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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to buy my 3 year old a train ticket

30 replies

5minutestobed · 19/03/2016 09:39

I was just quizzed by the train guard as to why I bought my 3 year old a train ticket. I know he doesn't technically need one yet but I am 8 months pregnant and would struggle to fit him on my knee for the journey if the train was busy so it means we get two seats. It only cost £2 as well. Surely that's not that strange is it?

OP posts:
pinkyredrose · 19/03/2016 09:40

Not strange at all!

fredfredgeorgejnrsnr · 19/03/2016 09:41

In the UK a train ticket does not entitle you to a seat, so buying one for him is pointless, so yes it's pretty odd.

OiWithThePoodlesAlready · 19/03/2016 09:42

Not strange! I used to do it when dd was under 5 sometimes. Especially of I knew it was going to be a busy train so there was not likely to be a free seat.

SanityClause · 19/03/2016 09:43

No, I think you did the right thing. We used to buy plane tickets for our DC when under 2, even though it would have been free to have them on our laps. A much more pleasant flight for everyone.

OiWithThePoodlesAlready · 19/03/2016 09:44

It doesn't entitle you to a seat Fredfred but if you have booked seats you are a lot more likely to get one.

sleepyhead · 19/03/2016 09:44

Not strange. You need the ticket to make a seat reservation.

SunnySomer · 19/03/2016 09:44

I used to do it to get the seat reservation. Nothing worse than a 5 hour journey with wriggly child on lap

Original poster
5minutestobed · 19/03/2016 09:47

Yes they were booked seats so surely that means we would get to sit in them unless there was some kind of problem, as in a last minute change of trains or something?
The train isn't busy but our return train is likely to be.

OP posts:
someonestolemynick · 19/03/2016 09:47

You don't buy a seat, you buy a trip from a to b. Otherwise the train compamies couldn't sell more tickets than they have seats. Your 3-year-old is just as entitled to a seat as he would be if you got him a grown up ticket. He is ok to sit down most people would be understanding enough of your situation and those who aren't won't be persuaded by you buying a ticket for your son. Yabu.

someonestolemynick · 19/03/2016 09:49

Oh, booked seats! That makes sense. I was thinking 20 minutes inner city tripBlush

DaphneWhitethigh · 19/03/2016 09:52

YANBU for a pre-booked train journey. When DD was about 18 months old I was pre-booking a journey to Glasgow in person and the helpful assistant specifically pointed out to me that if I bought a F&F travel card then we'd get three pre-booked seats for cheaper than the price of two without the railcard and break even on the cost of the card. I always bought tickets for my under 5 children when I was pre booking. Not for walk ons of course, that would be silly.

FishWithABicycle · 19/03/2016 09:52

If you get a family railcard for £30 a year it is actually cheaper to buy 1adult+1child ticket than a single adult ticket without the railcard. That's because you get 33% off adult fares and 66% off child fares with the card which works out as about 82% of the full adult fare for the 2 tickets. For this reason I have been buying train tickets for my DS since I learned this info when he was 12 months old.

Yanbu

Banderchang · 19/03/2016 09:54

Not silly at all, I've done this for exactly the same reason (regularly make 6 hour train trips with DS). May I take this opportunity to pass on something I learned the hard way - playdough is not a good choice of toy for a train journey. You're welcome.

Original poster
5minutestobed · 19/03/2016 09:54

Yes I have a railcard too Daphne that's why it was so cheap. £9 for both of us. Its an hour and a half journey.

OP posts:
Dovinia · 19/03/2016 09:56

Yes, I always book seats for my baby and under 5, it often works out cheaper with a railcard than just buying an adult seat anyway.

MadameJosephine · 19/03/2016 09:58

I regularly book mine a seat so that I can reserve one for her. We often travel from the north east to London and I'm buggered if I'm going to sit for 3 hours with her on my knee, she's huge and very wriggly! Like other posters I have a friends and family railcard so it works out either a similar price or cheaper than one ticket

londonrach · 19/03/2016 10:03

A ticket doesnt mean a seat but by buying the ticket you get a reserved seat yanbu. Go for it!

Youarentkiddingme · 19/03/2016 10:07

That makes perfect sense!

I've learnt a lot from this thread re reserved seats and railcards!

PerryHatter · 19/03/2016 10:09

I definitely would for a journey with a booked seat, especially at that price.

pigeonpoo · 19/03/2016 10:09

I buy the 3 year old ticker because we have the railcard, so it's cheaper - and he likes holding the ticket. Also I can tell moody so and sos who expect me to somehow manage luggage plus child on top of me that he has a ticket so they can carry on looking for a seat

curren · 19/03/2016 10:17

Yanbu I would have too

BikeRunSki · 19/03/2016 10:18

Not strange. I bought my enormous 4 yo a train ticket and seat reservation recently, because she is massive (6-7 clothes) and there was no way I wanted her in my lap from Leeds to Bristol.

Pico2 · 19/03/2016 10:30

If you have a f&f railcard, you have to buy at least one child ticket to use it.

allowlsthinkalot · 19/03/2016 10:45

I used to do this to book seats all together, with three under five. Otherwise they'd end up having to sit in different parts of the carriage!

Original poster
5minutestobed · 19/03/2016 13:01

Glad its not just me, no idea why the guard thought it was so odd!

OP posts:
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