Our Tips For Travelling By Public Transport With

Here are our tips for traveling - back packing - by public transport with children

This information is especially for UK holidays, but is useful for holidays further away too.

• Plan your trip well
  
  Decide on your holiday destination and activities together and make sure the holiday has something for everyone - big and small
  
  Save money by creating your own tailor made holiday using the internet - but check out reviews and read up area you are visiting first - especially the public transport!
  
  Plan days out before you go, including the public transport to get to them - again the internet is great for this and so is contacting the tourist information centre where you are holidaying
  
  Get a family rail card and buy your tickets early (usually 12 weeks in advance) to save lots of money. Look out for special offers too
  
  Make sure your seats are together, check you connections and make sure you have sufficient time for changes
  
  Try to have at least two adults - if you're a single parent try to travel with a friend
  
  
  
• Baggage
  
  Use rucksacks not suit cases so your hands are free - get used to carrying them before you go with some weight in if needed
  
  Buy the lightest, most comfortable rucksacks you can
  
  Have a rucksacks each - even if little ones just carry some light toys and activities at first
  
  Go for the lightest stuff you can - rucksacks, camping stuff, clothes, activities (see below)
  
  Get small bottles for your toiletries to reduce weight
  
  To avoid carrying food check out where your nearest food shops / supermarket will be
  
  Pack carefully - heavy things at the bottom, things you need first at the top and things you need to get to easily e.g. tickets in the side pockets etc.
  
  
  
• Take lots of activities for the journey
  
  Here are some of our favorites: mini sketch books, pencils and colouring pencils, kids magazines, mini books, travel games, MP3 and MP4 players
  
  Let the children choose what they want to take and don't forget things for the adults too
  
  Make sure they are are easy to get to and pack away again - keeping them all in one bag is easier
  
  Keep them light
  
  

• Take lots of snacks and water
  
  Buy these in advance or get them at larger stations - Boots and M & S do organic foods
  
  Have a picnic meals along the way if you are traveling over a meal time - don't wait till you get there as hungry children don't make for a stress free time!
  
  Make sure they are easy to get to
  
  
  
• Relax and enjoy - your holiday begins the moment you leave home
  
  
  
• And if it all goes wrong...which it can even when traveling by car or plane
  
  Stay calm, take a deep breath and smile
  
  If children get bored, start fighting with each other or have tantrums and your on a train or station - take the noisiest one for a walk, but be clear it's not a reward and have a quiet chat with them.
  And smile sweetly at any fellow passengers that give you "looks"
  
  If you miss a connection or are delayed firstly consider your options, then go speak to station staff or if they are not available telephone the appropriate number. Keep the children amused with eye spy, charades, getting a snack, exploring the station etc.
  
  Always have a backup fund for emergencies
  
  We find traveling by train much less problematic than flying - there's not so much waiting around due to check in times and the delays are much shorter