UK train station’s new free family zone has beach huts and castle play areas
A UK train station was once the world’s largest has opened a new lounge for parents to take the kids.
York Railway Station confirmed the second family-friendly zone will open next month, after the success of the one at London Kings Cross. which opened in 2022.
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The new family lounge is being built by rail operator LNER, with works already staring.
Inside is a children’s play area that’s based on the city’s historic walls with a fake castle.
There will also be beach huts with tabletop games, wall games, soft flooring and crawl spaces.
A series of specially designed murals focusing on York’s famous landmarks will decorate the walls inside the lounge.
Other features are set to include a breastfeeding area for new mums as well as ample seating for the entire family.
The family lounge is due to open in mid-December, giving families travelling for Christmas an additional space to unwind at the Victorian train station.
Colette Casey, LNER’s Customer Experience Director, said: “As a parent, I’m delighted that LNER is introducing Family Lounges with a new space in York our latest addition.
“York is a major hub station for us with millions of customers starting or ending their journeys here each year.
“We constantly strive to deliver improved experiences for all our customers as they travel with us and providing these new facilities is bound to aid that.”
York Railway Station was the largest in the world when it first opened in 1877.
The northern railway station had 13 platforms, a train shed, station buildings and a hotel.
It has undergone several renovations in its 147-year history, with the family lounge being the latest feature to open at the station.
Visitors to York Railway Station have previously raved about their time at the train station, with one person writing on TripAdvisor: “A beautiful historic railway station.”
Another person added: “This is an impressive old train station.”
Even if you aren’t in York, you can head to London Kings Cross Station to see what the lounge is like.
Located next to the Travel Centre in London Kings Cross, the family lounge is accessible for families who are booked on to trains departing from the station.
European Trains with play areas for kids
TRAINS across Europe have special carriages with play areas designed for children complete with slides, climbing equipment, games and TV screens.
Finland
Inter-city trains in Finland have an entire carriage dedicated to tots, with a tiny library, a slide and a wooden toy train children can climb on.
There are other features too, including a wooden bead maze, funky mirrors, and safety gates to keep younger passengers safe.
Norway
Norwegian trains that run on the Bergen Line between Oslo and the Bergen, also have a carriage specifically designed for younger travellers.
Inside the playrooms, passengers will find climbing frames, children’s books, and a TV screen that plays age-appropriate shows.
The carriages also have plenty of space for pushchairs and luggage, and they’re close to changing tables too.
Read more about the jaw-dropping compartments on European trains, here.
Inside are four brightly-coloured beach huts complete with tabletop toys and games.
There’s also a bespoke Hornby train set, keeping both big and little kids entertained, and a soft play area with a slide and a tiny black boulder doubling as a climbing frame.
Other features include a breastfeeding area for new mums, ample seating for the entire family and interactive screens with films.
The lounge can be used by families travelling with any rail operator, not just those who have a ticket with LNER.
Meanwhile, the world’s most beautiful train station is just one hour from the UK, and it is like “travelling back in time to golden age of rail”.
And a derelict train station dating back to 1881 could be transformed into a holiday park.
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