Children free under 5 on UK trains — any need to prove?
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I've got a a 4-year-old who's in school, and is quite big for their age. I've just booked a train journey, paying only for myself and relying on the fact that under 5s travel free (though quite possibly without a seat).
Is there ever a need to prove that the child is under 5 when relying on the free ticket (and if so how)? I'd rather not have to carry their birth certificate as it's a valuable document that won't fit in my wallet and travelling by train with a small person (and all their stuff) isn't easy without another valuable item to worry about. On the other hand I don't want any awkwardness from an overzealous official. I haven't been able to find anything obvious on the train companies' websites.
uk trains
asked May 3 at 14:13
Chris H
1,838821
 |Â
show 4 more comments
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
I've got a a 4-year-old who's in school, and is quite big for their age. I've just booked a train journey, paying only for myself and relying on the fact that under 5s travel free (though quite possibly without a seat).
Is there ever a need to prove that the child is under 5 when relying on the free ticket (and if so how)? I'd rather not have to carry their birth certificate as it's a valuable document that won't fit in my wallet and travelling by train with a small person (and all their stuff) isn't easy without another valuable item to worry about. On the other hand I don't want any awkwardness from an overzealous official. I haven't been able to find anything obvious on the train companies' websites.
uk trains
asked May 3 at 14:13
Chris H
1,838821
Does the UK have compact birth certificate summaries? We have them in Canada, and they're as valid as the full-sized original. If so, get one of those.
– Jim MacKenzie
May 3 at 14:40
@JimMacKenzie they're not exactly compact (they're known as "short form"). These days they're not all that common as they're not accepted in questions of nationality
– Chris H
May 3 at 14:42
1
simply take a photo of the birth certificate with your smartphone.
– Aganju
May 3 at 15:01
1
@JimMacKenzie Notarising a copy of a birth certificate is probably going to cost more than just buying a child ticket. It's also pointless.
– MJeffryes
May 3 at 15:24
1
@MJeffryes is right, especially as that's not really done in the UK (getting a duplicate certificate is more common)
– Chris H
May 3 at 15:32
 |Â
show 4 more comments
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
I've got a a 4-year-old who's in school, and is quite big for their age. I've just booked a train journey, paying only for myself and relying on the fact that under 5s travel free (though quite possibly without a seat).
Is there ever a need to prove that the child is under 5 when relying on the free ticket (and if so how)? I'd rather not have to carry their birth certificate as it's a valuable document that won't fit in my wallet and travelling by train with a small person (and all their stuff) isn't easy without another valuable item to worry about. On the other hand I don't want any awkwardness from an overzealous official. I haven't been able to find anything obvious on the train companies' websites.
uk trains
asked May 3 at 14:13
Chris H
1,838821
I've got a a 4-year-old who's in school, and is quite big for their age. I've just booked a train journey, paying only for myself and relying on the fact that under 5s travel free (though quite possibly without a seat).
Is there ever a need to prove that the child is under 5 when relying on the free ticket (and if so how)? I'd rather not have to carry their birth certificate as it's a valuable document that won't fit in my wallet and travelling by train with a small person (and all their stuff) isn't easy without another valuable item to worry about. On the other hand I don't want any awkwardness from an overzealous official. I haven't been able to find anything obvious on the train companies' websites.
uk trains
asked May 3 at 14:13
Chris H
1,838821
asked May 3 at 14:13
Chris H
1,838821
asked May 3 at 14:13
Chris H
1,838821
asked May 3 at 14:13
Chris H
1,838821
1,838821
Does the UK have compact birth certificate summaries? We have them in Canada, and they're as valid as the full-sized original. If so, get one of those.
– Jim MacKenzie
May 3 at 14:40
@JimMacKenzie they're not exactly compact (they're known as "short form"). These days they're not all that common as they're not accepted in questions of nationality
– Chris H
May 3 at 14:42
1
simply take a photo of the birth certificate with your smartphone.
– Aganju
May 3 at 15:01
1
@JimMacKenzie Notarising a copy of a birth certificate is probably going to cost more than just buying a child ticket. It's also pointless.
– MJeffryes
May 3 at 15:24
1
@MJeffryes is right, especially as that's not really done in the UK (getting a duplicate certificate is more common)
– Chris H
May 3 at 15:32
 |Â
show 4 more comments
Does the UK have compact birth certificate summaries? We have them in Canada, and they're as valid as the full-sized original. If so, get one of those.
– Jim MacKenzie
May 3 at 14:40
@JimMacKenzie they're not exactly compact (they're known as "short form"). These days they're not all that common as they're not accepted in questions of nationality
– Chris H
May 3 at 14:42
1
simply take a photo of the birth certificate with your smartphone.
– Aganju
May 3 at 15:01
1
@JimMacKenzie Notarising a copy of a birth certificate is probably going to cost more than just buying a child ticket. It's also pointless.
