What are your best tips and ideas for great days out by train with the family? Share to win a £250 John Lewis voucher, courtesy of Great Northern and Thameslink.

[RebeccaEMumsnet]

We have been asked by the team at Thameslink and Great Northern to find out your top tips for great days out with the children on the train, your tips on travelling by train with children and how to keep the kids entertained on the rail journeys.

Here’s what they have to say:
"Family days out create lasting memories but can sometimes be costly! To help combat this, did you know that you can get 2FOR1 tickets on certain attractions around London, Brighton and Cambridge when you travel there by rail with Thameslink and Great Northern?

Thameslink operates train services to and from the heart of London, between Bedford and Brighton via Luton and Gatwick Airport, and St Albans and Wimbledon.

Great Northern connects King’s Lynn, Cambridge and Peterborough, via Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City with London King’s Cross. Metro services run to and from Moorgate weekdays, late evening and at weekends.

^Kids travel for just £2 when accompanied by an adult on our great value Off-Peak tickets, plus get 2FOR1 offers to heaps of attractions when you travel by train: thameslinkrailway.com/spring^

We'd love to hear how you manage to have your own great day out using the train with your family."

Please share on this thread your top train tips for all thing family - whatever it is that you do, Thameslink and Great Northern want to know*.

Everyone who posts on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £250 John Lewis voucher.

You can find out more about the Great Northern and Thameslink 2FOR1 promotion here

Thanks,

MNHQ

*Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

Create a train bingo card - everything they see out of the window/on the train they mark off until one of them has bingo.

Pre book seats with a table.
Take lots of healthy snacks that are not messy. Take plenty of drinks.
Take plenty of things for the children to do e.g. colouring in, gadgets etc.

It always makes sense to buy your tickets well in advance,it gives you piece of mind and also you can budget for the day itself.Taking children on a day out can be a bit of a juggling act trying to find things to do once you arrive but as long as you can keep your children amused on trains your one step there

Make sure that you plan well in advance. Tickets are much cheaper.

Try to read up on the areas that you will pass and tell your child fun facts about the area as you pass it

Take plenty of snacks to eat and I-spy is always a great game to play!

Try the ffestinog mountain railway in North Wales - great day out on a cute little train!

Book in advance, take snacks for the train, take book and maybe puzzle books for the kids ( nowt too valuable ). Do your homework on where it going. Take a battery charger for your phone xx

We have no choice but to use the trains are we are a car-free family (eco-warriors here!). There is however something much more magical about doing a train journey than one in a car. It's just much more of a treat experience for all concerned IMHO.

Packing bags of activities and snacks that are age and interests-appropriate has always helped. Moreover, splitting the family (to avoid spats on long trips) also helps (so we will sit near to each other but not necessarily on a table for four). And knowing your DCs and accepting that you may have to interact with them for the journey-time rather than stick your head in a newspaper or book for the duration. DC1 has always liked just watching the scenery etc.. whereas DC2 has always needed a lot more distraction.

I cant afford long distance trips too often but I'm only 30 minutes away from Southport which has a lovely waterfront and a lot of shops to visit. The pleasureland is fairly cheap too. We love going!

Take lots of snacks, big snacks and little snacks. From fruit to sandwiches to a few treats, make sure you stock up with variety.
Take wet wipes! They will be your saviour, honestly.
Books are fantastic and depending on ages, can entertain for anywhere up to an hour
The Ipad is a godsend, from allowing them to watch Peppa Pig to playing educational games (just make sure it's charged!)
You want to sit fairly close to the toilets, so you're not caught unaware and navigating through people can take time, especially on a busy train.
Engage them with the scenery, ask them to point out certain things i.e windmill, cow, field. Or keep them on the look out for when they hit a specific station

Do your research to make sure the day is a success. Plan to go to places that are nearby stations! That might sound obvious, but then again it might not even cross your mind to think about it! A person I know thought it would be good to go to the zoo on the train, but I don't think he'd thought about the fact that the station is in the city centre and the zoo is miles away! The lack of planning and thought is why most of his days out are doomed!

Take lots of little snacks,drinks crayons and paper.Makes it easier if everyone has their own rucksack.

Top tip has to be booking seats. It costs nothing, and is absolutely priceless when it's busy. Travelling with children can be a nightmare on long journeys, but having guaranteed seats eases the pain some what :)

oh when our son was younger he LOVED the trains, we went on steam ones, diesel ones, electric ones! I think if you want a good day out just be prepared for the time waiting around, have a lovely picnic that is not messy to eat and a picnic blanket, wet wipes, toilet roll, a bag for your rubbish and some colouring books and crayons. Always google the stations - some of them have lovely picnic areas and are beautiful so make sure you get off at the ones that can make your day special.

I would agree with getting a family railcard and find on long journey having plenty of snacks, books and the IPad a big help.

Make sure you have food or/and snacks, drinks and lots of things to do, like puzzle books, small games etc just in case the journey gets boring or the weather gets bad and tries to ruin your day out.

Pack lots of snacks and games for the journey

Each child has their own little back back of goodies to keep them occupied on long train journeys including squash, snacks and activities such as leap pad or colouring book.

We love travelling by train and viewing the sights through the window.
My top tips would never sit in any quiet coaches that may be on the train, bring travel games or tablets for entertainment and always bring a drink and snack just in case there is nothing available on board!
As long as you are well watered, well fed and well entertained, you will have a great journey! xx

Railcard are such good value and always book seats beforehand.

Wear baby in a sling and take lots of snacks.

First of - GET RAILCARD - they save so much money - I always pack some bits and pieces to keep kids entertained and good old fashioned I-Spy always goes down well.

Pack a picnic and get your child to choose a local train.. just see where you go.

Family and friends railcard is great for discounted tickets. We would always travel off peak with the kids and avoid trains which will be really packed. Lots of snacks, magazine and activity books. Look for 2 for 1 vouchers for attractions when traveling by train to London.