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

Take lots of books/ magazines/ colouring pencils and SNACKS!

Leave plenty of time for getting to the station, getting up the stairs, waiting for the train, going to the toilet etc. there is nothing worse than being in a big rush and having to drag a toddler along behind you!

Be sensible about your ticket type. Super dooper cheapy advance tickets aren't cheap if you end up not being able to use them.

Book a seat if you can.

Make sure you double check the details of your ticket. Time and date!

Check online to see if there are any delays or changes to your journey before setting off from home.

Make sure you get to the station with lots of time.

Make sure you double check you are on the right platform.

Ask for help from other passengers or from staff if you need any help

Don't be noisy in the quiet carriage 😡😡

Don't eat very strong smelling food😷

Don't put your feet on the seats

Don't seat hog! Your bag/newspaper/pet hamster/ukulele etc doesn't need its own seat

Relax and enjoy the journey. Personally I just like to stare out the window and day dream.

Some of my tips may seem really obvious but having four DC leave home and get to grips with long distance public transport apparently some of my tips aren't that obvious 😂. DS1 managed to fly half way around the world on his own, a journey involving overnight stays and multiple flights aged 17 but didn't manage to work out that when platform 8A was not the same as platform 8B 😬

I book on line and always look for a direct journey - no running across train stations for me. I pre-book a table seat and look for wi-fi if I can. We love to play eye-spy, and chat about the animals and busses cars and trams we see on our journey. When we booked to go from Holland to France last summer I downloaded a movie, for part of the journey, but loved watching the changing scenery passing by. I will take a colouring book and crayons which means the pre-booked table comes into it's own. My handbag always has anti-bac wipes and gel for the table when we have our packed lunch. Doing all these makes your 4 or 5 hour journey fly by.

Pre-book tickets
Fully charge gadgets
Sit near power point
Headphones
Drinks
Snacks
Notebook and pen

Planking is the key for me! I hate to travel if there are disruptions to the service so I’ll pick a day when there are none planned.
I always get to the station early, I hate to rush!!
I take snacks for the dcs, and for me too!! Plus something to keep them entertained if it’s a long journey, like notebooks and pens or a travel game we can all play.
Very often going on a train journey is as much fun for my dcs as the actual day out!!

We've travelled many times by train over the years.

The baby stage is the most difficult in terms of getting prams and equipment on and off trains and storing it while on the train, especially if you are trying to do it all with a baby under one arm. The first time my three all walked onto a train carrying their own bags was a very special moment! So make sure you book seats in advance and arrive at the station in plenty of time and all your bags are secure etc. Vital equipment falling out as you are getting on is the stuff of nightmares. Once you are on, though, babies usually sleep.

Toddlers can be difficult as they are harder to occupy and are less likely to be happy sitting still. Also they sleep less. So take plenty of different toys that can be easily stored. Also, their favourite programmes on your phone/tablet/DVD player are a godsend for you, your child and your fellow passengers (remember to bring headphones).
As they get older you can chat and play games and they can read etc and once they are teenagers like mine they all have their own technology and you are the one who is bored and looking to be entertained!

We always take a bottle of water each. My DD takes her own bag with water, snacks and a small toy of her choice. I carry snacks and sometimes sandwiches. I always have a pack of cards in my bag, its a quiet game and keeps us both happy for a bit. Tissues too for spillages.

I don't research stations along the route, but I do research the towns and landmarks we pass through, and talk about those.

We have a family rail card and always plan our journeys rarely in advance and purchase tickets online to get the best price. Over the years we have negotiated some very complex journeys involving several changes, and got ourselves to some quite remote locations without difficulty. I know lots of people prefer direct journeys but we have never minded changing at various stations and devising different ways/routes to get to our destination (avoiding London if possible) which is all part of the pleasure of train travel.

When the kids were little it was colouring books and crayons and talking books to listen to on their headphones, but as they got older it became iPads, ipods and laptops. I just prefer a good book myself and have read many a novel from start to finish on one of our longer trips.

We always take a colouring book and/or children’s magazine, and a tablet to combat boredom.
We play games like I spy, or guess the tune.
I also bring snacks and drinks.

Lots of snacks, drinks and things to do. Lots of charge on phones/tablets, plenty to read and some games to play. Train journeys are great fun for my kids as they like playing I spy out the windows :)

We sometimes do the 2 hour trip to London with the kids. On the outbound journey I pack snacks from home, and on the return I let them chose what to buy for dinner in Paddington station and we take it on the train.

iPad minis with headphones are good for entertainment.

Trains are exciting for toddlers. Take drinks, snacks and baby wipes! Talk about what you can see.
An empty plastic bag is a great idea for letting little ones stand on the chairs to see out, without worrying about someone having to sit on it after.
Hold on to lo obviously.

Book tickets online
Lots of snacks
Trip to the station shop for magazines /comics
We always take puzzle books.
Pack of cards to play 'go fish'
Tablet for last resort!

Organisation, I usually take a pack up and then a few additional snacks and drinks as you never know what will happen. Booking a table in advance is good so that everyone can sit together.

Bring snacks and drinks and put a movie on on the iPad for everyone to watch.

My DS is train mad so any train journey is really exciting for him. We would love to take him on an old steam train and plan to do that this summer when the weather is nicer. We always take snacks but that is a given no matter where we are going.

Don't go at the weekend. There is a over a fivefold price increase for 2hr journey for me. £10 on a Friday, £55 on a Saturday. So much for doing anything as a whole family.

Enough drinks, non-messy snacks are sooo important.
If you can pick a seat near the toilets so much the better (I know they're often grim on trains, but needs must).
My son doesn't really sit quietly for more than a few minutes on trains, which makes longer journeys really trying.
So anything you can use to entertain and distract, even if it's just talking about the journey and pointing out what things you can see from the window all help.

Make the train journey the eating part of the trip. Keeps them busy and sitting and saves time later when you are doing the fun thing you travelled for.
However don't bring stinky or messy food and leave the space clean for the next people xx

Simple games that involve being interested in the scenery; first one to spot a swing in a back garden... black and white cat.... swimming pool etc (depending on route)

Baby wipes, drinks, fruit and tiny packets of sweets ..... spare carrier in handbag for bagging up rubbish

We always pack the tablet with some games and videos, and a bag of snacks because train buffet car prices are silly!

Bottle of water, snacks, paper, crayons, playing cards and wet wipes. We love train journeys!

First of all I always make sure and book our tickets in advance because not only is it cheaper but you get reserved seating so I can make sure we are all sitting together at a table.
For entertainment we take the tablets for the kids to watch films but I also always take some games and some colouring in books. Playing some games on the train always speeds up the journey and makes it more enjoyable.

We love a picnic on the train! Nothing too fancy, but something yummy keeps the kids occupied and happy! We love a day out by train!