Paying for children on the tube

[elasticfantastic]

This may sound daft but I'm not from London... I'm visiting London next weekend with an 7 year old child. I know that you can tap your bank card like an Oyster card for yourself, but how does it work for children? Do you tap and send them through first then tap again and then go through yourself?

[GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat]

From TFL website.

[CatToddlerUprising]

taylorowmu- because my DD has multiple hospital appointments that unfortunately go through big tourist stations so we get stuck in a queue for the wide gates. Or when I’ve gone through the wide gates when other turnstiles are closed. I am not saying you can’t use your debit card, I am just giving advice based on first hand experience.

[Littlebelina]

tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/visiting-london/getting-around-london/best-ways-for-visitors-to-pay
This tfl link covers pay as you go via contactless and states kids can accompany. Think the previous link is aim at visitors from overseas who might have contactless. We always use contactless and have never been challenged even when seeking help

[taylorowmu]

I'm sorry but WTF has your DD's hospital appointments got to do with this? I'm struggling to find a connection?

[CatToddlerUprising]

And this what I have seen quoted at the gates.

[Littlebelina]

Might not have contactless even

[WobblyLondoner]

Another Londoner here. You don't pay at all for a 7 year old, and you can either use an Oyster card that you top up or a credit/debit card. I have travelled with my kids 1000s if times and never had a problem.

Easiest to get two of you through at one of the wider gates.

[taylorowmu]

I am not saying you can’t use your debit card

This is EXACTLY what you have been saying

[NoSquirrels]

Free with an adult using pay as you go.

Doesn’t matter if it’s Oyster etc. Just pay via contactless and you’re sorted,

OP, use the wide ‘luggage’ gates not the single ones.

[GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat]

Yes you’ve already posted your link

[trixymalixy]

We just use the larger gates and a contactless debit card to tap an adult and a child through. We were told to do this by tfl staff.

[CatToddlerUprising]

taylorowmu- because you questioned why I noticed families being questioned at the gates. And my response is that I noticed because I have been stuck behind families as I need to use the wide gates with DD and her pushchair

[CassianAndor]

And my first hand experience as a resident of London is that there is absolutely no problem with taking your child through with you on your contactless debit card. None whatsoever.

[NoSquirrels]

Cat I think the use of ‘travelcard’ is potentially confusing.

You can have a ‘travelcard’ whilst using Pay As You Go aka tap your contactless.

[Lumene]

If using pay as you go the debit card acts as a valid travel card if you have tapped it in correctly. Inspectors have an electronic gadget that can read your card if doing inspections. It is fine to use your debit card as a travel card via contactless payment and take your child with you.

[CatToddlerUprising]

Then it could be unfortunate the instances I’ve seen are families being stopped by TfL staff who are wrong. When you’ve seen it happen a fair few times, you may forgive me for believing what they’re saying

[NoSquirrels]

I think you must have misunderstood what’s been going on in those situations, Cat, ad it really is 100% standard operating procedure just to tap and go with a contactless and take your child through with you.

[GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat]

They might just be checking the ages of the children. You can’t possibly eavesdrop on every conversation, no one’s that nosey!

[CassianAndor]

Cat maybe, but that doesn’t explain why you are disbelieving all the posters who have correctly used the system with children.

In 9 years I have only ever been stopped once and that was at a terminus where I had travelled in on a mainline train. Never on the tube.

[NoSquirrels]

Or - possibly - those families are coming off mainline e.g. London Bridge or another terminal where the rules about child travel are different? (But even then rare to get stopped in my experience!)

[CatToddlerUprising]

CassianAndor- I didn’t say once I didn’t believe them. I just gave information based on what I’ve seen.
NoSquirrels - unfortunately the staff clearly said they need an Oyster card or paper travel card.

[CatToddlerUprising]

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat- that’s a bit rude, I haven’t been rude to posters and wouldn’t dream of being rude on a post about travelling. When you’re stuck behind groups waiting to go through the gates with staff and travellers speaking loudly you hear it.

[GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat]

Oh whatever. You keep going. I think you’re on the wind up personally.

Good luck OP , enjoy your trip.

[CatToddlerUprising]

A wind up on a travel thread??? That’s abit ridiculous. Just because you haven’t seen something happen?

[DramaRamaLlama]

Londoner here.

If you want to avail of free child travel (under 11) on the tube then you need to be using an oyster or travel card.

On the bus you can just use your contactless debit/credit card.