Children’s fares on London Underground

[Tallguy]

So, am taking 2 children and their Mum for a day out in London next month. Will be travelling on a weekday, starting about 2pm at either West Ruislip or Ickenham with the first journey to Liverpool Street or that area, second journey will be from Tower Hill back to the starting point, possibly one trip in the middle in Zone 1. I have a PAYG Oyster so no problem for me, the kids Mum will use her contactless bank card which I think is the same fare as PAYG Oyster. The children both Have bank debit cards (contactless) but I don’t know if they will register as children……a paper child’s ticket is a lot more than using some form of contactless or Oyster. The kids rarely go to London and not worth getting them a Zip Oyster as there is an upfront cost and one of the kids turns 16 in May.

Any suggestions how I can get cheap child fares under these circumstances or am I stuck with paper tickets?

If I am stuck with paper tickets should I buy tickets for each journey or is there a child travel card available?

TIA.

 

[JonathanH]

If I am stuck with paper tickets should I buy tickets for each journey or is there a child travel card available?

Given you are travelling from Zone 6, if you are all travelling together, a family travelcard from a station just outside London is likely to provide the best all in cost.

From Iver, this works out at a total of £37.00, as the two children travel for £1 each, and the adult fare is £17.50 each.

 

[Tallguy]

Given you are travelling from Zone 6, if you are all travelling together, a family travelcard from a station just outside London is likely to provide the best all in cost.

Never heard of one of those, got a link to prices and hours of validity please?

 

[JonathanH]

Never heard of one of those, got a link to prices and hours of validity please?

Try the following and change the dates accordingly. (It should come up with a fare for two adults and two children from Iver based on an illustrative travel date of 6 March).

https://ticket.thameslinkrailway.co...heapest=no&step=inward-service&tocSpecific=no

The single adult fare on Oyster from Ruislip or Ickenham to Zone 1 is £3.60 off-peak and £5.60 in the peak.

 

[Tallguy]

Try the following and change the dates accordingly. (It should come up with a fare for two adults and two children from Iver based on an illustrative travel date of 6 March).

https://ticket.thameslinkrailway.com/journeys-list/IVR/0035/2024-03-06T10:00/2024-03-06T19:15/2/2/?departNow=no&realTime=no&searchPreferences=,,,&showAdditionalRoutes=no&showCheapest=no&step=inward-service&tocSpecific=no

The single adult fare on Oyster from Ruislip or Ickenham to Zone 1 is £3.60 off-peak and £5.60 in the peak.

Much cheaper to use PAYG from Ickenham or West Ruislip, really don’t want to go all the way to Iver to then go into Paddington, going the wrong way. Think I will be stuck with paper tickets for the children.

 

[JonathanH]

Much cheaper to use PAYG from Ickenham or West Ruislip, really don’t want to go all the way to Iver to then go into Paddington, going the wrong way. Think I will be stuck with paper tickets for the children.

You don't need to go to Iver! You would just need to pick up the tickets in advance from a National Rail station, for example West Ruislip, or any other convenient station, then travel from Ruislip or Ickenham on the day.

The point is that while the Adult fare of £17.50 is more expensive than PAYG, the child fares are only £1 for unlimited travel in Zones 1-6 after 9.30am.

Based on what you outlined, and assuming everything is off peak, PAYG would be £3.60 + £2.70 + £3.60 = £9.90.

If everyone is paying an adult fare, that comes to £39.60, which is more than £37.00.

The relevant 11-15 child fares using LU paper tickets are £3.30. An 11-15 off-peak travelcard is £7.90.

Whilst the individual fares are all smaller, it soon adds up, and having Travelcards is more flexible. Clearly if the journey is just out and back PAYG will work out cheaper. Indeed, one of the adults using PAYG also saves a bit as the 1-6 cap is lower than £17.50, and the minimum size group for the family travelcard only needs one adult and one child.

 

[Hadders]

If travelling on a weekday I'd buy three adult rate Travelcards from Bushey. Using Groupsave 3 adults travel for the price of 2 so the total would be £33.60 and give total flexibility. The tickets can be purchased online and collected from any National Rail station with a ticket machine.

If the trip is at the weekend then buying Travelcards from Potters Bar reduces the price to £32.40.

It's perfectly allowed for a child to use an adult ticket.

 

[JonathanH]

If travelling on a weekday I'd buy three adult rate Travelcards from Bushey.

There are four people (two adults and two children) travelling. The suggestion of tickets from Iver is cheaper, because the children are £1 each.

 

[Hadders]

There are four people (two adults and two children) travelling. The suggestion of tickets from Iver is cheaper, because the children are £1 each.

Apologies I misread. In that case I agree with the suggestion of Iver.

 

[Alex365Dash]

Given you are travelling from Zone 6, if you are all travelling together, a family travelcard from a station just outside London is likely to provide the best all in cost.

From Iver, this works out at a total of £37.00, as the two children travel for £1 each, and the adult fare is £17.50 each.

Merstham is slightly cheaper at £35.60 total - the two children travel for £2 each and the adult fare is £15.80 each instead.

 

[JonathanH]

Merstham is slightly cheaper at £35.60 total - the two children travel for £2 each and the adult fare is £15.80 each instead.

Ah, good spot.

 

[Adtrainsam]

Worth noting for future trips (especially on weekdays), the Young Visitor Discount can be added onto a standard Oyster card for free at most tube stations - which provides 50% off adult PAYG.

Slightly more expensive than the other options mentioned but is good if children want to travel independently or want to get used to touching in and out.

Scroll down this page: tfl.gov.uk/fares/free-and-discounted-travel/11-15-zip-oyster-photocard