This is how a family lounge will look when it opens at York Station.
Work has started to create a new LNER Family Lounge which will feature a children’s play area based on York’s historic walls, beach huts with tabletop games, wall games, soft flooring and crawl spaces, and specially commissioned murals focusing on York’s famous landmarks and the city through the ages.
It’s designed to keep children entertained and parents relaxed.
Sofas, wooden bench seating, and coffee tables as well as a comfortable space for breastfeeding are all included in the plans.
Work is due to be completed in December, so families travelling for the Christmas break should be able to explore the new space before their train departs or once they arrive in York.
York’s new Family Lounge is open to passengers travelling with any operator.
It will be the second in the LNER portfolio. Thousands of customers have enjoyed Britain’s first dedicated lounge for families at London King’s Cross since it opened in October 2022.
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.
“We want families to see train travel as an option for them. We hope that this new lounge will provide fun and entertainment for children and a space to relax for parents and carers.”
Before beginning the work, LNER consulted with the Campaign for Family Friendly Trains, a group of parents and carers working for better facilities for children and their families on the UK rail network.
LNER has more tips on travelling with children on its website here.