Toddler Travel 105 - Traveling by Train

If you bought into my last post on traveling lightly, here's another suggestion: try traveling by rail! If there is Amtrak where you live, check out there destinations and schedules for options. You might find it easier to travel with the little one(s) by rail instead of the car, especially if you're taking a baby or infant. Consider that you won't need to make pit stops along the road to change diapers. If your child is a bit older, they'll be thrilled looking out the window or just spending time with you instead of sweating it out in the back seat.

Do be warned though that rails can be delayed and the temperature in the cars somewhat variable. In the summertime, definitely carry some extra bottles of water and bring a blanket in the winter time. Also, avoid travel ling during peak hours and see if you can get on a train that requires reserved seating.

We did a trip with our son from NYC to DC via Amtrak when he was four months old. The hardest part of the traveling was navigating the subway-Amtrak-subway with our stroller up and down the stairs. The rest of the trip was just terrific!