age for solo child travel

[34D]

Prompted in part by this thread I was wondering what age people generally think is appropriate for a child to travel solo by train.

Particularly interested in views from other parents

 

[Muzer]

I would probably say it depends on the journey, and the confidence, knowledge and street-wise-ness of the child in question. I don't think there's one simple answer for this.

I'm not a parent, but I have been a child relatively recently. I was certainly comfortable with commuting to school from the first day I went to secondary school, but I probably wouldn't have been happy with, say, going to Edinburgh on my own for another couple of years!

 

[Metrailway]

I commuted everyday 30+ miles to school via train and underground from the age of 11 by myself.

 

[me123]

Surely it's going to be based on the child rather than simply an age?

I'm reminded of this article I saw, written by a mother who let her 9 year old son ride the NYC Subway alone:

Long story short: My son got home, ecstatic with independence.

Long story longer, and analyzed, to boot: Half the people I've told this episode to now want to turn me in for child abuse. As if keeping kids under lock and key and helmet and cell phone and nanny and surveillance is the right way to rear kids. It's not. It's debilitating — for us and for them.

http://www.nysun.com/opinion/why-i-let-my-9-year-old-ride-subway-alone/73976/

A large part of childhood is about developing independence gradually, rather than keeping children tied to apron strings. As such, traveling independently is an important step for children to take. Sadly, parents are becoming increasingly wary of allowing their children independence. Child abuse is becoming increasingly prevalent in the public eye and, whilst it is still ultimately a very rare occurrence for a child traveling independently to come to any harm, parents are understandably concerned that their child will be a victim. I partly blame The Daily Mail and The Sun and other tabloid journalists, who paint a picture that there's a child sex offender lurking at every corner.

Traveling alone will depend on quite a few factors. Some children travel to school independently from an early age, and may well be accustomed to walking alone and taking the bus by themselves whilst at primary school. For these young children, traveling alone at age 8 (for example) on trains and buses would be wholly appropriate. By contrast, some 10 year olds, or even 12 year olds, may well not be capable of traveling alone if they haven't had that experience.

At a more formal level, the BTP have no official guidelines on an age (although there is helpful advice for parents on their website, here). Redspottiedhankie.com advise that:

Train Operators cannot take any responsibility for children travelling alone and Train Companies will not allow any child under the age of 12 to travel without an adult aged 16 or over. If Train Company staff believe that a child under that age is travelling alone, the British Transport Police will be called for assistance.

Having said that, I can't see this advice on the BTP website, and I have seen children under the age of 12 regularly traveling alone on the Glasgow suburban rail network with no issues whatsoever. Chiltern do, however, post this policy.

I think Virgin Trains East Coast have it just right.

There's no simple answer to this question. Essentially, children shouldn't travel unaccompanied with Virgin Trains East Coast until they are mature enough to understand the unique risks involved with rail travel. Because responsibility for a child remains with the parent, or those acting on behalf of the parent, only they can decide at what age their child is old enough to travel alone. If we notice children travelling unaccompanied and have concerns for the child’s safety, we will contact the British Transport Police for assistance. You'll find some helpful guidance for children travelling alone created by the British Transport Police here

 

[30907]

Mine are now grown up, but they travelled regularly to and from school from year 7, though there were plenty of others doing the same.

I did the same from year 5, with no company, but that was many years ago.

My daughter did a long journey alone just before she was 14, but she was taken and met.

As Muzer says, it depends on the child and the journey. But there's also a cultural issue - I was struck on a recent trip to Germany that primary age children routinely use public transport to and from school unaccompanied.

 

[trainophile]

I've seen quite young children, maybe eight or nine, put on a train by one parent and being met at the other end by someone else. This must be fairly common nowadays with so many separated families. The kids seemed quite happy about it anyway.

 

[TheNewNo2]

I didn't take my first solo rail trip until I was 18. That was the first time I was going home from university, previously I'd never had to take a train anywhere and it wouldn't have been a helpful thing to do anyway.

In regards to the question, I agree with VTEC, there is no "right age", it all depends on the child. The whole American thing I've been seeing a bit more of recently - I think there's a bit too much fear nowadays. It's safer than ever to ride public transport, and crime in general is down. Unfortunately perception of it is up. As an aside, kidnapping children, much like rape, is significantly more likely to be by someone the victim knows than by a random crazy person.

 

[nottsnurse]

...The whole American thing I've been seeing a bit more of recently - I think there's a bit too much fear nowadays...

What "American thing"?

 

[Agent_c]

What "American thing"?

Helicopter parenting. Keeping the child from even the mildest risk, but ultimately raising them to be helpless.

 

[nottsnurse]

Helicopter parenting. Keeping the child from even the mildest risk, but ultimately raising them to be helpless.

And that's solely an "American thing" is it?

As someone from Michigan I can't say that it's something I recognise as being a purely home-grown phenomenon.

Of course this wouldn't fit the narrative that us 'damn Yanks' are responsible for all the world's ills would it?

 

[Andrewlong]

It may be a self confidence thing. Getting my son to take a bus into the centre of Reading took some doing a number of years ago in terms of what with where to get on/off, timetables etc.

