Need some practical advice.........what is the best way to travel to Edinburgh with 3 small children??

[FAQ]

DS's are 7,4 and 8 months. DS1 and DS2 are pretty good travellers, even DS2 is quite capable of sitting down and behaving himself for long periods of times on a trip. I'll need to take 2 (normal) booster cushions, plus the infant car seat, not to mention pushchair and suitcase........

I have 3 options

1. I fly. Get a friend to drive me down to Luton Airport, get an Easyjet Flight with the 3 DS's - only takes just over 1hr to fly. Get taxi from airport to brothers flat. Flights cost £247 for the 4 of us .

1. I get the coach. Friend can drop me at Milton Keynes Coachway, I can get a taxi from the bus station in Edinburgh. Takes about 8hrs (I think if my maths is correct). Total cost of coach fare for the 4 of us £79-90

1. I get the train. I can get a taxi to the train station in town, travel down to London and have just one change - to travel back up to Edinburgh, or can take 3 trains to cut the cost slightly - both trips take close to 6hrs. Costs anything from £202 upwards.

Now - I'm thinking that flying is the quickest way of doing it - but it's hellish expensive - and I'm not sure about baggage allowance and stuff what with booster seats, car seats, pushchairs etc etc.

Train - don't fancy the changes - and also pretty expensive - however at least it's easy enough to walk the DS's up and down the carriage if the get bored.

Bus - takes longest, but most direct and by FAR the cheapest. I've done the MK-Edinburgh bus journey many times - so know it can be a real bummer - but also remember that we did stop once or twice (at Motorway Service Stations) for the stipulated change over of driver. Which would give DS's an opportunity to stretch legs (and for me to have a fag).

What would you do????

I would get the train. No seats required for you to carry, lots of room to move about (make sure you reserve) Sometimes you can upgrade to first class for a few quid more.

BUT flying is only £40 more! And you would be descending before you'd know it!

hmmmm

i would be wary of all the changes on the train - youll have to carry all that luggage and move the kids too...

plane; you need to check baggage allowance, but i think you can take the car seat(s?) on with you so not sure they count as weight?? but blardy 'spensive, yes.

bus; its a long time to keep them all still and unable to really move around much

id say the most direct train route (kids can at least walk up and down) if its significantly cheaper than the plane, or the plane.

oh, thought flying was 400odd, not 200odd.

hmm, id fly i think.

Thing is Maidamess - I would still need to take the car seats - as I'd need to get a taxi from the train station to brother's house, and as I'm intending staying for at least a week there may well be other moments where I need one..and I loath changing trains on my own.

And the cost.........arghh - this is a completely unbudgeted for trip and I think I'm going to have to ask my parents to help me out with it as it is....

But then flying is so quick.......

I would go with the coach as your friends can help you get all the stuff on the coach and it is direct.

Do the coaches run overnight? If you got a coach at aboout 9pm, you would arrive at 5am and the baby would probably sleep most of the way in the car seat (including probably on the way to the coach station).

The older two will probably sleep most of the way too. They will be tired when you get there but it will be exciting for the older ones and you are less likely to have to cope with childen wanting to move around on the bus.

oooo Lazy - I didn't think of travelling at night.

Just checked the MK-Edinburgh bus leaves at 00.25 {eeek!) and gets in at 07.40

On the way back it would be a 10pm departure and 05.05am arrival.....

Now I have good friends........but I'm not sure they could do a drop off past midnight, and a pick-up that early ,

What a pity it isn't the other way round!!

I'm not sure I could face that journey during the day on a bus with ds, let alone 3 children but given that the trip is direct and cheap it would be my second choice.

I think on balance the flight would be the least hassle but I can see the problem with the cost.

The train would be a no no for me. It costs almost as much as the flight AND there would be loads of changes and hassle.

I think I'll go for the bus - it's so much cheaper - and direct...and I suspect the DS's may sleep better on the bus than on a train..

Now I just need to sweet talk my parents into loaning me the money - as I can't actually afford to go at all!

Megabus is good for prices

thanks for that link Scramble - unfortunately they don't have any stops close enough to me