What is a travel system?

A travel system is a buggy that includes a rear-facing infant car seat, which can be easily attached to the pushchair and easily removed. They are designed to make it easy to move your baby between your car and buggy without having to take them out of the car seat. 

While travel systems are the most popular buggy buy for first time parents, and car seats are vital safety tools for keeping children secure when travelling in a vehicle, it's important to remember car seats are made to be used in a car, not as a device where your child can sleep at home or on a shopping trip.  

You shouldn't keep him (or her) in the car seat for longer than 2 hours, the exception is if you're using a lie-flat car seat.  But if you're in any doubt contact your car seat manufacturer. 

There's a huge range in travel system prices - from budget to luxury and beyond - so we've ordered these travel systems by price, starting at a bargain £200...

• Travel systems under £400
• £400-£699
• £700-£999
• £1000+

While travel systems may not suit all new parents - they tend to be bulkier than straight buggies - they can be very useful if you're regularly taking your baby in and out of your car and into a pushchair. 

Click on to see our top picks...

• Step-by-step buyer's guide to travel systems
• Best double buggies that are travel system compatible

Mothercare Xpedior complete, £200 with Mothercare infant car seat

A complete 3-in-1 travel system that comes equipped with all the bits and bobs you need, the Mothercare Xpedor represents brilliant value-for-money.

Our reviewer gifted the pushchair an excellent 4 out of 5 stars for its 2-in-1 carrycot, comfort, ease-of-use and durability.

And while the Xpedior may not look very compact, when folded (in two parts) it's flat and even fits in the boot of a compact Mini Cooper! 

It's worth noting that the Xpedior is being phased out by Mothercare and being replaced by the new Roam travel system.  The Roam is very similar to the Xpedior, but it's actually a little more compact.

Read more ... our review of the Mothercare Xpedior

You can buy the Xpedior from most Mothercare stores or online

Hauck London, £259 complete with Hauck Zero Plus car seat

A 3-in-1 system for parents who like to travel light, the Hauck London is the lightest stroller set made by the company. Weighing just under 10kg with the car seat or bassinet attached to the chassis and 8.6kg with the stroller it's a great bet for holidaying with your little ones.

An innovative feature of this travel system is the Carcocoon carrycot which can be used as a lie-flat car seat saving precious time and space in the car.

Other plus points include the Hauck London's versatility - despite the name this buggy handles all sorts of terrain, and the rear and forward facing seat unit which has a whopping 10 seating positions. What's more, its easy to fold which, says our reviewer, makes it easy to use on public transport.

Read the full review of the Hauck London here

You can buy the Hauck London at Tesco, Boots or on Amazon

CuddleCo/Simple Parenting Doona, £299

An innovative take on the travel system, the Doona is actually a car seat that turns into a buggy. The Doona is an award-winning Group 0+ car seat with integrated wheels that can extend or fold away at the touch of a button. 

It’s the first such hybrid car seat/stroller on the market and features safety aspects such as a double wall structure and anti-rebound handle. 

Our MFM reviewer says the Doona is an "easy alternative to a travel system, perfect for out-and-about parents or those short on space". However, the travel system has a limited lifespan as it will only last about 6-9 months. And the Doona can only be used as a pushchair for short trips as it's a car seat first, not a buggy. 

Read the MFM review of the Doona

You can buy the Doona from Argos or Smyths

Mountain Buggy MB Mini, £299.00 with Mountain Buggy Protect infant car seat

Part of the newly updated fleet of pushchairs from Mountain Buggy is the MB Mini travel system. Described as the “lightest and slimmest urban travel system” in its collection, the Kiwi brand has taken the ‘Mini’ literally.

It’s given the MB Mini a smaller footprint, smaller fold, new harness, bigger seat unit, adjustable handlebar and included the car seat in the bundle.

Our MFM mum loved the buggy so much she gave it a great 4.5 out of 5 stars, and said "though it's supposed to be designed only for urban parents, the MB Mini is honestly so great it makes you wonder why anyone would need something heftier."  High praise indeed.

