Skip the traffic jams and packing hassles. Exploring the North's best woodlands, coastlines, and parks with the little ones is easier by rail. With a Northern Family Ticket, up to two adults and four children can travel together on one budget-friendly fare.
4 tips for walking with toddlers and kids
Keeping the momentum going on a family walk is all about preparation. Use these four simple strategies to keep small legs moving and complaints to a minimum.
Ditch the word "walk"
To a young child, a walk sounds like a chore. Frame the day as an outdoor expedition, a secret forest mission, or a nature scavenger hunt.
Pack a treasure bag
Give each child a small backpack. Fill it with travel snacks for the train journey, but leave room for items they collect along the trail.
Gamify the trail
Play classic walking games like "I Spy," or set mini-challenges like"Who can spot the first blue flower?" or "Can you balance along this fallen log?"
Download the Northern App
Don't get caught waiting on a platform with restless kids. Use the live tracking feature on our app to check exact train times and platform changes before you head back to the station.
Top buggy-friendly & family walks near train stations
To help you plan your next outdoor expedition, we’ve selected three incredible walks across the North that are easy to reach by train, require minimal walking from the platform to the trail, and feature excellent family amenities.
Lyme Park Estate
- Nearest train station: Disley
- Best for: Historic parklands, deer spotting, and adventure play.
- Walking distance from the station: 10 minutes to the park entrance.
- Pram/Buggy-friendly: Yes, on designated estate paths.
Just a short walk from Disley station, Lyme Park offers thousands of acres of wild moorland and manicured gardens to explore.
Kids will love hunting for the resident red deer herd and burning off energy at the Crow Wood timber adventure playground.
Saltburn-by-the-Sea coastal walk
- Nearest train station: Saltburn
- Best for: Sea air, rockpooling, and vintage cliff lifts.
- Walking distance from the station: 5 minutes to the promenade.
- Pram/Buggy-friendly: Yes, a fully paved, flat promenade.
Step off the train at Saltburn, and you are mere moments from a classic British seaside walk. The flat, wide promenade is perfect for pushchairs and scooters.
Walk along the historic pier, hunt for crabs in the rock pools, or take a peaceful stroll through the nearby Valley Gardens.
York city walls & museum trail
- Nearest train station: York
- Best for: Rainy days, urban exploring, and railway history.
- Walking distance from the station: 3 minutes to the National Railway Museum.
- Pram/Buggy-friendly: Partial (Museum is fully accessible; City Walls require stairs).
If the weather looks unpredictable, head to York. Directly next to the station sits the National Railway Museum (entry is free, though booking is required), a paradise for train-loving kids. From there, you can enjoy an easy, historic walk around the city’s ancient Roman walls or through the beautiful Museum Gardens.
Family train travel made easy and affordable
Travelling with children shouldn't cost a fortune. Northern offers heavily discounted Family Tickets designed to make days out affordable.
- Who is it for? Up to 2 adults and 4 children (aged 5-15).
- Where can we go? Valid for return travel across selected popular routes in the North.
- How do we buy it? You can purchase a Family Ticket quickly and securely via the Northern App or directly on our website.
Save with our family ticket
Find a family ticket for your next adventure and get the kids out in nature.
Buy a family train ticketFrequently Asked Questions
Our Family Ticket allows up to 2 adults and 4 children (under the age of 15) to travel together on selected routes. It offers substantial savings compared to buying individual Anytime Single tickets and can be loaded directly onto the Northern app.
The vast majority of our stations offer step-free access or ramp assistance. You can look up the specific accessibility details for your departure and arrival stations on our station information pages before setting off.
If your journey is delayed by 15 minutes or more, you are entitled to compensation through our Delay Repay scheme. Keep your digital or physical tickets to make a quick claim online.
Northern App
Streamline your journey and get tickets straight to your phone. Making your journey contact-free.
Northern App
Streamline your journey and get tickets straight to your phone. Making your journey contact-free.