Few things can rival a family day out. From the best family friendly festivals to the best escape rooms, CrossCountry are always finding tips to help you make the most of a day out with the kids. There are so many places visit and explore and there’s always a train to take you there. Join CrossCountry as we explore some of the top tips for travelling with kids by train.
Plan your journey
When traveling with just adults, spontaneity can be exciting – hopping on a train without a set plan can lead to unexpected adventures. However, things are a bit different with children. Knowing your destination and activities ahead of time is especially important, particularly when you are less familiar with their routines or when traveling with children who have additional needs.
Creating an itinerary can be a fun way to build excitement for the journey and ease any potential nerves. Try doing some research on family-friendly places to eat out or where the biggest and best parks are.
Know what to pay
Make sure you don’t pay any more than you need to when you travel on a train with children. Children under 5 can travel for free – though they won’t have a seat reservation, meaning they may need to sit on your lap or stand if no seats are available.
There are plenty of ways to find cheap tickets with CrossCountry. For example, families with children aged 5 to 15 can benefit from a Family and Friends Railcard. This gives a 33% discount on adult fares and a 60% discount on child fares when travelling together, which can turn into a substantial saving.
Book Tickets in Advance
There are so many reasons to book train tickets in advance when travelling with children. Booking tickets in advance can save you money, especially when the whole family is travelling. There is also the option to request seat features, including sitting at a table – important if you want the family to be sitting together. It also guarantees you have a seat, rather than turning up on the day only to find all tickets are sold out.
Take time to prepare your buggy or pram
Travelling with a buggy or pram can be difficult, especially when you have other children or extra luggage also with you. Luckily, trains are some of the easiest modes of transport to take children in a buggy, because of the many options for storage. That’s not to say we don’t have any tips.
Start getting your belongings together and strap your child into their buggy before you arrive at your destination. When you’re ready to disembark the train, turn to face inside the train, step backwards onto the platform, and gradually pull the buggy towards you.
Use lifts where possible
Many train stations have stairs and escalators for passengers to reach platforms, which can be particularly difficult if you’re travelling with young children. To make things easier for parents and people with disabilities, most stations are kitted out with lifts, enabling you step-free access to your platform.
What to do if you and your child get separated
Getting separated from your child can be a terrifying experience. In the unlikely event that it does happen, we recommend that you alert a member on-board or station staff immediately.
If you’re planning a trip with your children, don’t forget to book an Advance ticket via our website or our CrossCountry app. You can also find information on how to get cheaper train tickets via our special offers page. If you need more information, you can contact us here.
The UK is bursting with fun activities for the whole family. Whether you’re visiting one of the best castles in the UK, the best theme parks in the UK, or the best waterparks in the UK, you can always travel by train. CrossCountry has services running up and down the country to ensure you can get to the places you need to be.
Written by Seb