Son had to travel to Hammersmith from Reading in April for a uni do and that too required quite a bit of work too. When I was his age I did all my open say trips to uni's and that included going to places all over the place.

 

[HilversumNS]

At the age of 10 (in 1978) I was taken by my mother to the check-in desks at Heathrow to drop off my luggage, then handed my ticket, boarding pass and passport to get on a flight to Amsterdam where my grandfather collected me. Did the reverse trip some weeks later. Can't remember that anyone raised an eyebrow.

I had done the trip about 15 times by then, once with just my sister only (3 years older than me) and the rest with my mother too.

I could also speak both dutch and english.

No way that would work these days, although there was a case of an 11yo getting on a flight in Manchester a few years back without a passport, tickets or boarding pass.

 

[neilmc]

At the age of nine I regularly caught the bus alone from my house to school and to my grandparents. These were local journeys which I had done many times with parents and knew exactly where the stops were. If there had been a rail link instead this would have also been quite appropriate.

At thirteen I was entrusted to go from Leeds to York or Doncaster by myself (I don't think my parents realised I bunked the sheds!) and by fifteen myself and a friend went virtually anywhere on the UK rail network, occasionally staying away overnight. And we didn't have smart phones, GPS devices and the like - just a rail map and maybe a local OS map to guide us.

These days my concern for kids wouldn't be about paedophiles, getting lost or rail safety, but harassment by officialdom.

 

[me123]

At the age of 10 (in 1978) I was taken by my mother to the check-in desks at Heathrow to drop off my luggage, then handed my ticket, boarding pass and passport to get on a flight to Amsterdam where my grandfather collected me. Did the reverse trip some weeks later. Can't remember that anyone raised an eyebrow.

I had done the trip about 15 times by then, once with just my sister only (3 years older than me) and the rest with my mother too.

I could also speak both dutch and english.

No way that would work these days, although there was a case of an 11yo getting on a flight in Manchester a few years back without a passport, tickets or boarding pass.

Airlines do generally manage to facilitate "Unaccompanied Minors" without a big issue. Most airlines have a plan in place that will allow young children to fly without their parents or guardians, generally by accompanying them through the airport and asking their cabin crew to keep a closer eye on them on board the plane. Examples are BA Skyflier Solo, KLM's Unaccompanied Minor service, and Lufthansa's service, to name but three major European airlines who go out of their way to facilitate this, for a small fee of course.

Some airlines, like easyJet and Ryanair, are a bit less helpful in this regard.

Certainly, an 11 year old travelling entirely unaccompanied as you seem to be implying wouldn't really happen nowadays.

The 11 year old taking a trip to Rome with Jet2... well, that was just a bit of a shambles for all involved. Here's the story for those who didn't read it at the time:

An investigation has begun at Manchester airport after an 11-year-old boy boarded a flight to Rome without a passport, boarding card or ticket, by apparently tagging on to another family.

 

[Greenback]

And that's solely an "American thing" is it?

As someone from Michigan I can't say that it's something I recognise as being a purely home-grown phenomenon.

Of course this wouldn't fit the narrative that us 'damn Yanks' are responsible for all the world's ills would it?

It's not an American thing, but in fairness, TheNewNo2 could have been referring to the quoted article from earlier in the thread, rather than accusing an entire society.

 

[Domh245]

Airlines do generally manage to facilitate "Unaccompanied Minors" without a big issue. Most airlines have a plan in place that will allow young children to fly without their parents or guardians, generally by accompanying them through the airport and asking their cabin crew to keep a closer eye on them on board the plane. Examples are BA Skyflier Solo, KLM's Unaccompanied Minor service, and Lufthansa's service, to name but three major European airlines who go out of their way to facilitate this, for a small fee of course.

At the end of year 7 (when i was 12) I flew from Heathrow to Manchester with bmi. When booking, my mum was offered the choice of having me escorted through the airports (for about £50 all in all) but she chose not to do it - saying that she though I was competent enough. Arrived at Heathrow on tube with mum, checked in, and was then accompanied through the airport anyway (at no charge)! Picked up by Aunt at Manchester having been accompanied from plane to arrivals. Likewise the other way a week later, and I even managed to bag a visit to the cockpit after we'd landed. This came after a year of commuting to school on the tram and then up the district line.

Thinking about the people in year 7 now that I see on public transport, I think some would cope fine with a long unassisted journey, but others seem unable to manage the journey to school without someone guiding them! It's not really about age (as most things are) but about the maturity of the individual. Some 10 year olds are more sensible than some 13 year olds!

 

[yorkie]

I would probably say it depends on the journey, and the confidence, knowledge and street-wise-ness of the child in question. I don't think there's one simple answer for this.

Agreed.

I was travelling by train independently for local journeys at 11, but for a journey like London-York I was put on the train at one end and met at the other.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

It's not really about age (as most things are) but about the maturity of the individual. Some 10 year olds are more sensible than some 13 year olds!

Absolutely right, and I know of examples with a bigger age gap than that where the younger one is more sensible.

