How hard is it to navigate public transportation with a stroller? My main concern is the subway in Munich. Are there usually elevators available? Or will I want to fold up the stroller (it's a lightweight umbrella-style) to go down escalators instead? And can I just roll him onto a subway in the stroller? My biggest concern is taking the train/subway from the Munich airport into the city to our hotel. We'll have the stroller + suitcases. We'll NEED to keep him in the stroller for that trip! I'm not too worried about trains & we only plan to take a bus once. We'll obviously have to fold up the stroller to get on the bus. Thanks for any tips or help! I'm just nervous about it. :)
Posted by
Lewiston, Idaho, USA
2092 posts
Karin--your greatest concern, taking the subway from the airport, maybe should be a taxi or shuttle? Especially after a long flight and feeling disoriented, it might be a good idea, realizing that it will be very expensive but safer. (I'm disappointed in myself...In my journal I noted everything about the taxi such as speed, very nice Mercedes, but not the price! I would guess 50E in June, 2001.
You don't say how old your son is but have you considered putting him in a backpack and using a rolling bag instead? I carried my kids on my back till they weighed 30lbs (& I weighed 120!) although I do realize some people don't like backpacks.
Enjoy your adventure!
Posted by
OP
Cary
15 posts
He's 3 years old & 35 lbs -- so no backpack. :) We mostly need the stroller just to keep him safe & under control. ha. And we're not bringing a car seat - we're going to be able to get by without getting in a car during our trip, so that's why I want to take the train. I know we can handle our luggage... I just don't know how hard it is to get a stroller through the subway system. But we'll need to do that on other days too (but without luggage those times!). In either case... I'm wondering how hard it is to get around a subway with a stroller. :) Thanks!
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19156 posts
The MVV (Munich transit) website (www.mvv-muenchen.de) has several maps showing the facilities for disabled (behinderte). It appears that there are lifts in almost every station, in particularly in the S-bahn stations at the airport and at the Hbf.
http://efa.mvv-muenchen.de/mvv/netzplan_Umgebung.htm is a map of the S- and U-bahn system. Each station name is a link to a map of that station, and you can find on the map where the lift is.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19156 posts
I have never been on a U-bahn in Munich, but I have been on many S-bahn, and as I remember, the car floors are at the same height as the platform. One of the MVV maps actually lists stations where the car floor and platform are not even (only three) and tells what the difference is.
However, most regional trains will have several steep steps from the ground up to the car floor.
Posted by
OP
Cary
15 posts
We have already taken our trip, and it went fairly well in terms of the stroller. However, there is not ALWAYS an elevator where you want to go. Our hotel was directly connected to the subway system, but from that subway entrance, there was no elevator! This really did pose some problems (when we had suitcases, etc.). The alternative was to walk outside with our suitcases to another entrance to the subway, where there was an elevator. Point being... we managed, but when dealing with a stroller and suitcases, it was definitely a trick (and a little scary!)! We often saw an elevator at each station, but it wasn't always in the correct location for where we were trying to go. (When we didn't have suitcases with us, one of us would carry my son & the other would carry the stroller & we'd head up the escalator instead.)
Posted by
Kingston, MA, USA
54 posts
DONT WORRY i used to work for the munich subay/Ubahn and there was never ever a issue about stroller. There is either a elevator or escallators. The subway taking you in from the airport is the same that station was build brand new.
The only issue might be
stay on the right and let peole pass on the left if you block the way for other people to pass you you might get some crancy bavarians
Nothing to worry about ;Germany has lots of strollers and lots of kids .
Posted by
Seattle
22 posts
Karin, I just returned from Munich and saw plenty of locals with strollers and they seemed to have no problems. You can just roll that stroller straight onto the subway car and stand with it in the open area near the doors. We tended not to sit down on the subway, so I remember standing and smiling at lots of babies in strollers. Just be mindful of any gaps stepping onto the subway car.