Paying for 6 year old on TfL

[BigRedBoat]

Hoping and London Mumsnetters can advise, I've looked on the TfL website but can't see an obvious answer. I usually use contactless payment on the underground but my dd has been under 5 when we've been before, she's now 6 so needs to pay but I can't work out if I can pay for both of us with the same card by touching in and out at stations? I'm presuming I can't and will need to get her a travel card but just wanted to check I'm not missing anything obvious.

No you can't ☹️
You have to buy a ticket.

I thought under 11s were free with a full-paying adult?

www.londontoolkit.com/briefing/london_transport_child_fares.htm

On the TfL website it says 5-11s can get a free off peak travel card with an adult off peak travel card but it also says the contactless payment cap is always less than the cost of a travel card? I might just get travel cards for ease, I guess it's only a few pounds difference.

You don't need to pay for under 11s. You just go through the wide access gates together with one tap from your card.

I take three through the wide access gates regularly. (Well I did in the before-times!)

My kids are under 11 and I've never paid for them. I'm from and live in London. I also never had my own ticket when I was a kid and used to travel with my mum or dad.

If there's no automatic wide access gates then a member of staff will let you through the big manual gate with kids. No need to pay on buses either, they just bundle on with you.

If you live in London you can get them a zip card, which means they can clear the barriers independently and you can top it up for things that are not free (River bus, Emirates cable and some overground services), but for just tube and bus they don't need this until age 11, and can just go with you- through the wide gates.

maybe you've got mixed up with 11 and olders, OP.
so it's good news. no need to pay for under 11s.

Oh ok, that's good to know! I have to say it's not very obvious on the TfL website, kind of implies it's just under 5s.

Under 11's are free on buses, not on tubes.

under 11s are free on bus tram and tube

with a fare paying adult

@DonGray

with a fare paying adult

Oh, of course, sorry 🤦‍♀️

We got told we needed a zip for >5 year old on the train (eg couple of stops out of Waterloo) as fine on tube / bus but not train

the overground train routes are more complicated - it used to be free north of the river only - now it's free in the south but only with the zip card

Under 11s are free on bus, tram and tube but not on the national rail trains. So if you live somewhere where you rely on trains to get into town then you are meant to pay on those. It's kind of annoying because we live in Peckham and to get to London Bridge is free on London Overground but not on National Rail.

You need a 5 - 10 Zip card. It means everything is free until they turn 11 when you have to pay for train and tube. If your child doesn't have a 5 - 10 Zip they have to have a paper ticket.

Incorrect @Ilovemaisie.
Children are free on buses and tubes up to age 11 and do not need any form of ticket.

Correction - they don't need a paper ticket if under 11 and on tube as long as with a paying adult.
Trains they do. Most of South London is trains not tube so it depends where you are going.

Dobble yes I realised my mistake. Where it gets confusing is using London Overground trains. I am not sure how that works because some routes have both Overground trains and non Overground trains (eg Southern Trains) using exactly the same line.
My daughter had a 5 - 10 Zip so she just beeped in and out everywhere (no cost) but we never did figure out if we would of had to pay on the Overground if she hadn't got her Zip. (She's over 11 now so onto a regular Zip card).

content.tfl.gov.uk/free-travel-areas-without-oyster-adult-accompanying-map.pdf This map shows you where you need a zip for trains.

Overground and TFL rail apply same rules as tube.

I work on the tube.

Up to six under 11s are free on TfL managed services with a fare-paying adult so bus, tube, overground and tram. They are not free on the boats, hire bikes or cable car, nor are they entitled to free travel on NR services.

@BigRedBoat in answer to one of the questions, if ever using a contactless or oyster, it is one per person per journey, so you can’t use say 1 bank card to pay for 2 people.Each has to have an individual card, but if you were to say have 2 bank cards , you can allow the other person to use yours but you must stay with them or leave the card they paid their fare on with them so it can be produced to a revenue inspector if needed.