Can a child travel on an ADULT ticket?

[87 027]

I'm trying to redeem East Coast Rewards for return tickets from Kings Cross to York for myself and the family via the EC website. If I state 2 adults and 2 children the price comes up as £40, but if I state 4 adults the price drops to zero.

The children are both infant school age but is there anything in the regulations to say they can't travel on an adult ticket?

 

[yorkie]

Yes, that's fine.

 

[John @ home]

is there anything in the regulations to say they can't travel on an adult ticket?

I agree with yorkie that there is nothing to prevent child travelling on an adult ticket.

The children are both infant school age

If a child is aged 5 - 15, your plan to get an adult ticket is probably the best way to use East Coast Rewards points. If a child is under 5 there is no need for a ticket at all.

 

[Roylang]

I wish everybody saw the purchasing of tickets for children so clearly. I once bought a child ticket for my then three year old son and used a friends and family railcard. Two reasons for this, firstly it was cheaper and secondly having a three year old wriggle and fidget on your lap on a long journey is not fun. The train we were catching was normally full and I wanted him to have his own seat.

No problem at the ticket office but the guard (SWT) was having none of it and threatened to call the police, I was astounded. Eventually he let it go, telling me "not to try it on again".

Roy

 

[richw]

Roy, what would the police have done exactly? is it an offence for an under 5 to pay?

 

[robbob700]

The family and friends railcard conditions state

"If the only child in the Family & Friends Railcard group is aged less than five years of age, the Railcard holder must purchase a discounted ticket for that child in order for the accompanying adult(s) to qualify for the discount on their tickets."

so the SWT guard was wrong.

 

[Roylang]

Roy, what would the police have done exactly? is it an offence for an under 5 to pay?

As said by Robbob700 it is no offence, the guard would have ended up looking very silly. The main problem is that threats of police involvement are very frightening for a three year old. I was stunned by the attitude, it is always said that to guarantee a seat for an under five year old you must buy a ticket.

I have wondered if the guard just wanted to me to say sorry and pay him more money. Was he just hoping I would just roll over and accept what he stated as being fact?

Roy

 

[richw]

I have wondered if the guard just wanted to me to say sorry and pay him more money. ?

Roy

How would he of intended to excess a fare of a monetary value, to a zero cost fare? could of been interested

 

[Roylang]

How would he of intended to excess a fare of a monetary value, to a zero cost fare? could of been interested

Not sure, but the cost an adult ticket without the Family and Friends railcard was more than the total cost I had paid for two tickets with it. Would he therefore not be excessing it but claiming I had no valid ticket?

Thankfully it did not get to the point where I could tell exactly what he was trying to do. He just kept telling me that I should not have bought my son a ticket as he was under five and, therefore, should not have used the railcard. I argued back that I was perfectly entitled to buy a child ticket and, therefore, use the railcard as I had a child with me. No way was I going to shift from that position!

Roy

 

[embers25]

"so the SWT guard was wrong"

Surely not SWT guards are never wrong!!!!

 

[LexyBoy]

It's not helped by the fact that on most of the F&F publicity it states that you must be travelling in a group with at least one child aged 5-15. The ability to buy a ticket for an under 5 to be eligible can be quite hidden away. I remember when I bought a F&F Railcard a few months ago I found it quite contradictory and had to re-read the small print to check that it's valid. Of course, staff should know the validity of a national Railcard!

This seems to have changed recently as the F&F website now clearly states that it's valid with an under 5, providing you buy a ticket.