Child train tickets
Child train tickets offer fantastic discounts for kids aged between 5 and 15 travelling on the UK rail network. This page will take you through how to book train tickets for children (it's really easy), the various discounts available if you're travelling with kids, plus a few other ways to save money as a family.
View train times and book tickets using our Journey Planner, or read on for useful information on how to get the best deals on child train tickets.
Railcards for travelling with children
Planning to travel by train with your kids? If you're travelling with children aged 5-15, we recommend you get a Family & Friends or Network Railcard – they both allow you to get 1/3 off adult train tickets when you travel with 1-4 children, plus kids get 60% off!
Family & Friends
Railcard
For up to four adults and four children (5-15 years old)
Adults get 1/3 off, children get a 60% discount. At least 1 adult and 1 child must travel together. Conditions apply
Great for:
Anyone who travels in groups with children – no relation necessary
1- or 3-year validity available
Save £20 with a 3-year Railcard
Digital only
Railcards live in your account in the Trainline app so you can use them on any of your compatible devices. No download codes are needed!
Network
Railcard
£30
For travellers in the South-East of England
Get 1/3 off travel after 10:00 am (and any time on weekends and public holidays). Applies only to journeys starting and ending in the South-East Network Railcard zone.
For up to four adults and four children aged 5-15
Children get 60% off
Great for:
Commuters and Londoners
Digital only
Railcards live in your account in the Trainline app so you can use them on any of your compatible devices. No download codes are needed!
Railcards for young adults
Are you 16 or over? Save up to 50% on train travel with a 16-17 Saver.
16-17
Saver
For ages 16-17
Passengers get 50% discount on most tickets, including seasons
Great for:
School and college students
Digital only
Railcards live in your account in the Trainline app so you can use them on any of your compatible devices. No download codes are needed!
The 16-17 Saver Railcard is a great option for if you have just turned 16, meaning the savings don’t stop at your 16th birthday. It costs just £30 and offers 50% off train travel for a year.
You can buy Railcards directly through Trainline and store them in our app, meaning there’s no fumbling around for your paper Railcard when the ticket inspector walks by! And once it expires, move on to a 16-25 Railcard for a third off rail travel until your 26th birthday.
50% off train tickets for children aged 5-15
Kids aged 5-15 benefit from a 50% discount on the price of a full adult ticket.
Children aged 5 to 15 inclusive get half-price fares for most tickets across the UK rail network. If your child is 4 or under, they can travel for free alongside a fare-paying parent or guardian.
If it’s a service with seat reservations, a child with a discounted ticket is eligible to reserve a ticket, just like any ticket holder. Kids aged under 5 can only occupy a seat if it is not required by a fee-paying passenger. If all spaces are occupied, they’ll have to sit on your lap.
The 50% discount for children applies equally to single and return tickets. For children who look 16 or older, it’s wise to bring along a form of ID to avoid any embarrassing conversations with the ticket inspector – they may want to verify that the child is eligible for discounted travel.
How to book child train tickets
Buying child tickets on Trainline is super-simple.
We’ve made it really easy to add children to your booking, or book stand-alone child tickets. Here’s how you do it:
- Use the Journey Planner at the top of the page to enter your origin and destination.
- Click on the passenger picker, just above the Search button.
- Add the child to your booking and click ‘Done’.
- Hit the Search button to see all the available times and tickets for your chosen route.
Fixed-price fares for families
As well as discounted child tickets, some train companies offer heavily discounted fares for families. Read on for more details or check out our dedicated page to family train tickets. These can often work out cheaper than buying separate child and adult tickets, and the prices are fixed, meaning they’re the same on the day as a month in advance. We will automatically display these fares where available, so you won't have to go searching for them!
Great Western Railway - Family Tickets from £19
For journeys between popular GWR stations and London.
Avanti West Coast - Family Tickets from £73.80
For West Coast Mainline journeys to or from London.
LNER - Family Tickets from £99
For journeys between popular LNER stations and London.
£1 and £2 train tickets for kids
Several train companies offer £1 (or Kids for a Quid) fares and £2 tickets for kids when travelling with an adult on an Off-Peak service – brilliant value! Have a look at our curated list of £1 and £2 kids ticket offers.
Southeastern - Kids travel for just £1
For Off-Peak travel on any Southeastern route not wholly within Zones 1-9.
Thameslink - Kids travel for just £2
For Off-Peak travel on any Thameslink route not wholly within Zones 1-9.
Southern - Kids travel for just £2
For Off-Peak travel on any Southern route not wholly within Zones 1-9.
Great Northern - Kids travel for just £2
For Off-Peak travel on any Great Nothern route not wholly within Zones 1-9.
London Northwestern Railway - Kids travel for just £1 with a family Travelcard
For Off-Peak travel on any London Northwestern route into London Zones 1-6.
West Midlands Railway - Kids travel for just £1 with a family Travelcard
For certain West Midlands Railway services into London Zones 1-6.
Tips for travelling with toddlers
Bringing prams on the train
Buggies and prams are welcome on board trains in the UK. While there aren’t dedicated storage space for buggies, you can fold them up and place them in the overhead luggage storage. Train company staff will be on hand on the platform to help you load your buggy on to the train. Some train companies allow buggies to be stored in empty wheelchair spaces, but wheelchair users will always take priority. Be sure to check with staff on the train that you’re allowed to do so on your service.
Baby changing facilities on board
Most train toilets have baby-changing facilities, as do train stations. Newer trains, such as LNER’s Azuma fleet, have nappy changing facilities in all the toilets, whereas older trains may have one or two toilets with appropriate facilities.
You can check in advance whether a station has baby changing facilities on our Stations information pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to some of our customers’ frequently asked questions about train tickets for children.
What ages qualify for child train tickets?
Children between 5 and 15 inclusive are eligible for child fares, which offer a 50% discount on full-price tickets. Children aged 4 or under travel for free with an accompanying adult.
Are there Railcards for children?
Railcards for young people begin at the 16-17 Saver Railcard, which offers 50% off train travel for a year. Children aged 15 and below already benefit from heavily discounted tickets, so unfortunately, they aren’t eligible for Railcards yet!
Do families travelling together get discounted tickets?
Yes, certain train companies – such as LNER and Avanti West Coast – offer discounted fixed-price family fares for adults travelling with kids. Southeastern run a ‘Kids for a Quid’ offer on selected routes, while Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern offer £2 child tickets when travelling with an adult.