Check out the full Mountain Buggy MB Mini review here.  

You can buy the MB Mini from Kiddicare

ABC Design Chase Zigzag 3-in-1, £269.98 with Obaby 0+ infant car seat

Quick to assemble and fold away this is a travel system for parents who don't have time on their hands - that will be all of us then!

The ABC Design Chase Zigzag 3-in-1 is easy to steer, has a roomy carrycot and is a good bet for longer walks, when a sleep is in order.

At over £400 the Zigzag comes with carrycot, cosy toes, rain cover and change bag and car seat adaptors but you do need to buy the seat separately. And for peace of mind the buggy also comes with a whopping 5 year guarantee.

Read the MFM Obaby Chase 3 in 1 Stroller and Carrycot review

You can buy the Obaby Chase at Argos, on Amazon or Toys R Us

Chicco Urban £494.97 with Chicco Autofix car seat and adaptors

ChiccoOne for busy city parents, the Chicco urban has a 2-in-1 carry cot and seat unit that changes from stroller to travel system in one quick move.

Our reviewer gave the Chicco urban 4 out of 5 stars for its "smooth" handling and its fuss-free design, which is why it's a good choice for mums and dads in a hurry.

A major plus point is this buggy's ability to fold down to a compact package, really quickly.  And because the Urban can be used from birth to when your little one is around 4 years old, it's great value for money.

Read the full Chicco Urban review here

You can buy the Chicco Urban from Toys R Us and on Amazon

Hauck Twister, £499.95 complete with Zero Plus Comfort 0+ car seat

This smart buggy will turn heads with its clever 360-swivel seat design, which makes the switch from rear facing to forward facing simple and quick. Our reviewer was particularly impressed with the Twister's handling - the buggy "glides" along  the pavements and copes pretty well with paths too. Suitable from birth and with a lie-flat seat this is a one bit of kit that will last well into the toddler stage.

The lightweight chassis means that it's easy to carry when folded and because the Twister package includes the bassinet, seat unit and car seat, it's great value for money.

Read the full MFM review of the Hauck Twister

You can buy the Hauck Twister on Amazon

Mutsy Evo, £589.99 with a Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus car seat

This affordable travel system by Dutch manufacturer Mutsy offers stylish good looks and solid design. With a leather handle, metallic-edged hood and funky wheels the Evo looks like it costs twice the price.

Suitable from birth, the Evo comes with a carrycot, seat unit (rear and forward facing) and is compatible with both Maxi-Cosi infant car seats.

Our reviewer thought that the Mutsy was one of the most versatile buggies out there and she was equally impressed with how compact it was when folded down. A bonus feature (that all mums will love) is the extra large shopping basket that will store the contents of a small shop.

Here's what our reviewer had to say about the Mutsy Evo

Click here to buy the Mutsy Evo on Amazon

UPPAbaby Cruz £639.99 with Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus car seat

Labelled the perfect pushchair by mum-of-two Lily Allen, the new, updated UPPAbaby Cruz is a lightweight city travel system that's perfect for negotiating the busy streets and looking stylish too.

Scoring a brilliant 4.5 stars out of 5 in our review, the Cruz is suitable from birth with the addition of the carrycot (sold separately at £164.99) and has a lie-flat seat unit that can be used face rear or forward facing.

A major plus point is the one step fold which allows you to collapse the buggy with (or without) the seat unit attached.

What's more, the Cruz stands when its folded - a nifty space saving feature. Weighing in at just under 10kg with the seat unit on the Cruz is a good bet if you spend time getting in and out of the car.

Read the full UPPAbaby Cruz review here

Click here to buy the UPPbaby Cruz on Amazon

BabyStyle Oyster 2, £646 with Be Safe izi Go x1 car seat

An updated version of the best-selling buggy that we've come to love, the BabyStyle Oyster comes as a single buggy but has scope to become a travel system by adding a carrycot and a car seat - with adaptors of course.

