Many parents will know about the potential problems with taking prams and pushchairs on public transport - and this is where baby carriers can come in.

According to Great Railway Journeys (GRJ), travelling by train could be the least stressful way of enjoying a break this summer.

The tour operator explained that it is a "more civilised" way of reaching a destination - and that the trip itself could be part of the holiday.

Marketing manager Richard Adams remarked: "Holidaying by rail means that the journey is a key part of the experience - the journey is just the start of the adventure and not just a means of 'getting there'."

He added that train trips are kinder to the environment than plane or car travel.

It appears tourists may share Mr Adams' enthusiasm for train travel - GRJ's bookings at the end of May 2010 were up 48 per cent on May 2009.

According to the firm, many passengers are first-timers who have been put off air travel by the volcanic ash cloud disruption that has hit airports across the UK and Europe.

Posted by Eileen KirkADNFCR-3005-ID-19850943-ADNFCR