Pushchairs on trains and ferries
Key facts
Short answer: yes, pushchairs are allowed on UK trains and Eurostar (free, on top of your luggage), and rules are much more relaxed than on planes. Under-5s ride UK trains free, under-4s ride Eurostar and P&O Ferries free.
Taking the train or ferry instead of flying is one of the easiest ways to cut a family trip's footprint, and the pushchair rules are usually far more relaxed than on planes.
From each operator's own website. Brittany Ferries, Condor Ferries, Wightlink and Red Funnel: Last checked: 30 Oct 2026. Other operators: last checked October 2026. Rules change, so check before you travel.
| Operator | Babies' fares | Pushchair | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Rail (UK trains) | Under 5s free on most journeys | Allowed | A free under-5 can't take a seat a paying passenger needs; buy a child ticket to reserve one |
| Eurostar | Under 4s free, on an adult's lap | Folding pushchair, pram or buggy free, on top of your luggage | One infant per adult; a passport is still needed |
| P&O Ferries | Under 4s free on all routes | No luggage restrictions; on foot, keep your bags with you | Add infants as passengers when you book; see P&O Ferries with a baby |
| DFDS | Dover fares are per car with up to five people; no infant fare published (Oct 2026) | No luggage limit by car; on foot (Newhaven) one hand-luggage piece each | Dover routes are car only; a cabin can take one extra child under 4; see DFDS with a baby |
| Stena Line | Infants up to 3 free on all routes | Allowed; staff help with prams | Free cabin cot/side protectors if pre-booked; see Stena Line with a baby |
| Irish Ferries | Under 4s included in the adult fare | No luggage limit by car; on foot from Dublin or Holyhead, pushchairs carried as the one loose item | No cots on Irish Sea routes; €11 cabin cot on Dublin–Cherbourg; see Irish Ferries with a baby |
| Brittany Ferries | Infants aged three and under free | A small, easily folded pushchair recommended (limited space in the garage, lifts and cabins) | Cabin cot (up to 24 months) can be pre-booked for a charge, or bring your own if it fits |
| Condor Ferries | Not stated by the operator | Fully collapsible pushchairs allowed; bring a pushchair or a car seat into the passenger area, not both | Not every ferry has a lift; cots can be added to cabins |
| Wightlink, Red Funnel, Hovertravel (Isle of Wight) | 0 to 4 free on all three | Wightlink: no foot luggage limit, wide gate for pushchairs; Red Funnel: 2 suitcases and 1 hand item each; Hovertravel: 30 kg each | Car passengers leave the vehicle during the crossing; see Isle of Wight ferry with a baby |
Sources
- National Rail: train travel with children
- Eurostar: pushchairs, prams and buggies, under-4s
- P&O Ferries: Dover to Calais passenger information, travel information (no luggage restrictions)
- DFDS: Rosslare to Dunkirk FAQ, customer service FAQs
- Stena Line: family ferry travel, age categories
- Irish Ferries: terms and conditions (under-4s in the adult fare), foot passenger luggage, booking cots
- Wightlink: travel FAQs (luggage, pushchair gates); Red Funnel: luggage and bicycles; Hovertravel: on-the-day FAQs (30 kg luggage)
- Brittany Ferries: family travel, Pont-Aven accommodation (cot up to 24 months)
- Condor Ferries: pushchair FAQ, cabin cots
Tips for trains
- Book a table seat if you can. You'll get more room for feeding and changing.
- Under-5s can't hold a seat for free. On busy trains, a child ticket guarantees one (National Rail).
- Lifts and step-free access: check your stations before you go. A light, one-hand-fold pushchair makes stairs and busy doors much easier.
- Eurostar: fold the pushchair for the journey and keep your baby's passport to hand. More in our Eurostar with a baby guide.
- Overnight trains: on the Caledonian Sleeper, a folded pushchair goes in a secure area in the seated coach, and travel cots don't fit the rooms. More in our sleeper trains with a baby guide.
Tips for ferries
- Foot or car passenger? Car passengers can leave the big pushchair in the car, but check whether you can go back to the car during the crossing. If not, take a sling or a small buggy for the passenger decks.
- Overnight crossings: ask whether a cot can be added to your cabin, and bring baby bedding.
- Stena Line: infants up to 3 travel free; pre-book a free cabin cot or side protectors. More in our Stena Line with a baby guide.
- DFDS: Dover crossings are car only, and on the overnight Newcastle ferry travel cots are allowed only in Commodore cabins, so ask for bed rails. More in our DFDS with a baby guide.
- P&O Ferries: there are no luggage restrictions, but foot passengers from Dover must carry everything on board, as there's no baggage reclaim. On the overnight Hull–Rotterdam ferry, ask for a cabin with a cot. More in our P&O Ferries with a baby guide.
- Irish Ferries: foot passengers from Dublin or Holyhead check big bags onto a carousel and can't reach them during the crossing, but the pushchair can come with you. Cots are only offered on the overnight Dublin–Cherbourg ferry. More in our Irish Ferries with a baby guide.
- Isle of Wight ferries: Wightlink has a wide gate for pushchairs at Portsmouth Harbour and Ryde and no foot luggage limit, but you carry your own bags. Red Funnel allows 2 suitcases and 1 piece of hand luggage each, and trolleys can't go on board. More in our Isle of Wight ferry with a baby guide.
- Baby food and milk: pack enough for delays.
FAQ
Can I take a pushchair on a UK train?
Yes. National Rail allows pushchairs, and under-5s travel free on most journeys, but a free under-5 can't take a seat a paying passenger needs. Buy a child ticket if you want a guaranteed seat (National Rail).
Do babies pay on UK ferries?
On most routes, no. P&O Ferries and Irish Ferries include under-4s free, Stena Line and Brittany Ferries carry infants aged 3 and under free, and Wightlink and Red Funnel carry 0 to 4s free. Condor Ferries doesn't state an infant fare on the pages we checked.
Can I take a pushchair on Brittany Ferries?
Yes. Brittany Ferries recommends a small, easily folded pushchair, because space is limited when you leave the car in the garage, in the lifts and in cabins (Brittany Ferries: family travel).
Can I take a pushchair and a car seat on Condor Ferries?
Not both into the passenger area. Condor says you may bring one of the two on board; the other can stay in the car or be checked in as luggage (Condor Ferries).
Can I get a cot on an overnight ferry?
Often, if you ask. Brittany Ferries lets you pre-book a cabin cot for a charge, Condor lets you add a cot to a cabin, and Stena Line offers free cabin cots if pre-booked. For hotels the night before, see our hotel cot policies.
Why it's the eco choice
There are no airline cabin-size limits to meet, so you can keep the pushchair you already own instead of buying a "travel" one. See packing light with kids.
Back to trains and ferries.
Last checked and updated: · Kiddieko · How we check facts