Features include a lie-flat seat that's suitable from birth, which can also be rear or forward facing. The chassis is relatively narrow, so if you spend a lot of time getting on and off buses or at the shops this buggy could work for you.

The height adjustable handle means that all the family can push and despite needing two hands, the folding system is relatively simple. Available in a whopping eight colour options and compatible with a range of car seats including Oyster, Maxi-Cosi and Britax.

Check out the full review here

Click here to buy the BabyStyle Oyster 2 on Amazon

Jané Epic, £649.99 complete with Jané KOOS car seat

Jané created the first folding pushchair in 1932. Since then the Spanish company has developed a reputation for creating innovative products, including the first reclining buggy and the first lie-flat, Group 0 car seat.

The Epic is a truly versatile buggy that's equally at home on urban pavements and on off-road paths. It has fantastic handling, a lightweight chassis and the ability to fold with the seat unit facing forwards or to the rear! 

The Epic comes with a separate bassinet, that can be used for overnight sleeping.  And the lightweight Koos car seat is "noticeably lighter than other infant car seats," says our reviewer.  

Read the full review of the Jané Epic

Click here to buy the Jané Epic on Amazon

Silver Cross Surf £680 with Silver Cross Simplicity car seat

Fine-tuned to tackle off-road life this travel system that's ready for the outdoors with its chunky tyres, extra high chassis clearance and a suspension system borrowed from mountain bike technology.  

Suitable right from birth to around 13kg the Silver Cross Surf has a reversible seat unit with 3-position seat recline (including lie-flat), and an adjustable 4-position handle making it a comfortable push for tall and small parents alike.

Compatible with a range of car seats including Silver Cross’ own Simplicity infant car seat and Maxi-Cosi and Britax baby chairs (you'll need adaptors).

You can get the Silver Cross Surf chassis, carry cot and seat unit for £550. But to make it a travel system you'll need a car seat, and Silver Cross’ own Simplicity infant car seat cost £130, so that's £680 all in. 

Read our review of the Silver Cross Surf

Buy the Silver Cross Surf from John Lewis

Mountain Buggy Duet, £866.99 with Mountain Buggy Protector car seat

A double buggy that is as slim as a single buggy, the Mountain Buggy Duet is 63cm wide and yet it can fit two infant car seats on the chassis, side-by-side. 

The award-winning buggy is great for rougher terrain, a joy to push and steer and although narrow, still very comfortable for little ones.

Check out the full Mountain Buggy Duet review

Click here to buy the Mountain Buggy Duet on Amazon

Bugaboo Bee 3, £873.94 with Britax Baby Safe II car seat

The much anticipated Bugaboo Bee 3 hit the shops at the end of last year and it didn't disappoint.

Designed for parents who want to lead a fast-paced, urban life with their little ones in tow, this buggy has a light, solid-bottomed carrycot that fits to the pushchair with unique adaptors.

Rear and forward facing the Bee 3 features a larger under-seat basket and an extendable sun canopy offering UPF+ 50 protection. The one-stage fold is easy and quick to use and the buggy can be collapsed with the seat unit still attached.

And like other pushchairs in the Bugaboo collection, the Bee 3 is travel system compatible with Britax, Maxi-Cosi, Cybex and Bebe Confort car seats.

Read the review of the Bugaboo Bee 3 here

Buy the Bugaboo Bee 3 from John Lewis

UPPAbaby Vista, £889.99 with Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus car seat

A Bronze award winner in the 2015 Prima Baby Awards this travel system was rated for its versatility - as well as being a top notch single travel system.  

The Vista can be converted from a single buggy into a two-seater, to accommodate twins or two children.  And if that wasn't enough, it also includes a bug shield, rain shield, bassinet storage bag, large canopy with a SPF50+ sunshade and Maxi Cosi/BeSafe iZi Go Car Seat Adaptors - result!

