Travelling to school by train. Railcard? Zipcard?

[crescent]

Hi - my son will be travelling from zone 3-6 by train in September. I wondered if anyone else's child commutes by train, what do you do ticket wise? I have started looking at fares on different websites, but my it's confusing! A friend's child does a similar commute, and she says they think the Oyster card is cheaper than a railcard, which surprises me somewhat. The benefit of the oyster (zip) card I guess is that it can be used on buses etc too, not just a specific train route.

Any advice/ anecdotes gratefully received!

[Ellie78]

How old is your child? Don't under 16s travel

For free?

[Ellie78]

Am being daft- yes, 11-15 need an oyster to get the special child discounts.

Mine's 3. Hence the ignorance.

[Mrs TP]

The Zip Oyster card allows free transport on London buses but they have to pay for trains and tubes and for this you need to put money on the card like you would for an adult. The 11-16 rates are cheaper. However, I think you can buy a special zip oyster if they going to be using trains lots for something like ?100 (poss a year?) which they can then use unlimited times on trains - you will have to look at the TFL website.

[Mrs TP]

BTW under 11 free transport in London is a little messy. Buses and tubes fine but not all train lines. If we get the ginger line from Peckham then free for my 6yr old but I think I have to pay on all other train lines that run through there - defo when going to Victoria / London Bridge / Bromley. So if you travelling into town with your little ones then bus it or use the ginger line to connect to the tube and they will be free :)

[crescent]

Thanks everyone - MrsTP, thanks for that tip about the special zipcard, will look into that. As he is travelling zone 3-6, something like 75p in rush hour I think, so will be a lot cheaper than a railcard, and he can use a zipcard on the bus as well if he has to. (Although I thought buses were free for under 16s...something else to look into!)

Thanks again.

[Mrs TP]

Buses are free for under 16s but they need a zip oyster card to prove their age and if under 11 but look older there is a younger card they can get again to prove their age. Bus drivers have been known (rarely) to refuse 11-16s who forget their zip card onto the bus even though it is free for them to travel.

[flocker spotter]

Zip Oysters can be topped up like any other Oyster - but charges at the child rate on trains.

[mika1336]

On TFL website there is an information about Oyster cards for kids. It explain different cards for younger kids 5-11 and 11-16. There is a map which shows where kids can travel for free and what requirements are for them to travel. On national rail children have to pay. London Underground and overground it's free but I think they need to be accompany by an adult when younger. I got my daughter Oyster card with the photo done at home via TFL website, you pay 10? admin fee for the card and you can top up and register it with your oyster account so you can see the usage Online too.

[crescent]

Thanks everyone x