How to Plan a Family Train Adventure

Last Updated on: 29th January 2026, 04:50 pm

If you follow us regularly or you come across us on social media, you will know that we just about love travelling by train. It is so much more relaxing than travelling by plane. You don’t need to worry about how much your luggage weighs or how big your liquids are. There is usually constant wifi for the kids and you get a real sense of adventure. Whether you are looking for a day trip in your own country or you are looking for a train adventure further afield, here are some tips on how to have the best family train adventure.

Choose Your Destination (and Route!)

Firstly, you need to know where you want to go! Start by picking a destination that excites everyone, somewhere where there is something for everyone in the family. For your first great train adventure, you need to choose an easy route. Take smaller train trips, no more than four hours at a time. Look at the changes involved and the cost, because it might be cheaper to buy a pass.

Look at the UK classic route, like London to Edinburgh, which can really be done in a day! York to Scarborough is a good route, and also the Settle-Carlisle line. If you are looking for a mainland European adventure, you can easily travel from your hometown to Paris, Brussels or even Stockholm. And always look for quirky towns and hidden gems, you never know what you will find when you delve into it. There have been a few times that we have finalised our train trips, but then found more things to do.

Let the kids help shortlist destinations. It builds excitement and gives them a sense of ownership over the adventure. There might be something they want to do, and you haven’t even considered it. Remember, this is a trip for the kids, too, so you don’t just want to add boring places.

Book Smart For The Best Value For Your Family Train Adventure

Train travel can be surprisingly affordable if you know where to look. Although we mainly travel in mainland Europe by train, we do often travel in the UK too. For the UK, we have a railcard. This gets us 1/3 off prices. You can also use the rail card alongside super advance tickets. Super advance tickets are available weeks in advance, and can be very cheap. They are only used on certain trains, so you need to stick to that train. Travelling off-peak is a great money saver, and there are often more seats available. It is also a quieter time to travel. Another way to book smart is to use split ticketing. This is where you look at a journey, then you see if it is cheaper to book the tickets separately. For example, if you are travelling from Ashford to Edinburgh, take a look at buying tickets from Ashford to London. Then look at the cost of London to Edinburgh, you often find this is cheaper than buying a direct ticket.

Pack Like a Pro

Packing for a train journey is all about balancing comfort, entertainment, and snacks. Packing for a train adventure takes some creative thinking and muscle. In the summer, you can travel with a smaller bag, because summer clothes are smaller and less bulky. Taking a suitcase simply doesn’t work, because they are heavy and awkward to carry on and off trains. Choose what you want to take, then half it and quarter it. All you need is a capsule wardrobe, a few clothes that you can pop together to make different outfits. We normally take enough clothes for 3 days and stay in places that have washing machines.

Pop your essentials in a day pack. We have bags that we wear on the front of our bodies. This holds our passports, tickets, travel papers, phone chargers, phone and other stuff you need for travelling. In our backpacks, we carry clothes, a camera, and other things we might need. We also travel with drinks and snacks, we often take a reusable bottle and fill it at water stations. And we look at supermarkets to buy snacks as we go. If we are going to an expensive country from a cheap country, then we do a good stock up to last a couple of days. We have also been known to bring pot noodles and porridge pots from home.

Keep Kids Engaged

If your child is happy to just look out of the window as you travel, then you are so lucky. But if they are hard to keep occupied, then you might need a little help. There are lots of things to keep your kids busy, but you also need to remember that you will be carrying these about. You can make a list of things for the kids to find, and they mark them off as they find them. You just need a pen and a piece of paper for this. Give the kids a camera and get them to take photos; you never know, they might catch some great images. You can encourage them to make a travel journal. Although Tilly loses interest after a few days, it also involves carrying the book, scissors and glue around.

Plan Activities For Your Destination

Do a bit of research ahead of time so you can hit the ground running. Some activities will need to be booked before you leave on your train adventure. Look for interactive museums, parks, or unique local sights; these are often free and well worth a visit. Many towns offer free or low-cost walking tours—great for stretching legs and learning something new. If you do a free walking tour, don’t forget to tip the person doing the tour. You can often download free tours onto your phone. Find a café or bakery for a special snack when you arrive for your adventure. This gives you a chance to regroup and decide what to do.

Prioritise Safety, Comfort, and Accessibility

Make sure you all stick together at busy train stations, especially if you have a train booked. You do not want to miss it! I used to write my phone number on Tillys are when she was younger, just in case. Now she has a phone with a tracker (we use Life 360). If you need accessible facilities on the train or at a station, make sure you check that they are available. You can book accessible services at most stations to help you. You might also want to check if there is step-free access. Use longer stops to get some fresh air and let kids move around. We use the longer stops to grab a lunch on the go, before getting on the next train.

Embrace The Unexpected On Your Family Train Adventure

Even the best-laid plans can go wrong, so always have a backup plan. If it isn’t possible to have a backup plan, you need to be prepared for things to go wrong – just in case! Things going wrong can all be part of the adventure, and you will laugh about them later. Once I took a train that was 3 hours, instead of the fast 1-hour train. Have a positive attitude, laugh about it, let the teens take the mickey out of you and move on. If you always have a backup plan, it makes things so much easier.

Capture And Share The Experience

Encourage kids to take photos, collect tickets or postcards, and keep a scrapbook of your journey. Share highlights on social media or with family back home—these memories will last long after the train pulls into the station.

All Aboard for Your Family Train Adventure

A family train adventure is more than just a way to get from A to B. Instead, it’s a chance to slow down, reconnect, and see the world through fresh eyes. With a little planning, a sense of curiosity, and a willingness to embrace the unexpected, your family can make this year truly unforgettable. We have more train posts here to plan your adventure