Child travel, including Kids for £2

Children aged 5 to 15 can travel with a child ticket. Children under 5 travel for free with a fare-paying adult. Additionally, those aged 16 and 17 can save 50% on most rail fares with a 16-17 Saver Railcard.

Yes, proof of age may be requested during travel, especially for older children near the age limit. To make this easier and avoid parents worrying about children carrying passports or birth certificates, we can issue a free child-rate photocard as valid proof of age at any of our Ticket Offices.

Yes. Railcards like the Family & Friends Railcard offer additional discounts on child tickets.

Children under 5 can travel free, provided they don’t require a separate seat and are accompanied by a fare-paying adult.

Yes, you can buy Child tickets at any of our ticket offices.

• Kids for £2 flat fares are available on most journeys outside of London Zones 1-9 on train services operated by Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink*
• Travel is not permitted on other operators including London Underground services unless the ticket is a One Day Travelcard
• A Kids for £2 One Day Travelcard can only be used on other operators' services within London Zones 1-6
• Adults holding a Season ticket can also take up to 4 children for £2 each, as long as it’s at Off-Peak times and covers the journey being made
• Available on standard class tickets only
• Kids for £2 tickets are only valid when travelling with an adult passenger, who holds a valid rail ticket for the journey being made
• Kids for £2 tickets are not valid if the adult passenger is paying for their travel using keyGo or Pay-As-You-Go with an Oyster card, mobile device, or contactless card

Kids must be accompanied by an adult carrying one of the following train tickets:

• Season or Travelcard Season ticket
• Off-Peak or Super Off-Peak Single or Return tickets
• One Day Travelcards
• Advance tickets

*For journeys between Brighton, Gatwick Airport and London on the Brighton Mainline, so long as the adult ticket is valid for travel on Gatwick Express and Thameslink train services, they can be used on these trains as well as Southern services. If the accompanying adult’s ticket is specifically limited to one service (ie Southern only), the children’s tickets are subject to the same restriction.

Kids for £2 tickets are available when starting or ending your journey outside London Zones 1-9. If you're travelling entirely within London Zones 1-6 the 5-10 or 11-15 Oyster Card, which caps the off-peak price, may be a better option. Learn more

You can book adult and Kids for £2 tickets online or at a ticket machine. If you already have your adult ticket, you’ll need to buy your Kids for £2 ticket at a ticket office.

Children traveling unaccompanied by an adult will need to pay the normal child fare – 50% of the adult fare.

Find out more about Kids for £2 flat fare terms and conditions on the National Rail website.