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

We love the train! We always take drinks and fruit for snacks in case we get bored.
Always look out the window the whole journey and make sure we get to a toilet beforehand at the station (toilets on trains aren't great for a 3 year old!).
We don't have a car so trains are important for us to be able to travel around the country.

Oh and colouring books are an absolute must!

Snacks and more snacks!

Table seat if possible, lots of snacks, the Beano, books and a pack of cards. And a thermos of coffee too.

We travel long distance with multiple changes to visit family. It was hard work managing bags and buggies when my son was a baby. Now he is older we talk through the journey and where we need to change before we go. If we have to change at Gatwick and we have time we often stop to see the monorail/planes and police vehicles at the airport. We try and get a seat with a table which is perfect for playing trains, stickers and colouring and leave plenty of time to go to the toilet as they are often broken/busy. When we need some peace, he listens to an mp3 audiobook borrowed from the library. Unfortunately i still haven't found a stress free way of taking all our camping gear with us when we go on holiday.....

Last time we went to London we had no idea that some tubes had only stairs - not great with a buggy (or a 2 week old bubba 😂).

We tend to pack some little toys but mostly talk about we're going to do and where were going to go. It keeps ojr 4yo entertained. He sees a train a treat so loves the journeys.

iPad and headphones, plenty of water, coffee, snacks and wipes just in case. Don't rely on the trolley service as they are often cancelled.

Book seats. If you are on a train from London to a Edinburgh on a Friday afternoon without booking seats you will be very disappointed if you are expecting to find a free table for a family of 4 (and very optimistic if you think people will move seats for you).

Funnily enough no we do not research interesting facts when making train journeys but we do when travelling by car!

We have mobile tickets as back up but prefer to hand over paper, feels safer you don't know who might be interested in grabbing your phone at some point - watch too much news!

Chat, card games, books puzzles sometimes homemade if enough time, all help to pass the time when the view isn't particularly interesting.

We warn them it's not the end of the world if some entitled ignorant people pinch our seats and the ticket person won't sort it - happened to others twice and us once so far, BUT clean working toilets are a must!

I often travel to South Wales or London with my children & I do a lot of organisation to make it easier.

I buy tickets online for the best deal & so I already have them.

If I have the pram i usually sit by the door or where the bigger space is.

I change nappies etc before the journey.

I fill my tote bag with snacks & sandwiches. I load my tablet with cbeebies & animal documentaries but I leave it on silent. Also take a bottle of water & pre-fill Boy’s Cups.

Toddler has a little backpack with colouring in book, a book to read & a toy as well.
We look out the window & discuss views as well.

I also note the duration so I know roughly when to pack up & get us ready.

I’ve done loads of journeys & really enjoy them.

We actually love letting the train take the stain! So much better than long distances in a car! Family railcard is a must though! We have lots of 'games' we enjoy playing and take a few light snacks too

Book in advance to try & get a window seat, make sure I’ve packed a supply of snacks & books

I make my own "spot the" sheet. The train to London is a huge adventure, but the views are a bit samey, so I have to think outside the box for things they might see. I always add one thing they will never ever see though, just so they keep looking out of the window for that elusive flying donkeypig!

For entertainment, bring along card games like Uno or a regular deck of cards. We also travel with a small puzzle in a zip-lock bag. They’re super light and easy to pack, and since there are usually tables on longer distance trains, you'll have room to spread out a little.

Pack a picnic and a magazine.

We will make a list of interesting things they have to look out for to tick off the list! Take a few snacks and drinks. Best thing we have found is pre-booking table/window seats for tablets.

If possible book in advance so you are guaranteed a seat because it's a long journey if you have to sit apart from them if it's busy.

Make sure you pre-book seats with a table & take games to keep the kids occupied

I like taking the train into the city centre, I can chat with my dc, it’s also part of the adventure to take the train and a lovely break from the hassle of driving and parking

plan ahead, reserve your seats, pack for the trip and make sure you're 15 minutes early to the station.

try to reserve a table seat so your all sat together.Have activities that include the whole family, also pack a picnic so you can all enjoy eating together.Have a walk up and down the carriages and explain how trains work.Get them to keep a track of upcoming stations and keep an eye on any other trains passing by

Think up some little games (I Spy or travel cricket with points/wickets for what you see), take a book for a change, remember fellow passengers and respect their quiet and space.....

Buy the Family & Friends railcard is a must.
Do a little planning on websites for places to eat & see.
Use a rucksack, containing snacks & tissues as something always gets spilled.

Unfortunately my main tip to other parents is not to book via trainline.

On the journeys I've done (east and west coast mainline) you can't seat select the exact seat and if there's a problem with the allocation and you want to make a change then it causes problems as they tell you to contact the train operator and the operator then tells you they can't change the booking as it's though trainline! Using the operator's own website means you can select the exact seats you want from a seating chart (close to the baby change in my case) and also not pay the trainline booking fee.

It's a shame as the app is very good for searching journeys and checking platforms when you have a tight change. It's often got more up to date info than the guards on the trains.

Preperation is key, make sure you have snacks and drinks to survive the journey along with enough activities to keep the little ones amused

lots of snacks, changes of clothes and toys xx