Train to Cornwall with kids ?! Getting to Paddington...

DGJsaver

have been looking at this again all , as we may be able to go dow in February , just a quick couple of things , when train companies say kids 5 and under travel free , that really means sitting on our laps (silly question as its kind of obvious) ?

and as we are on the euston line , we could go using cross country , who go from birmingham to plymouth.....has anyone used that company before , i havent even heard of them before now....

Or is it as easy to just get to paddington and go direct to St Erth (FGW stop there , cross country seems to stop at plymouth...)

and the first class idea is great BUT £370 each using trainline or direct to FGW etc !

p00hsticks

YEs, the 'children under 5 travel free' is dependent on them sitting on your lap (if the train is busy).

Cross country is one of the major train franchises - although in my limited experience most of their (Voyager) trains are small compared with the FGW trains and Virgin Pendolinos, and are often busy.

Exactly where will you be travelling from ?

FYI, there is also a 'public transport' board here
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=225
and people there will be able to come up with route recommendations and best available prices - you'll probably have missed out on the best advance fares (both standard and first class) for February now though - you need to be looking twelve weeks in advance.

warehouse

Drive down. It will help remove the demons you have. Do it at the right time of day and it's a very nice and stress free drive too.

nickj_2

i have driven down to devon and cornwall from essex . it really does pay dividends to go early , so i try to go around 4-30 -5ish , i always reckon if i can get round the m25 before 6-30- 7ish then you miss the worst of the traffic , i always go down the m3 , a303 and stop off and have some nosh in ottery st mary and then we normally go to somewhere like teignmouth for a few hours , to get another day out of the break , i then normally leave there around 4-5 in the afternoon and you have missed the worst of the traffic .

davidlizard

Won't you need use of the car when you are down there?

There is a lot to see and do in that bit of Cornwall, and surely you don't want the grief of having to herd that lot on and off buses two or four times a day!!

Travelling with kids through London - I would say if there is a direct bus then use that - the tube can involve lots of stairs both ends (although Circle line is not too bad as its cut-and-cover and therefore shallow), and a lot of pushing and shoving. Buses have a spot behind the stairwell for buggies. Besides, you see more of town.

Trixie102

Hi,

If you are going via train then consider a Family Railcard. Although you have under 5's it will still probably save you money if you purchased one child's ticket just to get the discount for the adult tickets.

Or as others have said take a slow drive down. I have every sympathy with you as just drove to Devon from Nottingham in terrible wind and rain and very scary. Maybe take a slow drive (not too early a start as going in February), with plenty of stops.

Whatever you decide enjoy ;-)