– MJeffryes
May 3 at 15:24
1
@MJeffryes is right, especially as that's not really done in the UK (getting a duplicate certificate is more common)
– Chris H
May 3 at 15:32
Does the UK have compact birth certificate summaries? We have them in Canada, and they're as valid as the full-sized original. If so, get one of those.
– Jim MacKenzie
May 3 at 14:40
Does the UK have compact birth certificate summaries? We have them in Canada, and they're as valid as the full-sized original. If so, get one of those.
– Jim MacKenzie
May 3 at 14:40
@JimMacKenzie they're not exactly compact (they're known as "short form"). These days they're not all that common as they're not accepted in questions of nationality
– Chris H
May 3 at 14:42
@JimMacKenzie they're not exactly compact (they're known as "short form"). These days they're not all that common as they're not accepted in questions of nationality
– Chris H
May 3 at 14:42
1
1
simply take a photo of the birth certificate with your smartphone.
– Aganju
May 3 at 15:01
simply take a photo of the birth certificate with your smartphone.
– Aganju
May 3 at 15:01
1
1
@JimMacKenzie Notarising a copy of a birth certificate is probably going to cost more than just buying a child ticket. It's also pointless.
– MJeffryes
May 3 at 15:24
@JimMacKenzie Notarising a copy of a birth certificate is probably going to cost more than just buying a child ticket. It's also pointless.
– MJeffryes
May 3 at 15:24
1
1
@MJeffryes is right, especially as that's not really done in the UK (getting a duplicate certificate is more common)
– Chris H
May 3 at 15:32
@MJeffryes is right, especially as that's not really done in the UK (getting a duplicate certificate is more common)
– Chris H
May 3 at 15:32
 |Â
show 4 more comments
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
up vote
2
down vote
Nothing in the rail national conditions of carriage about documentary proof either. It only specifies that they can't occupy a seat if it is needed by a ticket holder.
Anecdotally, I've had guards question the ages of children but not demand any documents.
answered May 3 at 14:32
user16259
3,613820
5
An old method, which likely still works, is asking the children themselves and only question the parents when the child gives an age which is over the limit.
– Willeke♦
May 3 at 16:53
add a comment |Â
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
2
down vote
Nothing in the rail national conditions of carriage about documentary proof either. It only specifies that they can't occupy a seat if it is needed by a ticket holder.
Anecdotally, I've had guards question the ages of children but not demand any documents.
answered May 3 at 14:32
user16259
3,613820
5
An old method, which likely still works, is asking the children themselves and only question the parents when the child gives an age which is over the limit.
– Willeke♦
May 3 at 16:53
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
Nothing in the rail national conditions of carriage about documentary proof either. It only specifies that they can't occupy a seat if it is needed by a ticket holder.
Anecdotally, I've had guards question the ages of children but not demand any documents.
answered May 3 at 14:32
user16259
3,613820
5
An old method, which likely still works, is asking the children themselves and only question the parents when the child gives an age which is over the limit.
– Willeke♦
May 3 at 16:53
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
up vote
2
down vote
Nothing in the rail national conditions of carriage about documentary proof either. It only specifies that they can't occupy a seat if it is needed by a ticket holder.
Anecdotally, I've had guards question the ages of children but not demand any documents.
answered May 3 at 14:32
user16259
3,613820
Nothing in the rail national conditions of carriage about documentary proof either. It only specifies that they can't occupy a seat if it is needed by a ticket holder.
Anecdotally, I've had guards question the ages of children but not demand any documents.
answered May 3 at 14:32
user16259
3,613820
answered May 3 at 14:32
user16259
3,613820
answered May 3 at 14:32
user16259
3,613820
answered May 3 at 14:32
user16259
3,613820
3,613820
5
An old method, which likely still works, is asking the children themselves and only question the parents when the child gives an age which is over the limit.
– Willeke♦
May 3 at 16:53
add a comment |Â
5
An old method, which likely still works, is asking the children themselves and only question the parents when the child gives an age which is over the limit.
– Willeke♦
May 3 at 16:53
5
5
An old method, which likely still works, is asking the children themselves and only question the parents when the child gives an age which is over the limit.
– Willeke♦
May 3 at 16:53
An old method, which likely still works, is asking the children themselves and only question the parents when the child gives an age which is over the limit.
– Willeke♦
May 3 at 16:53
add a comment |Â
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Does the UK have compact birth certificate summaries? We have them in Canada, and they're as valid as the full-sized original. If so, get one of those.
– Jim MacKenzie
May 3 at 14:40
@JimMacKenzie they're not exactly compact (they're known as "short form"). These days they're not all that common as they're not accepted in questions of nationality
– Chris H
May 3 at 14:42
1
simply take a photo of the birth certificate with your smartphone.
– Aganju
May 3 at 15:01
1
@JimMacKenzie Notarising a copy of a birth certificate is probably going to cost more than just buying a child ticket. It's also pointless.
– MJeffryes
May 3 at 15:24
1
@MJeffryes is right, especially as that's not really done in the UK (getting a duplicate certificate is more common)
– Chris H
May 3 at 15:32