Family ticket will this work?

[AliceinBorderland]

I want to take my sister and her child somewhere at Christmas and I am booking the tickets.

I have noticed that a family ticket for 2 adults and 2 children is cheaper by a few pounds than 3 individual tickets: 2 adults and one child.

If I buy the family ticket and just pretend the other child is ill or couldn't make it will that be OK?

Anyone done this?

I am interested in how this works too! I noticed when looking to book train tickets for London it is cheaper to book a friends and family ticket for five of us than for one to go alone? How does this make sense?!

@Gloomandglow

I am interested in how this works too! I noticed when looking to book train tickets for London it is cheaper to book a friends and family ticket for five of us than for one to go alone? How does this make sense?!

I think you need a rail card for that. The specific friends and family rail card. So really don't book that if you don't have the rail card and are just travelling alone.

I haven’t done this on the trains, but we are a family of 3, (2 adults 1 DC) and often get offered a family ticket when booking activities as they are cheaper!

We can’t afford to take the train to London any more, even advance tickets are less than fuel and overnight parking!

That sounds positive. They'd surely not turn us away if only 3 of us turned up on a 4 person ticket...

Are you sure it doesn't say up to 2 children? I've seen that a lot recently

No it doesn't say up to...

DS and I were once booking a long rail trip which cost a shedload. Anyway, I found friends and family and even with the cost of buying it, I still saved £15 overall! We then used it a few times over the year and maybe saved about £100 so not too bad.

Just do it! I’d definitely argue the toss with them at the gate if there was a problem, that’s such a weird phrasing for a family ticket.

@NoSquirrels

Just do it! I’d definitely argue the toss with them at the gate if there was a problem, that’s such a weird phrasing for a family ticket.

Thanks. I might just say that the "second child" is unwell or didn't want to come if they challenge us.

As long as there's at least 1 child it won't matter.

I've figured out why the family ticket us cheaper. Individual tickets have a booking fee etc each.

The family ticket has just one booking fee as technically just one ticket.

That settles it. Not paying extra money for a booking fee each.