Child ticket on Tube

IrishKev

Hi,
Going to London in a few weeks, just wondering could a 17year old get a child's travelcard for the Tube with no hassle? I do know that it's 15 years old that the age limit, but are these rules enforced? And could a 17 year old (who doesn't look too old - they could just about pass for 15) buy a child's travelcard in any Tube station with no problems?
Thanks
P.S. I know it is breaking the rules, but money is tight so they're trying to save.

efb

I think u can get a 15-17 age card thing, but I don't know how strict they are. Get an oyster card, save ££££s

IrishKev

I had looked up about the Oyster Card alright, but it just seems a bit pointless seeing as we'll only be there a few days. Never heard of a 15-17 age card, have you a link by any chance? Thanks for quick reply btw

efb

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14308.aspx

IrishKev

Thanks for the link, appreciate the effort But I think I'll stick to the travelcards, seeing as we won't be spending a long time in London any time soon, and this card would be more suited to people living in London and using the Underground very often. I don't think there's such a thing as a student travelcard?

Vic_08

Trying to use child fares when you're not entitled to them is pretty stupid as well as illegal.

Chances are you will be asked for proof at the ticket office. Even if you get one if you are stopped by revenue protection they will demand ID. The "I have no ID on me" trick won't work as you are required to prove age. You will then get a large fine or a trip to the Police if you refuse to pay.

Get a regular pay as you go oyster card, it will charge you for each journey you take but automatically caps at the cheapest travelcard rate for your usage.

When you are finished using it you can hand it back in at a ticket office and get back any remaining credit as well as the £3 deposit.

IrishKev

Wouldn't a travelcard be the same value as an oyster card? Bearing in mind we'll probably be using the bus and tube a lot, so we probably wouldn't be wasting money on buying a day card.
I do know it is illegal, but my question is do they check tickets a lot? Also, I hear child travelcards can be bought through a ticket machine, with no form of identification required? Link
Thanks

ordinary_girl

It depends, they check tickets quite sporadically on London transport. I wouldn't risk it though, it'll probably happen that when your child is using the card they'll be caught (Murphy's law and all that). I've seen people get caught out before in London by doing this, and they can be quite strict about it. Would you rather pay the correct price or a large fine?

monument

IrishKev wrote: »

Wouldn't a travelcard be the same value as an oyster card? Bearing in mind we'll probably be using the bus and tube a lot, so we probably wouldn't be wasting money on buying a day card.
I do know it is illegal, but my question is do they check tickets a lot? Also, I hear child travelcards can be bought through a ticket machine, with no form of identification required? Link
Thanks

Just get a Oyster card at the first ticket office you get to.

Revenue protection officers backed up by the Transport Police and/or the Metropolitan Police do checks on the buses and on the Tube.

You should note:

"A person suspected of deliberate or persistent fare evasion risks prosecution which can result in a criminal record and a fine of up to £1,000"

London Bus alone successfully prosecuted over 20,000 people last year, loads of others paid fines, these got criminal records.

Just get an Oyster card!

Victor

IrishKev, there are plenty of reduced price options available, stop asking for advice on how to break the law.

Ham'nd'egger

IrishKev wrote: »

Wouldn't a travelcard be the same value as an oyster card? Bearing in mind we'll probably be using the bus and tube a lot, so we probably wouldn't be wasting money on buying a day card.

The fares will be the same no matter if it's on a paper ticket or Oyster; it's just a more practical way to pay for your travel from about 3 days in. I'd suggest you get a Zone 1-2 Off Peak; this is good for bus, rail and tube virtually all tourist spots and should you need a longer trip outside the zone it can be added on at any ticket office.

IrishKev wrote: »

I do know it is illegal, but my question is do they check tickets a lot?

Yes they do and if asked to prove ID you will need to do so. If you are a tourist then you will be using stations that are mainly manned as well so you may well be challenged

IrishKev wrote: »

Also, I hear child travelcards can be bought through a ticket machine, with no form of identification required? Link
Thanks

If you get the 16+ Oyster Card you won't have the worry but then again if you can afford to spend a few days in London then you can afford circa £3 extra for your travel needs:)

efb

https://photocard.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gotoApply.do?type=under18visitor&from=home

this is for visiting people, that's where I'm leaving it.

