Children's travel within London

[Sue]

My grandkids are staying for a few days next week and we will be travelling around London.

One is nine so I think gets free travel on buses and tubes but not trains?

The other one is eleven and I'm not sure what I need to do re her travel?

We will be using buses trains and tubes from Sunday to Thursday.

I have a Freedom Pass and my partner has an Oyster Card.

Can anyone advise, as I didn't understand the stuff on the tfl website! I don't want any hassle through having the wrong cards or tickets, or having to queue unnecessarily for ages.

Thanks! It was so much easier when they both went free!

[lorraineliyanage]

Children aged 10 and under travel free on Tube, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail and most National Rail services as long as you have an age 5-10 Oyster photo card that you apply for online. If you do not get the card, then they get free travel on tube, bus and trams but not on the trains.

Age 11+ will require a separate Oyster card and it's free on bus/tram and a discounted child rate on tube/train. Without that card, I'm not sure what rate you pay.

The cards arrive quite quickly but you'll need a photo of the children in electronic format and their passport number (I think, it's been a while since I applied for one).

[Sue]

Thanks but I've left it far too late to get these cards if you need to apply online for them :(

That seems a bit odd to require a passport number - suppose they don't have passports?

ETA: I think I was looking at the wrong page.

I've found a lot more info online now, thanks!

[redjam]

You can get a temporary card, I think, for out-of-town visitors. Scroll down to 'Young Visitor' bit on this link: https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/travel-for-under-18s/travelling-with-children

In reality, if you are travelling with an 11-year-old and a younger one and tapping in and out yourself (using the wide barriers on the tube) I think it's highly unlikely you will get stopped on a bus or tube. I've done it a million times with my older one when she's forgotten her Oyster card. Trains are a different matter, though...