a nightmare journey and I unfortunately don't have a choice!

There are usually fold down changing tables in the toilet but if you prefer you can put a change mat on the floor or change on your lap sitting on the toilet.

On one journey the toilet was out of order so I laid the pram flat and put the changing mat in there and changed ds out of sight of others.

I had this recently with toddler.

Sweating buckets, screaming toddler, big rucksack, toddler tried to make a break for the open door when I tried to take him out to collapse the pram.

Needless to say I gave up and decided to spend a three hour journey standing in the doorway with the pram up.

Nice train lady took pity on me and showed me where the wheelchair spaces were. I cried.

On other legs I found the vestibule near the loos and sat on the drop down seats.

Just not physically possible to keep a toddler safe with no hands while you wrangle everything.

If you have an immobile baby it should be easier, esp if you sling!

I went on an East Midlands mainline train to London this week and there was a man with a buggy who tried to get it down the aisle to his seat but it wouldn't fit. He had to fold it and then he gave the baby to another passenger to hold while he manoeuvred the buggy and then he came back for the baby. I don't know where he put it as I was facing the other way. The suitcase area was already chockablock.

Do you really need it? I would take a sling and a rucksack / a wheely trolly and ditch the pram!

If you think you’ll use a lightweight buggy in the future, maybe now is the time to get it? I’d do rucksack and lightweight buggy. And be prepared to ask for help getting on and off.

Check the stations you are using have step free access. I know that's improved in recent years, but there is still some without.

I agree that it can be very mixed. Most trains have an area for wheelchairs which you can use for a pram provided they are not needed for wheelchairs but if they are you will need to fold your pram down. I wouldn't use the pram for storage - a rucksack would be much easier if you need to fold down the pram. Could you borrow a pram that's bit smaller for the journey?

Thanks everyone, I made the trip today. It was pretty stressful I have to say but we did make it.. probably the worst bit was we ended up sat next to some really drunk (coked up too I would guess) men who asked if they could hold the baby and also if I wanted to make another one (). I had the sling so when we were on the busiest train I put him in that and then managed to fold down the pram and lean that up against the luggage rack, it was hard but just about manageable, I'd practiced putting it down one handed. The train staff aren't allowed to help you getting on and off the train with the pram while the baby is in it, so one time I took him out but the other times I either managed on my own or asked random people, pretty lucky there was always someone around but its stressful because you don't have long to get off! I'm also pretty shy so asking people for help feels really weird. Anyway we made it and I won't have to do it again for a while, thanks for all your advice

Glad you made it!