Caledonian Sleeper

[ge-gn]

Here's a good one for the fare advisors...

So I'm considering travelling up to Fort William from London with my son on the sleeper in the summer.

Fine. But I am a Safeguarded priv ticket holder, and my son is 4, so does not yet have any facilities, he gains these at 5yo. I fully intend to take advantage of my 75% discount of the travel+berth fare, but the question is, is it possible to get a discount for my son?

I know he can travel for free, sharing my berth. But really he is too big now, and I would end up sleeping on the floor. Or I can pay the public child fare to secure him a berth, but I feel I shouldn't have to pay public fare for him, because he will hold priv travel facilities.

Any thoughts please?

 

[reb0118]

Certain European operators, who offer FIP fares, charge child rates for over fours (AFAIAA). Therefore it may be possible to obtain a FIP card for your son, and if RST are going to issue a FIP card I "think" it is their policy to issue normal staff travel cards too.

I will have to check the above but I'm sure that I did read it in some ATOC (now RDG) blurb a few years back.

Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk

 

[Surreytraveller]

There are no child Priv fares on the sleeper. They pay the same as an adult Priv. Have you obtained the boxes for your child yet? You can obtain them before they are 5. Unless the public child fare is cheaper?

 

[ge-gn]

There are no child Priv fares on the sleeper. They pay the same as an adult Priv. Have you obtained the boxes for your child yet? You can obtain them before they are 5. Unless the public child fare is cheaper?

No I haven't got them yet. I didn't think I needed to until this cropped up. I have checked out the RDG site this evening and it seems indeed I can apply for them now, so I will get on it next week.

Interesting there are no child PRIV fares. Why is that? I estimate an adult fare of around 35-40 quid when I'm planning to go so, I'm not complaining if that's what I have to pay for him!

 

[bb21]

I guess possibly because they still take up a bed, the same as the adult, if required, regardless of age and beds are much more valuable in certain times of the year than seats on trains.

I don't think we can really complain as priv holders with child fares normally capped at £2. It still saves a night in the hotel and I feel quite lucky they still allow privs on sleeper fares. Given how full some trains have been of cranks with travel facilities, they must have made big losses on them and could have very justifiably withdrawn them, or put a quota on like GWR.

 

[ge-gn]

I don't think we can really complain as priv holders with child fares normally capped at £2.

Really?? I didn't know that!

 

[Surreytraveller]

No I haven't got them yet. I didn't think I needed to until this cropped up. I have checked out the RDG site this evening and it seems indeed I can apply for them now, so I will get on it next week.

I think the reason you can obtain child travel facilities before they are 5 is because if travelling abroad there are different age restrictions on when you start paying for children.