Victor

Hamndegger wrote: »

If you get the 16+ Oyster Card you won't have the worry but then again if you can afford to spend a few days in London then you can afford circa £3 extra for your travel needs:)

Not everyone is going to London for fun.

Ham'nd'egger

Victor wrote: »

Not everyone is going to London for fun.

True but my point stands; he is saving circa €10.

IrishKev

OK thanks everyone for your advice, true it's not worth the risk. The Oyster card is handy, but I think we'll just stick with a few travelcards instead, seeing as you don't need photo ID or anything like that.
Thanks again for the advice and info

etchyed

There's no photo ID required for an Oystercard either. There's basically never a reason not to get an Oystercard.

• Buying a Travelcard each day means you have to start your day at a station, or else you'll waste money on the ripoff cash fare on the bus
• If you get Travelcards for each day in advance you'll have to check which one you're using the whole time
• It'd be far quicker at the ticket office to just get an Oystercard than do the above
• If you do lots of travelling on a particular day your fares will be capped at the cost of a Travelcard (very slightly less, actually)
• If you don't travel a lot on a given day, you'll only be charged for when you do

If you can't be bothered to read my boring bullet points then I'll try to get your attention with some capitals: JUST LISTEN TO EVERYONE'S ADVICE AND GET A BLOODY OYSTERCARD!

IrishKev

Hi,
I read your non-boring informative bullet points along with YOUR LOUD CAPITALS (:D) and, OK an oyster card does seem the easier option. The reason I was saying we'd get a travelcard instead of an oyster card was that:

• I thought you'd have to apply 3 weeks in advance, with photo ID and all that
• Thought you'd have to buy them online, which would mean another charge on the debit card, instead of buying them hassle-free at the station (obviously didn't think Oysters were available there :P)
• Just thought Travelcards would be less hassle and easier to obtain, which I now know they are not!

So overall, I suppose an Oyster card would be the better option. Thanks etchyed and all the others for ye're advice!

EDIT: Could I just ask one more question? When you're buying the Oystercard at a Tube Station, do you mention the age you are so you can get the 16-18/Student discounts? Or is there some other roundabout way of doing it? I'm guessing you obviously have to show ID aswell, that'd be no problem though.

schemingbohemia

I really really hope you get caught trying to cheat the system

See here for his real plan

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055923717

IrishKev

schemingbohemia, if you looked at the date at that post, yes I had hoped to do that, but then I decided to post a thread up here after that post on the Commuting section where I openly asked if you could get away with it, to which the Boardsies said no, and as you can see if you read my posts in this thread I have now decided now not to try. Quote from yesterday: "OK thanks everyone for your advice, true it's not worth the risk." So don't make it look as if I'm trying to fool everyone when I'm not. I wasn't hiding anything from anyone on here, in my first post I openly said my intentions but I've been informed and advised well by everyone up in here.

Good enough for you Sherlock?

etchyed

IrishKev wrote: »

EDIT: Could I just ask one more question? When you're buying the Oystercard at a Tube Station, do you mention the age you are so you can get the 16-18/Student discounts? Or is there some other roundabout way of doing it? I'm guessing you obviously have to show ID aswell, that'd be no problem though.

You don't need to show ID to get a regular Oystercard.

You only need ID for one of the special ones (e.g. 16-18) and for that, yes, you'd need to apply in advance. Looking at the website, you seem to need a 16-18 Oystercard for almost every discount available. The cost of a Day Travelcard/Oyster daily cap is the same as for an adult. Don't know how many days you'll be there for but if you could get the 7-day off peak Zones 1-2 16-18 fare, it'd be only £12.90, which would save you a lot of money on say, a 4-day trip (4 x Adult Day Travelcards Zones 1-2 = £22.40). But applying for that 16-18 Oystercard would be a hassle if not impossible from Ireland.

Public transport in London is relatively expensive and I suppose it's just something you have to swallow if you're going on a trip there.

IrishKev

OK great thanks, I think we'll just get an Oyster card at the station and top it up by around £20. Thanks for your help.