Read the full UPPAbaby Vista review

Buy the UPPAbaby Vista from John Lewis

Cosatto Ooba, £895 (inc changing bag) with Cosatto Hold car seat

A bright, sturdy, statement 3-in-1 buggy the Cosatto Ooba comes with a carrycot and has the potential for adding the Cosatto Hold car seat. The bold design of the Ooba suggests that it's most at home on the urban streets but thanks to easy handling and its superior suspension, parkland paths are no problem either.

A 'click in' mechanism allows you to swap out the carrycot and carseat, without the need of any adaptors. Although our reviewer found this a little fiddly, with practice it was easy to get to grips with. And the nifty, two-step folding mechanism is easy to use.

Read the full Cosatto Ooba review here

Click here to buy the Cosatto Ooba on Amazon

Joolz Geo, from £974 (single version) with Cybex Aton Q car seat

A sleek pushchair, the Geo is the only double buggy made by Dutch parenting company Joolz. It can be used from birth with carrycot and from around six months with the seat unit attached.

A simple slide and click mechanism transforms this buggy from single to double, while many of the Geo's features such as unlocking the bumper bar, adjusting the handlebar or pushing the buggy, can be done one handed (folding the Geo is a two handed job though).

Price-wise it's costly; the Joolz Geo mono (single) configuration (chassis, cot, seat and xl shopping basket) costs £974.  The duo (chassis, upper seat, lower cot and seat and xl shopping basket) costs £1,174.  While the twin (chassis, upper seat and cot, lower cot and seat and xl shopping basket) costs £1,274.

Read our full review of the Joolz Geo here

Buy the Joolz Geo from John Lewis

iCandy Peach 3 £1000 with Maxi-Cosi Cabriofix car seat and carrycot, Blossom (twin version) £1189.98

The Peach 3 is the latest 3-in-1 model from must-have brand iCandy, whose celebrity fans include Tamara Ecclestone and Jacqueline Jossa. Designed using tips from the aeronautical industry, this is a robust and stylish buggy which our reviewer says is "a dream to push and manoeuvre".

As a single buggy, the Peach 3 can be used with carrycot, seat unit or car seat but what rocks about this third generation Peach is the ease with which it converts from single to a double buggy - known as the Peach 3 Blossom. You simply attach the second seat or carrycot with the clips supplied. Like a Land Rover, the Peach 3 is equally at home on the city streets and off road on the parks and paths.

Read the full review of the iCandy Peach 3 Blossom here

Buy the iCandy Peach 3 Blossom from John Lewis

Stokke Crusi £1094 with Stokke iZi Go By BeSafe Car Seat

A stylish travel system that's great for first time parents who need to feel confident using a buggy straight away, the Stokke Crusi easy-to-use, quick to fold and durable.

Known for having a seat unit that sits high on the chassis, the Crusi has three seat recline positions and can be used both rear and forward facing. 

It's also a convertible buggy, meaning it can be switched to a tandem buggy with the addition of a sibling seat - one of the reasons our MFM reviewer gave it the best score possible; 5 out of 5 stars. 

Here's the full review of the Stokke Crusi

Buy the Stokke Crusi from the Stokke website

Cybex Priam, £1280 with Cybex Cloud Q car seat

A Gold award winner in the Prima Baby Awards 2015. German manufacturer Cybex has created a high-tech travel system that folds down in a two-step process and can be reclined with one hand, leaving the other free to hold a toddler's hand, clutch your shopping bags, or guzzle that must-have coffee.

This is a high-end, luxury travel system with the option to customise the wheels to your favoured terrain and to choose the car seat and carrycot from a range of colours. Suitable from birth to around 13kg the basic price just for the pushchair is £790 but there's a full range of options available to upgrade your Cybex one step further.

Read our full Cybex Priam review

Buy the Cybex Priam from Mothercare

Read more...

• 10 of the best convertible pushchairs
• Best new pushchairs to buy in 2016
• Buyer's guide to buggies
• Is this the car seat you’ll have next year?