TfL Child Fares

[Tetchytyke]

I'll be honest, I can't make head or tail of child fares on TfL now.

Eldest is nine and I'm taking her to London. I'll have an F&F railcard. Trying to work out if she needs to pay for travel. One day we're off to Watford (Harry Potter) so guess she will there. But can't work out if she goes free, or if she only goes free with a 5-11 Oyster, or what.

I'm thinking of using the railcard and just buying paper Travelcards, do you think that'll be cheapest?

 

[robbob700]

The TfL website states:
Your child doesn't need a photocard to:

• Travel free on buses and trams
• Travel accompanied by an adult on Tube, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail and some National Rail services including services to Watford Junction.

However, you need to pay for at least 1 child when buying discounted adult tickets with a F&F railcard so sometimes this will be cheaper.

 

[Surreytraveller]

Children under 11 are free on TfL buses and rail, and some National Rail. Children 11-15 need a Zip Oystercard to travel free on buses. Children 11-15 travel child rate on TfL rail, but if they don't have a Zip Oystercard I do not have a clue what they need to do. I think you can get a normal Oystercard for them, and have a child discount added temporarily which expires after 2 weeks. I'm not sure, though. Don't know how a child can get a child fare on a London Bus if they're 11-15 and don't have a Zip Card.
From a fare system that 20 years ago was very simple, TfL have made it extremely complicated.

 

[Hadders]

5-10 year olds get free travel on TfL services, no photocard or ticket needed.
To travel free on LNR services to Watford Junction a 5-10 Zip Oyster Card is needed.

However if you've got a F&F Railcard then it will be cheapest to buy discounted paper tickets for you and your daughter.

 

[causton]

To travel free on LNR services to Watford Junction a 5-10 Zip Oyster Card is needed.

Not true, as stated above by @robbob700 -
"Travel accompanied by an adult on Tube, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail and some National Rail services including services to Watford Junction."

This is very widely known on the line so the child will have no problem travelling for free with an adult.

 

[Hadders]

Not true, as stated above by @robbob700 -
"Travel accompanied by an adult on Tube, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail and some National Rail services including services to Watford Junction."

This is very widely known on the line so the child will have no problem travelling for free with an adult.

Corrected my post

 

[causton]

Corrected my post

Thanks. It is very confusing as per the map posted so even I have to double check every time the destination is not Euston or simply an Underground station!

 

[Hadders]

Thanks. It is very confusing as per the map posted so even I have to double check every time the destination is not Euston or simply an Underground station!

I must admit I checked the map before I posted as well.....

Must try harder

 

[Tetchytyke]

I must admit I checked the map before I posted as well.....

Must try harder

Haha, I looked at that map and couldn't make head nor tail of it either!

I'll be staying at the Premier Inn at Kenton so I'll have to do the sums every day to see if Contactless or a railcard-discounted travelcard is better. For Watford it will be, but not sure for central London.

No wonder I was confused...

 

[IanD]

Kenton to Watford Junction is only £1.80 with contactless (this applies all day except starting between 1600 and 1900 heading North and between 0630 and 0930 on the return which I doubt you will be doing) so probably only cheaper to get the paper ticket if you're doing more travelling the same day.

 

[Tetchytyke]

I'll be travelling more but probably going Kenton-Watford-Kenton, then back to the hotel to drop off all the Harry Potter tat she'll buy then out again.

I have more than one Contactless card though...