By the way Fishquinn's adventures across Britain is worth a read (he's 13½)

 

[sidmouth]

What "American thing"?

Killing by kindness; so young adults grow up with no ounce of responsibility or knowledge of risk taking, leading to accidents when they "fledge the nest". We see it here as the "school run" rather than allowing children to walk or catch the bus.

 

[bicbasher]

I did short journeys from the age of 12, then I started travelling down to Hastings and Bexhill on my own from 14.

 

[trainophile]

At the age of nine I regularly caught the bus alone from my house to school and to my grandparents. These were local journeys which I had done many times with parents and knew exactly where the stops were. If there had been a rail link instead this would have also been quite appropriate.

At thirteen I was entrusted to go from Leeds to York or Doncaster by myself (I don't think my parents realised I bunked the sheds!) and by fifteen myself and a friend went virtually anywhere on the UK rail network, occasionally staying away overnight. And we didn't have smart phones, GPS devices and the like - just a rail map and maybe a local OS map to guide us.

These days my concern for kids wouldn't be about paedophiles, getting lost or rail safety, but harassment by officialdom.

That reminded me of a visit to my Irish aunt's family with my sister when we must have been about 10 and 12, if that. All went well (obviously we were delivered to Manchester and collected from Dublin airports) on the outward journey, but upon returning to Manchester a Customs official asked whether we had brought any souvenirs back. We had acquired a few little plastic zoo animals, the sort you might get in cornflake packets, and the guy insisted on us opening our small cases to show him them. I wasn't expecting this at all, and was almost in tears of embarrassment by the time we were allowed through the channel to meet our parents, who of course couldn't work out why I was upset!

 

[johnnychips]

I used to hitchhike when I was fourteen as well as travelling by train and coach all over the place. I vowed that when I could drive I would always pick hitch hikers up. This form of transport has practically vanished: I think I've only picked two people up over the last four years.

On the other hand, I do organise transport training for students with autism, and this is extremely rewarding when you can get a sixteen year old to be able to get to town and college by himself and know what to do if there's a problem.

 

[najaB]

Particularly interested in views from other parents

I'm not a parent, but I can definitely attest that many parents are much more over(?)protective of their children than they were twenty or thirty years ago.

Society has changed a lot as well. I was discussing this case recently with one of my friends. When I was 9 or 10 I would regularly be a mile or more away from home without it being a problem.

Edit: My brother and I travelled together but without an adult on an international air journey when I was about 10 and he was 14 or 15.

 

[Bungle965]

I think that in my case up until about 12 years old I went everywhere with my parents but then, at about 13 I was trusted to go on my own to go almost everywhere on the train the thing that I remember is keep a watchful eye on your surrounding and I always make sure that I have enough battery on my phone so that I can call my parents.

 

[me123]

Society has changed a lot as well. I was discussing this case recently with one of my friends. When I was 9 or 10 I would regularly be a mile or more away from home without it being a problem.

Oh FFS, that story is utterly insane!

If anything, children are probably slightly safer now than they would have been years ago, if for no other reason than most of them will have mobile telephones so that they can contact someone, or be contacted, in the event of an emergency/getting lost/etc. Even 10 year olds.

Allowing a 10 year old to go to a park alone is not a problem, and allowing them to accompany their 6 year old sibling to the park without parental supervision is not really an issue either.

 

[yorkie]

Oh FFS, that story is utterly insane!

Indeed. And if the 10 year old is telling the truth (and we have no reason not to believe him), the police lied to lure them into the car, and lied again :roll: I hope the police are reprimanded for that. Nothing that happens in America really surprises me any more, a lot of bonkers things seem to happen over there.

 

[Caravanman]

Just as a matter of interest, are there any official rules and regs for the age when a child can travel on a train alone?

Edwin

 

[me123]

See my post above.

The BTP don't specify an age, and most TOCs don't seem to, however some sources say a minimum age to be 12. As we've already established, if this is the case, this certainly isn't enforced in practice.

 

[kermit]

Do people think there's any difference travelling by train, bus or tram?

I can't fully remember when I made my first journey by bus / train solo, but certainly was doing so by age 10, for journeys of only a couple of miles

 

[LowLevel]

I take some tiny kids of maybe 9 or 10 short distances to school on some of my trains and they seem perfectly happy and confident. I keep an eye on them and if they're running late for the train or similar will wait for them rather than leaving as I might with an adult but otherwise I don't make any distinction. It encourages them to be independent so I approve entirely.

If I come across a child travelling long distances I do check they're OK and happy though and I've never come across a problem yet.

 

[Jegerpizza]

I don't think you can put an age on when a child is old enough, it depends on the child and how mature the child is and its up to the parent to decide if the child is mature enough. I have been traveling alone by rail since i was 9 (Short journeys to school) and started doing longer journeys to Copenhagen(around 170km) when i was around 12, and now i'm about to do my first flight alone at the age of 14. My brother is 2 years younger than me and not very mature of his age, at his age i was traveling alone to Copenhagen and my parents barely let my brother take the bus alone. It depends on how mature the child and not age, and the only judge to tell when a child is ready is the parents.