Children travelling by train alone

Spendless

AllyS wrote: »

They will be doing the alternative journey to everyone else, e.g. most people will be coming home from London to Devon on a Friday, they will be travelling from Devon to London.

I won't do it till September (DS in year 6) I am going up in August to see my friends, but the children will already be there, but I can train the journey home with them. But I have no issue travelling up a couple of times with them, great excuse to see more of my friends

For my own kids I am more of a fan of starting something for the 1st time independance-wise at spring-time. My reasoning being that the clocks change so the nights are lighter and you have more chance of it being better weather. And the kids get 6 months of experience under their belt, before we are back into dark nights etc. So for me in the same circs, i'd be more tempted to leave for another year. it means kids would be a year older. Youngest would be a few months off starting Secondary school and needing to be putting steps in place for being more independant and it would mean they arrived at their destination when it was still light, rather than it being pitch black within a few weeks of starting to travel unaccompanied.

lottie_no1

My sister and I used to travel regularly between London and Leeds when we were those ages. We would get put on the train and the ticket inspector notified and we were met at the other end.

If you can trust your kids to behave and be aware of their surroundings then I'd do it, there are always ticket inspectors on the trains so you could let them know when you board them, they pass through a few times during the journey

elvis86

puppypants wrote: »

Years ago, I did a journey by train from North Wales to Oxford. It was one of the most awful experiences of my life!! Admittedly, there were 3 changes on the way, but by far, the worst was due to a delay at Birmingham because someone had jumped in front of the train I was waiting for. All passengers for that train were told to make their way to the other big station in Birmingham, which involved crossing the Bull Ring. I was petrified as it was getting dark, I was a woman travelling alone and no one seemed friendly enough to 'tag along' with.

The memory of that journey (I was in my 50s!!) would put me off what you are suggesting letting your kids do. How would they cope in that sort of situation?

I would think that this alone is reason enough to allow them to do it..:cool:

If the "terrifying" walk you describe was New Street to Moor Street, it's a 10 minute (max) walk that literally involves following signposts through a modern, busy, well-lit shopping centre! I find the idea of a 50+ year old finding that a frightening experience really quite pathetic.:(

I don't know what some people think happens when a train service is interrupted? It's not like the train veers off the tracks, the driver turns out the lights and parachutes out and the passengers are left to fend for themselves! In my experience someone usually makes an announcement and tells you what is happening. If they're confused, they can ask a member of staff or call you. Unless your kids are deaf or stupid then they should be fine.

Triangle

I was 13 when I did my first big train journey on my own - from Norwich to Bradford (changing at Peterborough and Leeds) to stay with a friend I had met on holiday for a few days. It was so exciting and I felt like such a grown up - not least because my parents lent me their mobile for any emergencies...it weighed almost as much as me!

I would say do the first run with them (a great chance to *have* to have a weekend with friends! ) and then give them the trust and confidence to do it alone. One poster on here has a great quote in their signature about giving children roots and wings - I think this is a great opportunity to do so.

AllyS

I will look into us both doing train journey, maybe we could do it with them for 6 month and they start on their own next spring.

Also remember London and tubes are not scary to either of them, they have been doing it since they were born, ok less often in the last 2 years. I think I will ask ex to start.letting kids direct on tube rather than him leading them.

I am always getting lost the kids know to just ask someone, my dd is always directing me in exeter cause I still get lost, but because she has gone with friends, she has to know her own way around.

CH27

AllyS wrote: »

I will look into us both doing train journey, maybe we could do it with them for 6 month and they start on their own next spring.

Also remember London and tubes are not scary to either of them, they have been doing it since they were born, ok less often in the last 2 years. I think I will ask ex to start.letting kids direct on tube rather than him leading them.

I am always getting lost the kids know to just ask someone, my dd is always directing me in exeter cause I still get lost, but because she has gone with friends, she has to know her own way around.

That would ease them into it.

madison-nyc

I would say no , 13yr old maybe but 10yr old no chance i'm afraid. As a couple of other posters have said is it not against the terms of travel? for a 13yr old to be in charge of a 10yr old?

balletshoes

I would do the journey with them 2 or 3 times, and ask them on the 2nd/3rd time to take the lead ie get on the right platform at home, find seats, get off at the right stop, find Dad in the pre-arranged place etc.

Then I'd let them do it alone, as long as the train carrier conditions allowed it.

SomersetSaver

duchy wrote: »

Really ?

As it's an advanced ticket then seat reservations would be included.

Note that if it's SW trains they are planning to travel on, they don't really do seat reservations any more. Well, they will give you a ticket with a seat number on but they don't actually bother with the matching ticket in the seats :mad:. May not be an issue if you're there to help get them settled, but it can be a bit tricky for people of ANY age (and I count myself in that category) to kick someone out of your seat if they're sat there.

And another thing to consider if it gets busy is whether other passengers would "expect" your kids to give up their seats (have seen that before), esp if unaccompanied.

Not trying to scare you off! 1st class, as has been said, may well be a better bet (esp if there are free drinks/snacks like they sometimes do!) from that perspective too.

I would say perhaps do a couple of shorter dry runs (can you pretend you're not going with them, but "hide" somewhere and see how they do?!) but to be honest, you probably know your kids better than anyone as to whether they will cope or not.
Good luck!

AllyS

madison-nyc wrote: »

I would say no , 13yr old maybe but 10yr old no chance i'm afraid. As a couple of other posters have said is it not against the terms of travel? for a 13yr old to be in charge of a 10yr old?

I have contacted southwest to ask about legal age.

I don't expect my DD to be in charge of DS I never said this, just that they will travel together.