Trainline tkts with Family railcard if kids can't travel?

real1314

Just wondring if anyone knows whether tkts booked through trainline.com using a family railcard would still be valid if a child didn't travel?

Thinking of booking for 4 adults and 2 kids for a train trip but the kids might not be able to come, but want to book early to get decent prices. Using the family railcard pushes the price lower but if the kids can't come are the tickts still valid?

[Deleted User]

I don't think that's possible

Eligibility

To use your Family Railcard, your group must contain at least one named cardholder and at least one child aged between 5 - 15 years.

http://www.family-railcard.co.uk/terms-and-conditions

real1314

but what if you booked with a child included but then the child could not travel?

so you book 2 adults and 1 child but come the day the nipper is ill - does that mean all 3 tkts are invalidated and the money is wasted?

Edinburghlass_2

Yes I'm afraid so you must travel with a child if using a Family Rail Card.

pennylane99

thats the whole point of a "family" railcard

otherwise anyone could get one and then say their child couldnt travel, but still claim the discount...:rolleyes:

Voyager2002

real1314 wrote: »

but what if you booked with a child included but then the child could not travel?

so you book 2 adults and 1 child but come the day the nipper is ill - does that mean all 3 tkts are invalidated and the money is wasted?

You must travel with a child in order to obtain this discount. If you travel without a child then your tickets are invalid, and you will have to buy new ones.

When I travelled with a child sitting somewhere separately from me, the ticket collector made sure that the child was actually travelling on the same train. Had I not been accompanied by a child, I would have had to pay again.

Surely you can borrow a child for the journey!

laird

I once managed to arrive at the station without my railcard, the ticket office simply issued an excess fare ticket for the difference in price. It at least saved having to purchase an entirely new ticket.

angel

Why not just buy the tickets on the day of travel?

dmg24

laird wrote: »

I once managed to arrive at the station without my railcard, the ticket office simply issued an excess fare ticket for the difference in price. It at least saved having to purchase an entirely new ticket.

The issue with this is that they may only offer you a full price ticket (i.e. an open single or return). These tend to cost considerably more than a non discounted Saver/ Supersaver ticket.

andyrules

dmg24 wrote: »

The issue with this is that they may only offer you a full price ticket (i.e. an open single or return). These tend to cost considerably more than a non discounted Saver/ Supersaver ticket.

Yes I believe that's correct, someone near to me was having to pay a whopping amount in excess fares recently.

Could you simply purchase an advance cheapie for the adults, no railcard? I've done that for me and student DD, mine is not much more than her discounted one as we got a good deal. It would probably be worthwhile purchasing the child's ticket cheaply and just not using it if they don't travel.

dzug

dmg24 wrote: »

The issue with this is that they may only offer you a full price ticket (i.e. an open single or return). These tend to cost considerably more than a non discounted Saver/ Supersaver ticket.

Why would they not offer a saver/supersaver, assuming an off-peak train? These are walk on tickets - no quotas, no advance purchase requirements.