[Colm Moore]

Discussion on 22000 class.

Originally Posted by My friend

I've been wondering how it works with regard to taking babies on trains - like, in cars, they need suitable seats, but how does it work for trains?!? Do you just carry them on your lap? Also, many children less than 6 months are too small for regular folding buggies, and most prams are not too collapsible in terms of stowage, so it's a bit awkward to say the least.

I suppose if you have an integrated baby travel system, you could carry an infant onboard in their carseat, and clip it onto the (collapsible) wheels when you get there (e.g. my Maxi Cosi carseat clips into my Bugaboo pram wheels), but you're not supposed to keep a baby in a carseat for more than a couple of hours, so really, I'd still need to bring the pram!

I really am curious to know how people manage to safely carry infants on trains - I'd love to take a little spin down to Kilkenny on the train some morning with baby, but I've been afraid to chance it as I can't imagine there would be room for the pram! What do Irish Rail recommend these days?

Originally Posted by Colm Moore

On the 22000 class trains, there is a reservable wheelchair space, which is usually occupied by a pram / buggy, not a wheelchair. One such space per 3 carriages, I think. Baby travels free, although if you want to reserve the space (not sure its allowed for prams) its €3 on the internet.

Its a bit hit and miss as to whether the wheelchair space is in the carriage at the front or rear of a 3-carriage train, especially on the Waterford line as the trains may/may not reverse in Kilkenny (some trains bypass Kilkenny). Its the same carriage as has the bike racks. On 6-carriage trains I'm not so sure, but there will be a wheelchair space in first class also (first class price payable). On 2x3 carriage trains, you will have 2 such spaces.

The toilets also have changing tables. It is a little tight for space in the normal toilets, but the wheelchair accessible toilet has generous space. The only potential problem I saw was that it doesn't have a strap to keep baby in place, although at his age, does he really struggle much?

I remember my sister had a detachable pram body - you could use the pram as a baby basket. So she just put it on the table next to her.

For safety reasons (trains are much safer than cars), I'd make sure the pram is up against something solid like a seat or wall that is at the front of the carriage. The rear carriages of the train are the safest.