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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To use those train tickets?

24 replies

TravelLost · 13/10/2021 12:04

Planned to go away as a family and booked train tickets using a railway family card (dc2 is less than 16yo).

Unfortunately , dc2 can’t come anymore so there is only the three of us, all over 16yo.

Seeing that we’ve paid for all the tickets anyway, would it be ok to still use those tickets to travel? Not fancying paying another couple of hundred pounds to buy what we already had iyswim

OP posts:
RedCarsGoFaster · 13/10/2021 12:12

They'll ask to see the railcard, and presumably look for the child with you to ensure you qualify. No child, you don't qualify to use the tickets.

To use those train tickets?
Coffeey · 13/10/2021 12:14

No you need the child.

Coffeey · 13/10/2021 12:15

Get your logic though

gogohm · 13/10/2021 12:17

Without the child the tickets are not valid but speak to the rail operating company and they should be able to change your tickets to ones that are valid (or borrow a child)

Dixiechickonhols · 13/10/2021 12:24

No you need a child 15 or under to use a family railcard and they do check rail card. We travelled this week with 15 year old DD who looks a lot older and were scrutinised (I was ready with photo of her passport but didn’t show it in end)

Crunchysnap · 13/10/2021 12:27

You are not unreasonable to want to but they won’t let you. And then you will probably end up paying for all the tickets again. Contact the rail company you booked with and get them changed to the correct tickets.

Fluffypastelslippers · 13/10/2021 12:30

Seeing that we’ve paid for all the tickets anyway, would it be ok to still use those tickets to travel?

Well no. You have even attacked a screenshot showing that you can't so I'm not sure what you are looking for here?

Dixiechickonhols · 13/10/2021 12:49

www.familyandfriends-railcard.co.uk/about-railcard/are-you-eligible/

How old is your eldest? You can use family & friends until day before they turn 17 if they were a child (15 or under) when you bought railcard.

Original poster
TravelLost · 13/10/2021 12:51

@Fluffypastelslippers

Seeing that we’ve paid for all the tickets anyway, would it be ok to still use those tickets to travel?

Well no. You have even attacked a screenshot showing that you can't so I'm not sure what you are looking for here?

Err…. Probably because it’s not me who attached the screenshot?
OP posts:
Original poster
TravelLost · 13/10/2021 12:55

@Crunchysnap

You are not unreasonable to want to but they won’t let you. And then you will probably end up paying for all the tickets again. Contact the rail company you booked with and get them changed to the correct tickets.
Only one way can be changed. On the phone to try and change the other but just nice music so far..

I’m gutted tbh. I’d been happy to just pay the whatever % we had discounted. But of course now, prices have gone up. We will end up paying more for 3 tickets than for 4…..

OP posts:
Woeismethischristmas · 13/10/2021 12:55

I used a family card to take a child somewhere and then dropped them off and came back. The conductor did give me a you seem to have lost your child chat but let me away with it.

girlmom21 · 13/10/2021 12:55

You can't use them unfortunately.

Dojacatpaws · 13/10/2021 13:03

I rarely get asked for family rail card, can't you pretend the older one is younger

Lollipop444 · 13/10/2021 13:08

Just pretend your older dc is 15?

They didn’t even check our railcard when we travelled recently, just did a quick look at our tickets.

Pigeonpocket · 13/10/2021 13:12

No you need a child or the tickets are invalid. You shouldn't have to buy them all again, contact the train company and you'll probably just have to pay the difference in the fares and an admin fee. A lot of train companies are being more lenient with changes to tickets at the moment because of covid.

mafted · 13/10/2021 13:15

I've been using a family railcard regularly for well over a decade and have been asked for it once.
DD travelled with us recently but unexpectedly travelled back early by herself, she used the discounted ticket without even thinking about it. Nobody cared.

mumofthree22 · 13/10/2021 13:17

I traveled with my daughter this week to London with the F&F card but as the train was very busy we had to sit separately. The conductor checked my tickets and rail card and then went searching for my daughter down the carriage to verify she was travelling with me.

Fluffypastelslippers · 13/10/2021 13:18

Err…. Probably because it’s not me who attached the screenshot?

Haha - I'm seriously struggling with the basics today!

Original poster
TravelLost · 13/10/2021 13:20

Oldest dc is 18yo. No way he would look 15 tbh

Still waiting… 30 mins gone

OP posts:
GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 13/10/2021 13:33

Is there no way the 15 yo could come? Would be easiest solution.

Fluffypastelslippers · 13/10/2021 13:36

@TravelLost

Oldest dc is 18yo. No way he would look 15 tbh

Still waiting… 30 mins gone

What kind of tickets are they? The T&Cs will tell you if they can be changed.

Original poster
TravelLost · 13/10/2021 13:37

So it seems that I’ve been extremely lucky.

We’re travelling with LNER and they’ve applied automatically a ‘small group’ discount instead of the F&F (as it’s apparently cheaper) and with the 3 of us, it’s still valid.

So we can use the tickets and had a refund for the child place!! I wasn’t expecting that but the 40~45mins wait was worth it.

OP posts:
Fluffypastelslippers · 13/10/2021 13:48

Ha I'm too late! Glad you got it sorted

Dixiechickonhols · 13/10/2021 14:09

Excellent

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