If you’re going on a family adventure, you can save on your children’s train tickets with EMR.
Children travel for less with our wide range of discounted train tickets available. Under 5's can travel for free and children aged 5 to 15 can save 50% on their tickets with EMR.
Plan your next day out and book tickets using our journey planner today. Here’s everything you need to know to get the best deals on child train tickets.
Train Travel with Children
Child train tickets discounts are a fantastic way to hop onboard for less. Make the most of various discounts available if you're travelling with kids - plus don’t miss all the other ways to save money as a family with EMR.
Children under 5
If you’re travelling with children under 5, they’re completely free when accompanied by fare-paying parent or guardian.
Children aged under 5 can only occupy a seat if it is not required by a fee-paying passenger. If it is a busy train and all spaces are occupied, they will need to sit on your knee. If you wish them to have a seat you will need to purchase a child ticket.
Children aged 5 to 15
Children aged 5-15 benefit from a 50% discount on the price of a full adult ticket.
The 50% discount for children applies equally to single and return tickets. For children who look 16 or older, it’s wise to bring along a form of ID to avoid any embarrassing conversations with the ticket inspector – they may want to verify that the child is eligible for discounted travel.
If your child looks over 16, they may need to carry proof of age when purchasing a ticket.
Railcards for Children
Planning to travel by train with your kids? If you're travelling with children aged 5-15, we recommend you get a Family & Friends Railcard. A railcard allows you to get 1/3 off adult train tickets when you travel with 1-4 children, plus kids get 60% off.
There are a range of railcards for travelling with children to get discounted rail fares.
16-17 Saver Railcard
Our 16-17 Railcard offers 16-17 year olds a 50% discount on rail travel, making it cheaper to get to school, college and work.
Find out more about the 16-17 Saver Railcard.
16 –25 Railcard
The 16-25 Railcard will save you 33% off rail travel, including Advance and First Class Advance tickets.
Find out more about the 16-25 Railcard
Family & Friends Railcard
The Family & Friends Railcard makes days out with the family even better. It offers a third off for up to four adults and 60% off for up to four kids, so you can travel for less.
Find out more about the Family & Friends Railcard.
How to book child train tickets
Buying kids train tickets with discounted rates is easy with EMR.
We’ve made it really easy to add children to your booking, or book stand-alone child rail tickets. Here’s how you do it:
- Use our Journey Planner at the top of the page.
- Enter your origin and destination.
- Add all passengers to your search.
- You do not need to add a child under the age of 5 to your booking.
- Add any child to your booking that is age 5-15.
- Select any Railcard or Discount that is applicable.
Click ‘Find trains and times’ to see all the available times and tickets for your chosen route.
Tips for travelling with toddlers
Traveling by train with toddlers can be a smooth and enjoyable experience with a bit of preparation. Here are some tips to help make the journey more comfortable and stress-free:
On board facilities
- Bringing pushchairs on the train
You can bring your pushchairs or prams on East Midlands Railway services, but they must be folded and stored in the luggage compartments. We recommend choosing an easy-to-fold model and considering a sling or baby carrier for convenience.
- Baby changing facilities on the train
We are happy to offer accessible toilets and baby changing facilities on board all our trains.
At station facilities
- Baby changing facilities at the station
We know how important it is to have access to toilets when you need them, most of our stations have baby changing facilities. Find out more about our stations.
Find out more Top Tips for Travelling with Children >
Fun days out with Children
There are lots of great places across the East Midlands where you can take children for a fun filled day out. Even better than that, many of these places are within easy reach by train, taking the stress out of the journey.
Child Train Ticket FAQs
Yes, children under 5 years old can travel for free on trains in the UK when accompanied by a paying adult. They don’t need a ticket but may not be guaranteed a seat if the train is busy.
In the UK, child fares generally apply to children aged 5 to 15 years old. After age 15, an adult rail ticket is required.
For children aged 5 to 15, tickets are typically 50% off the adult fare. The exact price depends on the route, time, and type of ticket (e.g., peak or off-peak). You can check specific prices using our Journey Planner.
Yes, infants and toddlers under 5 travel for free when accompanied by a fare-paying adult.
Most trains have designated spaces for prams, usually located near the doors or in accessible carriages. You can bring your pushchairs or prams on East Midlands Railway services, but they must be folded and stored in the luggage compartments.
Railcards for young people begin at the 16-17 Saver Railcard, which offers 50% off train travel for a year. Children aged 15 and below already benefit from heavily discounted tickets, so unfortunately, they aren’t eligible for Railcards yet.
EMR Intercity seat reservations are currently unavailable on services from 1 April 2026 while we transition to our new Aurora fleet. Wheelchair and bicycle reservations can still be made in the usual way.
No, children under a certain age must be accompanied by an adult whilst travelling on the train.