Tube travel with toddler and infant Post Reply

[irene]

Hi,
I guess this isn't really travel in the exciting sense of the word, but I have a toddler and a new baby, and have been trying to figure out the best way to travel by tube with the two of them. Does anyone have any experience? I have a Phil and Teds, and also a Maclaren with a buggy board. The Phil and Teds seems too big to comfortably take on the escalator (especially as i think you would need to stand backwards on the up escalator) and I'm not sure how well the buggy board would fare.
If anyone has any tips I would love to hear!
Thanks!

[AbbevilleMummy]

Basically you can't do it on your own unless travelling to and from stations with lifts (mainly stations that serve the jubilee line) and then it's still a nightmare!

You will just have to get used to taking the bus or the expense of taxi cabs.

I did manage a few trips in my own using a single buggy and putting my baby in a sling but I really wouldn't recommend it as no-one helps you carry the pushchair up steps etc and you don't feel particularly safe on the escalator.

[sal]

Maclaren and sling. Buggy boards are really tricky on escalators.

Check out your route though - there are a lot more lifts than there used to be and you might be able to find a level route, eg by using lifts at Brixton or Clapham Junction to access the network. Might be worth the diversion if you e.g. you would like the toddler to nap later on.

[sal]

People will help if you ask. My eldest went through a terrified-of-escalators phase. I had to hold the youngest so the only way I could travel was by asking passers by to hold the eldest's hand. Not ideal but people were always happy to help when asked.

[Vives09]

We don't have a car and can't afford taxis everywhere, so I became very proficient at traveling on the tube, both with my two kids (2 years apart) in a Phil and Ted's and with a stroller plus buggy board combination later on.

It's perfectly possible, you just get used to it after the first couple of attempts. It is, as you've guessed, safest to take the Phil and Ted's on backwards, but as long as you hold it and put all the weight on the back wheel it's fine, the escalators go slowly enough that it's not really a problem (although nerve-wracking at first!). The buggy board thing was OK for us (although I suppose depends on the make of buggy and board), you just have to make sure you step a little further back than usual to account for the board.

The worst thing was the stairs! Although as sal says there's usually someone to help so it's not too bad. Earlsfield and Clapham Junction stations were difficult but they've both installed lifts now so I imagine they're a lot easier now

[Vives09]

And buses are OK as long as you never go at rush hour (a bit of a misnomer as it lasts about 6 hours of every day) and don't expect to get anywhere fast!

[sal]

Ooh - I didn't know there was a lift at Earlsfield now. Those stairs were terrible. Really steep and a really quiet station during the day so hardly anyone around to help.

[Helgibbs]

Yes, the lifts at Earlsfield and clapham Junction help a lot!

You can plan your journey on the TFL website, and you can choose options that avoid stairs etc, that makes some journeys more straightforward.

But, like someone said, people do offer to help lift buggies.

Allow plenty of time, and go to either the front or the back of the tubes as those carriages are a bit quieter.

Helen
x

[momtomum]

We get around with no car with 4 kids! We had a mountain buggy urban double when our youngest two were 1 and 3 and we were new to the city. It took a while for me to feel confident with that on an escalator, but eventually I did! We bought a Phil and Teds too to try and found the Mountain Buggy was much easier on and off the train. Both are good strollers. As soon as your toddler is confident on a scooter, that's been a lifesaver for us. Our 4 year old now scoots everywhere and our 2 year old will probably be done with the buggy by the fall.

Some parts of the city are harder than others - for example if I was heading with everyone into the oxford street area (haha!! crazy with 4 kids! but sometimes mum needs to buy something not on Amazon!), I would take the train to Victoria where there was no lift and then take a bus into the city.

On that note, now that our kids are bigger, we're selling a Mountain Buggy Urban Double and a Phil and Teds, both in very clean, gently used by lots of life still in them condition.

[momtomum]

We get around with no car with 4 kids! We had a mountain buggy urban double when our youngest two were 1 and 3 and we were new to the city. It took a while for me to feel confident with that on an escalator, but eventually I did! We bought a Phil and Teds too to try and found the Mountain Buggy was much easier on and off the train. Both are good strollers. As soon as your toddler is confident on a scooter, that's been a lifesaver for us. Our 4 year old now scoots everywhere and our 2 year old will probably be done with the buggy by the fall.

Some parts of the city are harder than others - for example if I was heading with everyone into the oxford street area (haha!! crazy with 4 kids! but sometimes mum needs to buy something not on Amazon!), I would take the train to Victoria where there was no lift and then take a bus into the city.

On that note, now that our kids are bigger, we're selling a Mountain Buggy Urban Double and a Phil and Teds, both in very clean, gently used by lots of life still in them condition.

[rachelko24]

Additionally...here is step free guide listing all of the stations with lifts, etc.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/project ... /5792.aspx

Hope it helps!
Rachel

[irene]

A belated thanks for all the replies! We managed a journey with the Maclaren and a baby Bjorne. I think I will do a few practice runs on the escalators with the Phil and teds when there is someone around to help. I'm sure I won't look crazy at all when people see me doing laps on the escalators...

[fionapm]

There is a useful app called Mumderground which tells you which stations have lift access, which entrance has the fewest steps / an escalator, etc.

Good luck.

[calgary]

I'd say the easiest is having both kids strapped into a buggy and going up just as you described. Once you've done it a few times (I went first with my DH) you'll feel much more confident.

I've found that Londoners are not as likely to offer help as N. Americans but I've yet to have anyone not agree to help when I've requested it.