Fold the stroller, carry it as luggage and keep a free hand for the child. On trains and the metro, the real work is stairs, crowds and keeping a toddler close, so plan the carrying before the day starts.
It is normal to feel anxious about a station full of people when a small child is holding your hand. A little planning removes most of it.
How should two adults share the work?
Decide before you arrive who carries what. One adult holds the child and the day bag, and the other handles the stroller and the suitcase.
Keep the day bag light and within reach. It should hold passports, water, snacks, a change of clothes, wipes and any medicine. A child who is tired or wet is harder to manage than any queue.
How does the stroller count as luggage?
Count it as one of your items. The official limit is 20 kg for adults and 10 kg for children, with each item at most 130 cm on C, D and G trains, though bags are rarely weighed[1]. A stroller that folds small is easier to place on a rack or at the end of the car.
Our high-speed rail luggage guide shows what fits. If the stroller is bulky, a baby carrier leaves both hands free and avoids the issue.
How do you handle the station?
Plan for X-ray bag checks at station entrances, and arrive 30 to 40 minutes before departure at major stations[2]. With a small child, arrive earlier than that.
Every child needs their passport, because the platform gates ask for it[3]. Read our security process guide so the steps do not surprise you, and use the arrival time guide to set a calm start time.
What about seats and fares?
Second class has compact seats arranged 2+3 across the car[4]. Seat the child near the window if you can, and keep bags where you can see them. Fares for children depend on the rules for foreign travellers, which our senior and child fares guide explains.
What about the metro?
Check the exit and the lift on your navigation app before you leave the platform. Some stations have lifts, and some only have stairs. Use the transport card or the QR code as set out in the transport card guide, so you are not searching for a wallet with a child on one arm.
For hard stretches, a taxi saves your energy. Our guide to splitting hotel nights with young children helps you cut the number of moves.
What if a child becomes unwell?
Save 120, the number for an ambulance[5]. Keep your hotel name and address in Chinese, and keep any medicine in the day bag.
What should you do next?
Write who carries what, count the bags, and choose the later train if you are unsure. The getting around topic page links the rest of the planning steps.