Advice for traveling with small children

[ddev68]

I'm going to be traveling with my two children (3 and 6) for the first time on Amtrak. We are going from Raleigh to Deland. We have tickets for regular coach seats. I plan to check some baggage. (Glad to see in another post that they rarely misplace luggage). The kids are very excited and I want the trip to go smoothly, so I'm just looking for any advice or info on what to expect both at the stations and on the train. This is roundtrip.

I plan to take snacks so I don't expect to visit the dining car, but if we do is it generally safe to leave stuff at the seats? I will have the kids' car booster seats and was planning on carrying them on the train and the kids sitting on them while on the train.

 

[railrookie]

I wouldn't leave anything of value at the seats. Maybe a magazine or a paperback book. We accidently left our camera lay in the observation car and then remembered 3 hours later and it was long gone by then. Is there thieves running amok on Amtrak? Absolutely not, but its public transit and you can't leave things of value out of your sight or you run the risk of having it "borrowed". Since I have no kids, I would bring a quart of Nyquil to quiet them down if you need to! :lol: (I'm kidding) What is the length of your trip timewise? Remember, sometimes the trains run a little late.

 

[caravanman]

The train is broadly speaking the same as any public place, you will be unlikely to loose booster seats, but a gold watch or a wallet left unattended may well go missing! It seems your journeys will be overnight, so the children should be asleep for most of the time. I think the big no-no is when parents stop being parents, and allow children to try and use the whole train as a playground. I think if you bring them some books or board games, crayons, etc, that might pass an hour or two...I guess they might be more into gameboys than board games these days! Don't worry, kids travel by train every day, and there is less chance of them becoming "stroppy" on a train, compared to a car journey. The seats are huge, and they can settle back for a good nights rest. There will be a snack bar, so you can buy drinks, etc, to take back to your seats .

Good Luck!

Ed B)

PS, I don't know either of the stations you mention, some smaller stations have zero facilities, others have food outlets, newsagents, etc.

 

[Guest_radsmom]

A personal DVD player with headphones is a godsend for kids. Crayons and books will hold their attention for 10 mins. Also bring your own pillows and their favorite blankie. And bring some hand sanitizer and wipes. I don't think your 6 yr old will want to sit in the booster seat - mine wouldn't.

Have fun! The kids will love it.

 

[racer1735]

Unlike an airplane, don't plan to spend the trip stuck in your seats....kids love to walk the train (and you might, too!). Lots to see, both in the train and out the windows. The dining car can get pricey with kids, but its a fun experience, too. I took my 5-year old from Crawfordsville, IN to Chicago to Fort Worth, TX this past December and he's still talking about it and drawing pictures of trains.

 

[ddev68]

Well the boys loved the train trip. They are already asking to ride again. The train left Raleigh just a few minutes late, but we arrived in Deland an hour late. On the return trip we left about an hour late and arrived an hour late. Some observations...

1. I loved Deland's station. Very quaint. There was even a box of books the local library was giving away. Plus there were a bunch a benches out near the tracks where we sat to wait for the train. It is in the "middle of nowhere," but Enterprise car rentals picked us up as promised.

2. Absolutely nothing to do around the Raleigh station and some people had a nine or more hour wait. I think I'll try the Petersburg, VA station next time. Anyone with info on that station?

3. I stacked two carryons right behind the the seat in front of me. With the foot rest and the reclining seat this essentially made a bed that I found plenty comfortable. With the foot rest up on the boys' seats they also had a comfortable sleeping area and slept through the night. I brought little blankets for all of us.

4. The staff were very helpful. The ride down was sold out and they had to do some rearranging to get me and the boys together. Except for the two guys who got snotty when asked politely to move just one seat up this went very smoothly. Two other passengers graciously offered to switch seats when they saw what was going on. Thanks again to you two ladies if you read this forum.

5. As for seating arrangements, try to avoid within three rows of the connecting doors if you have the option. They are very loud when opening and closing. If you have light sleepers for kids that door is quaranteed to wake them up.

6. I took snacks, juice, coloring books, stickers and books which occupied my 3 yr old when he was not asleep. My five year old liked watching the scenery.

7. Take hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes for the bathroom. You get jostled around in there so its no wonder that some people might miss the opening.

8. They are strict on the 50lb limit for the checked baggage. I had all of our clothes, shoes and toiletries in a big bag. It came in at 51lbs and I had to take a couple of items out.

Thanks for all of the helpful advice. The train was definitely better than driving for 13 hours. The train and car rental came in at just under $350. With gas prices I figure I came out about even financially. But the best part was the excitement my boys showed from the experience.

 

[Sam Damon]

As long as you keep the expectations realistic, many folks have a decent first outing with Amtrak. My kids went on their first train ride several months ago, and are clamoring to take another one. We're trying to wargame some trips and vacation schedules (always a problem with both parents working).

Glad to hear you had a good trip, and thanks for filling us in on it!