Mom Complains About the Etiquette of Train Passengers on 2-Hour Journey with Baby — But Is Told She’s in the Wrong

A mother felt frustrated after having trouble finding a seat on a crowded train during a 2-hour journey with her baby.

She shared her experience in a long post on the parenting forum Mumsnet, explaining that she and her husband arrived at the platform in Folkestone, England, two hours before their train to London was scheduled to leave.

According to her, as soon as the hourly train arrived, people rushed on without considering her and her 1-year-old child. The situation became worse because a man with two bikes was blocking access to another carriage.

“People tutted and moaned because I was having trouble getting on,” the mom wrote. “There wasn’t space to keep the buggy up, so I had to carry him, and people thought it was acceptable to let me stand holding a [26-pound] toddler. He can’t walk yet and is very energetic.”

The mother said she eventually spoke up and someone offered her a seat, but she noticed others giving her “dirty looks.”

“If I had arrived late or if seats were assigned, I would understand, but I was there early and they all pushed in front,” she added.

“The final straw was that the seat I was given was in the area with the tables, so my baby treated it like a drum and started babbling at everyone for the hour. People were not impressed,” she said.

“Is there an unwritten rule that you don’t take trains with kids? I don’t have a car,” she added.

Many replies to the post said her husband could have held the child if she didn’t want to, while others admitted they weren’t surprised that other passengers weren’t sympathetic.

One commenter wrote, “It’s public transport. What did you expect? Your child does not pay a fare and their buggy took up the space of about 2–3 adults standing. The adults with bikes had paid a fare, but you objected to their bikes, and you had a buggy. You expected train etiquette to give way to you? Good luck.”

Another added, “Direct your anger at the train company for not providing enough space (longer and/or more frequent trains), not the other travellers who have every bit as much right to a seat/space as you. Did you expect them all to stop and let you on first or something?”

A third person said, “I’m not sure what day you travelled, but it drives me mad when parents with kids (during the holidays) use the trains at rush hour. And then act so surprised that the trains are packed. Wish they’d use some common sense. In your case, there’s no train etiquette any more, it’s every man and woman for themselves, unfortunately.”