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Parenting

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Original poster

London public transport with buggy - possible?

66 replies

naturelover · 24/04/2008 09:18

I have a maclaren buggy, can I take it on the tube? What about stairs? Do strangers help you? Buses not feasible for whole journey.

Thanks!

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giantkatestacks · 24/04/2008 12:53

Yes I agree about the timings - you do have to be sensible...you can always get the train upto town from Wimbledon anyway and then walk to tate modern/south bank etc from waterloo, its only a 15 minute journey.

I dont drive and so have no choice but to take buses and trains everywhere and its always been fine...it does matter what buggy you have though - I would never contemplate it with anything other than an umbrella fold...

giantkatestacks · 24/04/2008 12:56

btw how old is your dc? cant you carry the buggy with the child in it up the steps at south ken - theres not that many of them...and then once they are too heavy to carry in the buggy then they can generally walk up themselves and then get back in at the top?

bellabelly · 24/04/2008 12:58

I take my double buggy on the tube sometimes and have to say people have been LOVELY about offering help with the stairs. I would never attempt it at rush hour though...

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DiabloCody · 24/04/2008 13:02

I have travelled a lot with my baby in London on my own and people are ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP.

Don't be put off... people will always help you! Although you will get tired as the buggy is heavy and you won't be able to do the same things as when you are on your own.

Ah, also if people don't help you, don't be afraid to ask..

DiabloCody · 24/04/2008 13:03

yeah, i agree plan it to avoid rush hour...especially Kings Cross, Victoria,....

Woollymummy · 24/04/2008 13:08

we didn't go at rush hour (about 1 pm) but I guess the burden of having already travelled 2 1/2 hours before we reached London, and the threatened expense of paying more than our already whapping £55 should we manage to get too delayed, all put me in a bit of a stress and so I didn't cope well with what were no doubt easy to cope with difficulties. I am rather envious of anyone who lives nearer to London as there are things I would love to do there, but the travel to get there leaves me exhausted before I start exploring!

mrsgboring · 24/04/2008 13:09

If you can possibly get a decent baby carrier, it will make your journey miles easier as you can fold the buggy at the beginning of the tube journey and have hands free to carry it. Better yet, leave the buggy at home and just wear baby. (How old?)

I do it all the time, with luggage, solo, whatever, and I barely have anything to think about beyond leaving extra time for nappy changes and communing with pigeons, bits of litter and/or excellent parks.

I wear DS in a wrap or ergo on front with luggage on back

giantkatestacks · 24/04/2008 13:16

woollymummy - i think you were quite justified in feeling how you did - sounds like a nightmare but i do think you need an umbrella folding buggy to negotiate public transport - bugaboos just arent designed for that sort of thing...

mrsgboring · 24/04/2008 13:20

Got distracted and didn't press post so massively x-posted.

Just to say, are you sure your DD is too big for a sling? If you can pick her up at all, you can carry her much better in a proper carrier than in arms (or picking up buggy which is much more likely to do back in)

It's very different from using a baby bjorn. Do you know anyone who uses a sling who could give you a go on it? You might be pleasantly surprised.

DS is 2.6 and over 15 kilos. Okay I am used to it, but I am a complete puny weakling and can carry him and an overnight rucksack no problem (he also walks a lot of the way now which helps and helps him not to be fidgety on the trains)

slng · 24/04/2008 13:42

I have taken ds1 and ds2 (3 and 1 at the time) on journey by bus-train-bus-walk (west london to tate modern) and it's perfectly possible. I have a maclaren buggy, so at steps it's ds1 walk, me with ds2 in one arm and buggy on the other. It's easy. Don't need help from strangers, though they do offer. Maclaren buggies are great - can be folded and expanded single-handedly.

Original poster

naturelover · 24/04/2008 14:25

Giantkatestacks - I live several miles beyond Wimbledon but that is where my tube journey begins. I've done a lot of overland and buses with my maclaren and most of the time it's great.

