Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
UK travel

Welcome to our UK travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

Original poster

Travelling alone on a train.

19 replies

mummylilz · 16/10/2021 19:10

Hi everyone! I am a little nervous posting as I am fairly new and getting everything set up.

My question is , what is an appropriate age for a child to travel alone?

My daughter is 13 and I’m worried sick as she is going to travel alone on a train, I know I sound a bit over protective but it’s just worrying since we know that a rail replacement bus is involved. Has anyone else had the same experience or any tips to stay safe? I hope I’m making sense. Of course we know the usual, don’t talk to strangers and keep valuables out of sight.

Thank you ever so much Smile

OP posts:
MissAmbrosia · 16/10/2021 19:11

How far/where is she going?

thesandwich · 16/10/2021 19:13

Has she got a phone with all the travel apps on it and does she know how to use it? Journey planning? Is she familiar with the stations and route?

thesandwich · 16/10/2021 19:14

Have you got a tracking app like findmyfriend

Original poster
mummylilz · 16/10/2021 19:16

Between Portsmouth and Crawley. Not the furthest I know, but just been worried sick! Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
mummylilz · 16/10/2021 19:16

I haven’t! I will make sure to look into it, I’m guessing you can track someone with it - if it is it would be very usefulShock

OP posts:
Original poster
mummylilz · 16/10/2021 19:17

Familiar with sections, mainly worried about the replacement busConfused she has the travel app southern with her tickets saved, and I’ve packed a portable charger just in case! Smile

OP posts:
Babymamamama · 16/10/2021 19:19

Would you travel with her? I’m not sure I’d want my DD doing that.

FlowerArranger · 16/10/2021 19:20

Goodness! I travelled alone by train from the age of around 10. No mobile phones or apps and what-not in them days...

WormYourHonour · 16/10/2021 19:25

@FlowerArranger

Goodness! I travelled alone by train from the age of around 10. No mobile phones or apps and what-not in them days...
As did I.

But i look at my almost 9 year old and the state of the world and the sick people in it and there's no way on this earth I'd let her travel alone at 10, 11, 12, 13, 14... Maybe 15/16

RedRosie · 16/10/2021 19:29

My stepdaughter travelled to us in London from Scotland regularly on her own (including occasional rail replacement sections) from the age of 11. Her mum put her on the train, me or DH would meet her off it. This went well. She had a mobile phone and a portable charger, knew not to engage with people who made her uncomfortable, and we advised her to change carriage/find a family or a woman traveling with kids if she felt anxious. She loved it. All grown up now, but it was a definite step towards independence.

FlowerArranger · 16/10/2021 19:56

My stepdaughter travelled to us in London from Scotland regularly on her own (including occasional rail replacement sections) from the age of 11. Her mum put her on the train, me or DH would meet her off it

A friend of mine did this from the age of 6, to visit her grandparents for the summer holidays. Her parents would put her on the train, finding a 'nice family' for her to sit with, and grandparents would meet her at the other end.

HandScreen · 16/10/2021 20:10

They'll be fine. What on earth do you think is going to happen?

RedRosie · 16/10/2021 20:11

@FlowerArranger 6 is pretty young! Yes. I remember my mum saying I should find a 'nice family' to sit near when travelling in the late 70s/80s. Although I'm not sure we should make other people responsible for our kids, even unknowingly ... I always try to remember that most people are kind and good.

My DSD was v sensible for her age (she would have spoken up for herself/found the guard/felt able to ask for directions etc) and her mum was totally fine with it. And we saw her SO much more often than we would have done otherwise, which was brilliant. But it depends on the child I guess.

squee123 · 16/10/2021 20:18

She'll be just fine. I travelled regularly on that route alone from the age of about 11. There are guards still on Southern trains so if it makes you feel better you could ask at the station which carriage the guard will based in for the train part of the journey and she could go and sit there.

Original poster
mummylilz · 16/10/2021 20:27

Thank you everyone for the replies Smile made me feel a lot more comfortable, I’ve installed an appropriate app to keep an eye on her location temporarily and make sure to text actively Grin

OP posts:
eightlivesdown · 16/10/2021 20:33

Should be OK. Always useful to have some emergency cash / card in a separate pocket as back-up of lose ticket / unforeseen circumstances.

Youcancallmeval · 16/10/2021 20:38

Mine has done it from 11, going 4 hours between home and her father.

longwayoff · 16/10/2021 20:46

Train to and from school from 11 years old. Parent with me? I'd have died of shame and my life at school would have been made misery.

DameAlyson · 16/10/2021 20:49

The main things to impress on her are to listen to any announcements made on the train or on the station, and to ask a uniformed member of staff if she's uncertain about anything.

IME when there's a replacement bus, there are usually plenty of staff around to direct passengers to them.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread