Travelling with children in London

[pdq]

Hello,
I've looked at the TFL guidance for travelling with children in London, and find it confusing about who pays for what under which conditions - so sure the gurus here can help.

In a couple of weeks we'll be driving to Sidcup, where we will leave the car. On Saturday morning we will get the train from Sidcup to London (Charing X I assume) then Tube to South Kensington. Later we'll get the tube from South Ken to Victoria, then train to Shortlands or Bromley South. Finally, back to Sidcup by bus(es).

There will be 2 adults and 2 children. Children are 10 (nearly 11) and 7 and we have a F&F railcard. I have a PAYG Oystercard - I assume my wife will use contactless.

So, do our children travel free without any form of ID (particularly as son is approaching 11 - and it appears that 'under 11' is the rule). If so, how do they get through the gates?

Thanks in advance.

 

[blakey1152]

Hello,
I've looked at the TFL guidance for travelling with children in London, and find it confusing about who pays for what under which conditions - so sure the gurus here can help.

In a couple of weeks we'll be driving to Sidcup, where we will leave the car. On Saturday morning we will get the train from Sidcup to London (Charing X I assume) then Tube to South Kensington. Later we'll get the tube from South Ken to Victoria, then train to Shortlands or Bromley South. Finally, back to Sidcup by bus(es).

There will be 2 adults and 2 children. Children are 10 (nearly 11) and 7 and we have a F&F railcard. I have a PAYG Oystercard - I assume my wife will use contactless.

So, do our children travel free without any form of ID (particularly as son is approaching 11 - and it appears that 'under 11' is the rule). If so, how do they get through the gates?

Thanks in advance.

For under 11's to travel free they need to have a ZIP card (The 5-10 and 11-15 version of the adult Oyster card)

You might well be better off just buying all zone Travelcards for all 4 of you using your F&F railcard as you will pay £20.60 for all 4 of you (£8.00 each for the adults and £2.30 each for the child tickets)

You won't have to worry about Oyster PAYG capping - which caps at £12.10 per adult then either.
Blakey

 

[tony_mac]

For under 11's to travel free they need to have a ZIP card (The 5-10 and 11-15 version of the adult Oyster card)

Just to clarify - that's just for the national rail services. They would be free on other modes of transport without the ZIP card.
The travelcard option will be a bit cheaper - and definitely easier to work out!

(FWIW, you are supposed to ask staff to open the gates for children - in practice people just shepherd them though the wide gates and nobody pays any attention)

 

[pdq]

Thanks - will get travelcard to keep life simple.

But for my own interest, are Sidcup and Bromley South part of London Overground or only National Rail? It's 13 years since I lived in SE London and a lot has changed.

Sent from my HTC One M8s using Tapatalk

 

[Romilly]

Victoria-Bromley South and Charing X/Cannon Street-London Bridge-Sidcup are National Rail.

 

[Haywain]

Sidcup and Bromley South are National Rail stations but not operated by London Overground. However, London Overground is also a National Rail operator although the franchise is awarded and managed by Transport for London.

 

[pdq]

Thanks all. For some reason I thought all outer London services had been brought under the overground brand.

 

[button_boxer]

However, London Overground is also a National Rail operator

... although they don't like to admit it