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

[EllieMumsnet]

This activity is closed

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

alwats book in advance so you have seats and tables.

pre book a table seat and then you can enjoy board games on your journey which reduces boredom levels

I always take drinks and snacks for the journey and some colouring or books.
Always allow time to use the toilet before you get on the train.

We always book our tickets in advance as it's a lot cheaper and we can chose our seats. The children love a train ride and enjoy looking out of the window. Pencils and paper are a must as they love to draw what they have seen on the journey.

Buy the tickets the day before and get the cheapest time as that tends to be the least crowded time. Plenty of drinks and snacks and reading material to make the journey go faster!

take snacks and something to occupy the little ones is my advice. My youngest is 4 and we usually take colouring books and crayons

Take plenty of snacks, let kids sit next to the window and provide drawing pads and pens.

Plan in advance always sit near the toilet if possible.

A good book to read, snacks and a map of the Trainline!

Take plenty of drinks, snacks, books, pads and pens oh and wet wipes!

Make it an adventure - play games - take food and drink. Show them the countryside and towns from a new vantage point

Always overload with wet wipes

Mine get anxious about missing our stop so we talk a lot about how many more stop til etc.

Marry someone who works on the railway so you get free travel

Lots of snacks. Train picnics are good fun.

Tegu magnetic blocks are great to keep small hands occupied.

The national rail app has a feature where to can pin your train and and set an alarm for 5 mins before you are due at your station - reduces anxiety.

We travel by train a lot and just so long as the kids are fed and watered they are happy.
It helps we can be flexible so if a train looks busy we can wait for the next one.

A table seat is a must with children! I also pack loads of activities and snacks. My little boy is train obsessed and loves to watch them go back and look out of the window.

My top tips are make sure you reserve seats for everyone (and kick people out if they are Sat in them) take plenty of snacks and drinks. Pack wet wipes or tissues as kids can get messy. If you are taking electronics make sure they are charges and the kids have headphones. I always let the kids know how many stations we have to go through before we get off and how many changes we have to make. If we make changes I tell them which platform we have to get to when we get off the train. We also live track the journey on the train app. Also take changes of clothes just in case.

Always pre-book seats, (Never in the quiet carriage!)
Make sure you have wet wipes handy and non-sticky drinks & snacks.
You can bring colouring and books, but generally mine are always happier looking out of the window

Pack lots of snacks, drinks,toys, colouring books and the tablet to watch a film!

Definitely try and reserve a table. Take your own food and drink. My kids just need their ipads. Games/ movies/ books all on one device.

My worst journey was from Peterborough to Edinburgh, so 3 1/2 hours long. Despite booking my tickets using a family railcard, I only discovered once aboard the train, which was RAMMED, that my 3 seat reservations were distributed separately throughout the carriage. My 4 yr old and 9 yr old had their seats separate from each other and 8 rows away from me. I was seated at a table with 3 rugby fans on a stag weekend, cans of beer out at 10am. What booking system would be so unfit for purpose as to separate seats which had been booked with a Family railcard?
Luckily the stags had hearts of gold and when my crying 4 year old wanted to sit on my knee, one of them did give up his seat. I was so grateful!

We take a small snack and drink each we like to play guessing games while on the move who can see something first, bird, bridge etc. We always plan hard but it never goes to plan if being the weather, children or train!

A note book and pen for older kids is a lifesaver it can be used for

*Bingo things to spot out the windows

• Noughts & Crosses but with smiley face & sad face or any opposites
• Hangman
• Pretend Ticketman making your own tickets with destinations with silly names my kids love it when I call the places things like "Smellybottomville"

Younger babies are a bit trickier but any small toy that has beads attached or things to pull tug or open work best for a bit or even just downloading a app on your phone with moving photos can help.

Not forgetting the bag packed with fruit, biscuits, drinks, bread sticks, raisins anything to keep their mouths busy for 5 minutes so wet one gets a rest from the constant "ARE WE THERE YET" I found it funny to ask every 5 minutes after leaving our house as a kid on a 7 hour journey down south but now I know how my mum and dad felt it's so bloody annoying !!

Take loads of snacks, books, gadgets and make sure you reserve seats together.

Bring snacks and drinks and books/magazine/small toys but otherwise try to pack light.
I will empty non essentials out of my bags before going otherwise inevitably I end up having to carry everything, along with a cranky toddler.

I make up some 'I spy' pages - so basically put pictures down of anything we're likely to spot - ie a factory, a swimming pool, a crane... and let the kids get on with spotting stuff whilst I sit back and relax (hopefully!).

If it's a longer journey I take an iPad and snacks to pass the time. On short journeys I just tend to take a few drinks.