Child Train Tickets

Whether you’re heading somewhere near or far, you can save money on train tickets for children and family with Avanti West Coast.

Save money with family train tickets

It’s easy to buy tickets for your family holiday. Head over to our Train Journey Planner and enter the details of your trip to find the best deals for you. Alternatively, book on our handy mobile app - perfect whether you’re booking in advance or on the go, as you can book tickets and make seat reservations up to 10 minutes before departure. You can save even more money on family trips with a Family & Friends Railcard which gives you up to 33% off adult tickets and a massive 60% off child tickets when you all travel together in Standard Class.

family and child tickets Standard Premium - table space
 

Tips for travelling on trains with children

Whether you’re travelling to visit the grandparents, taking a family holiday, or enjoying a big day out at a theme park, get your trip off to the best possible start with a smooth journey. Here are our top tips for an enjoyable train ride.

Pick a seat

Booking your seats in advance will ensure there’s no stress of looking for free seats when you board the train. Remember that children under 5 won’t have a seat reservation, so you might want to arrive ready to board early -alternatively, you can buy a child ticket for them to guarantee a seat. It’s amazing how a good view can make the journey fly by (for both kids and adults) so you might want to reserve window seats.

It’s also a good idea to ensure you’re close to the toilets. We have one toilet on every carriage, and there are baby changing facilities available -just ask a member of our on-train team if you need a hand finding them.

All of our trains are also equipped with a fully-stocked baby box with all the essentials you might need in case of a little accident, like nappies, baby wipes and tissues. Just let our team know if you need a hand and they’ll be happy to help.

Breastfeeding onboard

Please feel free to breastfeed whilst you’re on board with Avanti West Coast, or whilst you’re waiting to board at one of our stations. If you’d like a little privacy whilst you feed your little one, just ask a member of our train staff.

Steer clear of busy periods

If you don’t need to arrive at your destination by a particular time, you might find it less stressful to travel during less busy periods. If you’re travelling Monday to Friday, try to avoid peak times in the mornings and evenings. Off-peak travel might suit you best.

Weekend evenings also tend to be busier, so try to travel during the day if possible. If there’s a big event taking place, such as a football match or music concert, trains will be crowded, so you’ll have a more comfortable experience for family travel if you book another time slot -then you can just sit back, stretch out and enjoy the journey.

Snack time

We’ve got plenty of tasty options for the whole family when hunger strikes, with plenty of nutritious nibbles for your little ones including fresh fruit, porridge, dried fruit and nut bars and natural fruit juices, as well as more indulgent treats such as cakes, chocolate and biscuits. When lunchtime rolls around, we’ve got lots of nutritious and filling options to keep everyone happy, including sandwiches, bacon rolls and burgers.

Travelling with a pram or pushchair

We know that travelling with the family might mean bringing along a pram or pushchair, and you’re more than welcome to do so on Avanti West Coast services. Please just ensure that they’re folded and stored safely in the luggage compartments on your coach as you travel. Prams and pushchairs shouldn’t be stored in the marked wheelchair spaces, as these are reserved for wheelchair users.

Do I have to pay for my child’s ticket?

If you’re travelling with little ones under the age of five, you don’t need to book a ticket for them as they travel free of charge with a fare paying adult. Bear in mind that this means they won’t have a seat reservation and might have to sit on your knee if the train is busy.

If you want to ensure that they have a seat of their own, you can book a ticket for them at the standard child fare in the usual way, by going online, using the app, booking in person or calling us. All children aged 5-15 can benefit from discounted tickets.

Can children travel alone?

We want to make sure that everyone on our trains is safe and comfortable, so we don’t recommend that children under the age of 13 travel alone. Younger children should only travel on Avanti West Coast trains with an adult.

If our staff see a child alone on one of our trains or they have any concerns, they’ll contact the British Transport Police for help.

If your child is taking a trip on their own, take a look at these helpful tips from the British Transport Police to ensure they get there safe and sound.

Download the Avanti app

When you’re heading on a family road trip (or rail trip!), you want to keep things as simple as possible. That’s where the Avanti app can help you out. You can plan your journey and book tickets and scan your tickets straight from the app, so you don’t need to worry about printing anything off -just show your app at the ticket gate and hop aboard the train!

Download the Avanti app today to make your family trips quick and easy.

Mum-to-be Pass

We know that long train journeys can be tough if you’re expecting, so we want to make it as comfortable as possible for you. If you’re pregnant, just let someone from our station team know before you board the train, and we’ll do our best to get you a seat.

If you’re a regular on Avanti trains, grab one of our Mum-to-be passes from a ticket office to guarantee you a seat every time you take one of our trains. These passes are absolutely free, and if there are no seats available in Standard Class, you might get boosted up to First Class.

Whenever you take one of our trains, just show the Train Manager your Mum-to-be pass along with your National Rail Photocard and your ticket and we’ll be sure to make your journey stress-free and comfortable.

Railcards for Young Adults

Whilst our children’s train tickets offer children aged 5-15 discounted tickets,young adults can also benefit from cheaper train tickets with a railcard.

The 16-17 Railcard gives 16 and 17-year-olds a massive 50% off rail fares across Great Britain. It costs just £30 and can be used for one year or until the cardholder reaches their 18th birthday, whichever comes sooner.

For 16-25-year-olds, there’s also the 16-25 Railcard. For just £30, it gives travellers ⅓ off train tickets for an average saving of £199 per year. Choose to get a year-long card for £30, or buy a 3-year Railcard for just £70 for traveldiscounts right up to the day before your 24th birthday.

Travel in Standard Premium with your family

Before you've bought your ticket, take a look at all the perks you could enjoy by choosing a Standard Premium ticket instead:

  • Roomier seats: Every seat in Standard Premium is a table seat, which means more legroom and extra width so you can sit back and relax.
  • Handy charging points: There’s no risk of losing charge and being without entertainment as all of our Standard Premium seats have plug points.
  • Click and Collect*: Order something tasty, pick it up from the onboard shop.

Ready for the Standard Premium experience? Book your tickets online in the usual way.

* Click and Collect is subject to availability.