Proof of age for a child's train ticket

[Bestseller]

DS2, 15yo, is to do his first solo long train journey, a six hour trip.

I've booked him a seat and a child's ticket. I'm worried about him being challenged about his age - unfortunately I've seen it happen where those in a position of some authority use it unfairly/unkindly against young teens.

So, I was thinking I'll send him with his passport, just in case but do you think a photocopy would be good enough?

I think that's a good idea, but will he keep the passport glued to his side?

I went away to college at 15, I spent many hours waiting at the bus station for a driver to finally accept my student card that had my dob proving I was still a child.

That's why I'm wondering if you photocopy would be OK Brazzle, if so I'd prefer not to let him take the original really.

Yes, that's that's the kind of thing I've seen. Drivers and other people in positions of minor authority (e.g. stewards at football also) don't seem to challenge people their own size older people but can be really nasty to 14/15 yos

Does the train company have a child I’d scheme?

Not as far as I can work out Mrs Pear, that seems to be for local transport in the metropolitan centres, where a child is likely to be using trains regularly?

Yes he should carry ID.

My son is the same age and the train guard threatened him with police unless he paid a full adult fare as he couldn't prove he was a child.

He had to use all of his money for an adult ticket and felt scared of the threat of police and being humiliated in front of others on the train.

We took him back with it later and we were issued a full refund by means of another ticket.

You can get a citizen card as proof of being under 16.

Yep photocopy of passport. If challenged it will be helpful

My 15 yo keeps a photo of his passport in his favourites on his phone. Safer than letting him carry his actual passport round, and it’s always been accepted (albeit begrudgingly- he’s 6ft2!)

Email the train company and ask if they will accept a photocopy. If they won’t accept photocopy but would require proof then he will just have to take the original- on the threat he pays for replacement if he loses it

Our local bus company does transport proof of age cards for children. Details on our local council website. Came across it recently for similar reasons. In our case you go to the bus depo with birth certificate or passport and parents form of ID. Might be worth checking your councils website.

My local train station issued a proof of age type pass similar to a railcard when I attended the station office with ds, his birth cert and photo.

He has been challenged the week before by revenue officers - who called me to confirm his details and let him travel on a later train

I had this issued when I went to my local station and explained the situation

On another situation I traveled with my 14 year old Dd from the sw to midlands to visit family.
I traveled back a few days earlier as we had planned and had booked separate return tickets.
My 14 year old was aggressively challenged by a ticket inspector as to not being under 16 to the point of feeling threatened. They called me to ensure a that I would bring their birth certificate and my id to the station to collect them as per the inspectors threats.