Mumsnet users hare with Trainline their top tips for travelling by train

[EllieMumsnet]

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Travelling on the train with your family for a day out, especially if you have little ones, can feel like a daunting experience, but it doesn’t have to be; the train journey can be an exciting part of the day out adventure for you and your DC’s and not just a way to get there. To help make sure this is the case for you and your family, Trainline would like you to share your top tips for travelling by train on family days out.

Here’s what Trainline have to say: “We’re always trying to make travel simple, giving our customers information they can count on. And planning a day out with the kids is one scenario where the simpler and more predictable the better. As it’s winter we’ve been thinking about the best ways to get out the house for some fresh air, without breaking your budget. We’ve come up with some “wild” train trips to zoos and animal parks across the UK which are perfect for letting off some steam (for you and your DC’s!).”

Do you research the stations that are on your journey beforehand so you can tell your DC’s fun facts about them? Do you use mobile tickets? Perhaps you pack a great picnic full of their favourite foods to keep everyone happy? Maybe you pack fun, entertaining games to play on the journey? Or do you keep them distracted by talking about all the things you’re going to get up to you on your day out?

Whatever your top tips are, please share them on the thread below to be entered into a prize draw where on MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

I take a backpack especially prepared with wet wipes plenty of snacks and drinks for the whole family, a cheap notepad and pencils comes in useful and we play games like I-Spy and noughts and crosses (the notepad comes in handy for that). Uno and Top Trumps are other games which don't take up much room in my bag.

If you search online there are printable games for travelling with kids, You can print them out and bring along pens and paper to play.

Book tickets online with seat selection if possible as we like to sit at a table.
Some activities for the journey - eye spy books, magazines. Snacks, wipes, tissues.

I always take a few things along with me in my bag to keep them occupied, or let them choose a suitable magazine from the station shop which is a treat as I don't usually buy them regularly. We also have conversations about our day out and I encourage my children to guess and use their imaginations as to what we might see or do.

Planning is essential. My top tips are to buy tickets in advance online, to save queuing and also maybe save some money! We make sure we have some essential snacks, a few sweeties and a water bottle to hand. Also, if it's long distance, have some games (eye spy, spotters bingo, a pack of cards etc) These don't have to be elaborate, because travelling by train can be exciting! Also, (and this is from experience!) know where the toilets are! Nothing worse than looking for them in a rush!

I make a long list of ideas before I go and take various drawing materials. I devise games where the children have to look around in and out of the train and ask them questions about this. I always pack picnics in individual packs for each child to open. I also explain what is going on at stations, what the job of the employees are on and off the train and how everything works.

We bring drinks, snacks and toys in a bag. Colouring in books are always a favourite and help to pass the time. Having the kids sitting by the window and being fairly close to a toilet always helps.

Snacks, always take them. Find a carriage for the kids and leg it down the train with DH.....

Plan, plan, plan and then more planning, as one of my little ones is in a wheelchair we spend a lot of time making sure all the stations we are going to will be accessible and making sure we will be able to sit together on the train!

We always try to travel off peak and buy our tickets at the station as the best offers seem to be available that way - unless your'e travelling far afield (like london to birmingham) then it pays to book in advance as far as possible and look at all ticket options!

Take lots of snack and drinks- mine are always ravenous as soon as we set off even if we've eaten.
Now they are old enough we take a deck of cards to keep them occupied.

Always bring snacks and a pack of cards to play snap and book in advance to make sure you all sit together

Be prepared with magazines, books and games. Electronic devices are not advised as they can irritate other passengers and cause arguments between siblings!
And let the kids take turns sitting at the window seat!

If you aren't getting off at the last stop, try to book a seat close to luggage racks so that getting off the train is as straightforward as possible!

always plan in advance! we bring card games like Uno and have small puzzles which are easy to pack. always try to find seats with a table or games won't work very well! We make sure are kids are aware that there are other commuters as well so we bring earphones for them to play games on their gaming systems. activity books are also a winner.

We do a little bit of everything really, enjoy the novelty of it for a while, then play some games. Games we tend to play are ones that don't involve having to bring more than we need. The kids usually bring a notebook and a pen anyway so things like boy/girl, tallying how many red/blue/green etc objects we can see outside, we bring cards and play snap, we chat and get excited about where we're going. We haven't used the mobile tickets yet as the kids like having an actual ticket and showing it to the conductor themselves. Always book in advance and always book a table so they've got plenty of room.
Thanks :)

We travel each school holiday to Dundee to see my parents, and have learned to make the journey less boring and more interesting for them. I always pre-book seats with a table, and if there is an offer on 1st class I will go for that (more room, quieter and nearer to the loo) I have a back pack which I have lots of pockets in for all of my bits and pieces. (crayons, notepad, mini lego sets and snacks and juice). I download things to watch on my tablet, and also use it to take photos. we look at them during the journey from, previous trips to see the changing seasons. animals in the fields, when they are flooded and when they are green, which is lovely. We love the odd journey on our local heritage steam railway so they can see how trains looked, smelled and ran in days gone bye which they love. (my beloved backpack joins us there too)

I always try and book a table seat if possible and then take colouring books, sketch pads and things with us, having a four year old I also try and locate a seat reasonably close to the toilet so I don't have as far too go with her.
Take a picnic, snacks and drinks and play "I spy" a lot with what's outside. As we usually use the car, a trip on the train is really exiting for her anyway.

Get a table to sit around, pack plenty of games etc, drinks and snacks.

try and take as many different small toys as you can so that it will mix things up if they get too bored

My advice is to ask for someone to help lift the buggy on and off if there’s a huge gap!!

Ive always been big on planning ahead, and with not much money when they were very very young I got creative in terms of cheap cheap cheap..... so lovely packed lunches something unusual not the norm, for fun, beanbag trays for their laps with pens pencils and paper and modelling play doh, i know it sounds messy but it isnt so bad!

Always take snacks and we had a great pair of ispy books that kept my boys entertained and pack light for quick changes! Our longest trip was Norwich to Glasgow, lost count of the changes!

Book the table seats if possible.

Book as early as you know you are going - also check to see if your ticket can be used as a 2-4-1 voucher in tourist attractions. Some London ones offer this

Snacks, drinks and toys/books and make it an adventure

I use apps to look at best fair prices and times and have a family rail card to save money. I try to avoid peak times so we can get a seat!