DD is 7 months, I haven't tried any kind of sling except the Bjorn which now does my back in. I'm daunted by the array of slings available and don't want to waste money potentially buying the wrong one. Most days I'm out and about with lots of shopping (using big 3-wheeler on foot - not maclaren) so I don't think a sling would be all that useful most of the time. But if anyone can advise me on slings I'm open to suggestions.

OP posts:

MrsMattie · 24/04/2008 14:26

I use the tube with a buggy, but it's not much fun...

giantkatestacks · 24/04/2008 16:19

oh I see - well that changes it a bit...hopefully someone can advise on a particular sort of sling - or that hip seat that some people rave about - could you maybe borrow one to see whether it would be worth the investment?

hanaflower · 24/04/2008 16:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MaeWest · 24/04/2008 16:28

I found that public transport was v easy when DS was under 6 months as just used sling, and is easy now (20 months and walking confidently). The bit in the middle where he got really heavy to carry but couldn't walk or even stand down was not so good.

I use buses all the time where I live (Bristol) mainly because a lot of them are fab low floor jobs, so just wheel buggy straight on.

I've also used tube to transfer between Kings Cross and Paddington, with buggy, rucksack and DS. It hasn't been too stressful, and I've had some really helpful people. But then I'm brazen and just ask people to help if no-one offers . Major stations are becoming DDA-compliant and this is good news for buggy users to.

MaeWest · 24/04/2008 16:30

Oh, and the only buggy I've ever owned is a Maclaren - v important to be able to fold up with one hand.

Sunshinemummy · 24/04/2008 16:35

I've used my pram a lot on London transport and, apart from when I've had to travel in rush hour, have found people really helpful.

My main pram is a Bugaboo, which isn't great for buses as it won't fit down the aisle so you have to ask the driver to open the middle doors for you, and some of them won't do it.

On tube it's always been fine, apart from in those stations where there is no lift or escalator and you have to bump them up and down stairs. People do usually help though.

giantkatestacks · 24/04/2008 16:36

I agree hanaflower - on the buses as well, anything but an umbrella fold takes up two places in the buggy/wheelchair bit and thats just annoying when you're outside and cant get on and its raining etc...

there should be a rule - if it cant get through the bus front door and down the aisle then its just too big...am going to get into trouble for that arent i...

Woollymummy · 24/04/2008 22:23

Def wouldn't take bugaboo on buses etc now she's big but DD was really little when I went across London first time, I had a student-sized bag full of stuff for a week's visit at parents (who have no baby stuff) and DD was still having to lie flat in pushchair, too small to go in the maclaen thing I use now. I was slinging her mainly for bus travel but the amount of stuff I was carrying was toooo big to carry her on my front too. Should have got a taxi maybe!

Anushka · 24/04/2008 22:32

I've managed the disrict line too and it was fine - a bit scary at busy times and height of summer, but dd slept a lot.

Just be careful of gap at some stations - she nearly fell out once.

Good luck and enjoy!

Janni · 24/04/2008 22:53

Ask!

Presentable young men are a good bet, chic young ladies are not. Anyone with an older child will happily help you.

slinkiemalinki · 24/04/2008 23:23

Easy peasy, esp with a maclaren, dont bother folding and carrying (bit dodgy anyway) - just start to bump down the stairs and look troubled and someone will offer!
Echo the comment about rush hour and it would probably drive you mad if you did it every day, but otherwise fine!

madmuggle · 25/04/2008 12:07

Did London with a four month old and a bog standard age-appropriate umbrella fold stroller.

Bloody nightmare, but doable. Good luck!

TheBlonde · 25/04/2008 12:20

If you need help then simply ask the first able bodied person you see
I have never had anyone refuse so far

FairyMum · 25/04/2008 12:33

ds2 travel in pram every day to and from nursery in the rush hour. I always think people are friendly and offer to help. Never have any problems. Buses I find a bit of a nightmare though.

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