When travelling with children in London, start with three things: their age, the transport you will use and the length of your visit. A child may travel free on the Underground but need a different ticket for the airport train. From age 11, paying with a bank card does not automatically give a child fare.
Here is a summary of the rules and options to help you plan family travel around the city.
Fares and General Rules
- Under 11: travel free on TfL buses and trams. On the Underground, DLR, London Overground and Elizabeth line, children aged 5–10 can travel free with an adult holding a valid ticket or paying as they go, including contactless; the general limit is four per adult. You do not need to buy Oyster for those accompanied journeys. Under-5s also travel free when accompanied. National Rail has different conditions: the 5–10 Zip Oyster photocard allows free travel on most services accepting Oyster, with exclusions. The cable car, now IFS Cloud Cable Car, has its own child fares and conditions; check them before buying, even if you have already arranged Underground travel.
- Ages 11–15: for visits of up to 14 days, standard Oyster or Visitor Oyster with the Young Visitor discount can provide half adult-rate pay as you go fares and daily caps on eligible services. Staff must activate it with the child present. Another option is the 11–15 Zip Oyster photocard, which gives free bus and tram travel and child fares on other covered services. These are different products with different benefits. Each child who needs to pay needs their own card; contactless bank cards charge adult fares without these reductions.
- Ages 16–18: a visitor aged 16 or 17 can apply for a 16+ Zip Oyster photocard for 50% off pay as you go on eligible services. London residents also have free bus and tram travel conditions. Not every 18-year-old visitor can apply: eligibility at 18 requires living in a London borough, full-time education and TfL’s age conditions. Without a valid discount, Oyster or contactless charges adult fares. 18+ Student is a separate scheme with residence and educational institution requirements; it does not automatically halve every journey fare.
Card Options
- Standard Oyster or Visitor Oyster: standard Oyster is sold at Underground stations and authorised London outlets; Visitor Oyster is bought before arrival and can be topped up in the city. Young Visitor can be added to either. Not every station has a ticket office: ask staff for help. See our Oyster and Visitor Oyster guides to choose a card.
- Zip Oyster photocard: a family of cards with age-specific requirements: 5–10, 11–15 and 16+. As of 16 October 2026, the administration fees are £11.50, £16.50 and £22, respectively. This is not travel credit. Compare the fee with your stay and likely usage before applying.
- Child Travelcards: these are also available, but you must meet the product and card requirements. A loose photograph does not turn any Oyster into a child seven-day Travelcard; the appropriate photocard may be needed. Child-rate paper Day Travelcards do not require an 11–15 Zip on TfL services accepting them. Compare the cost with Young Visitor for your route in our Travelcard guide.
Young Visitor Discount: What It Is and How to Apply
The Young Visitor discount is for children aged 11–15 visiting London who do not live in the city and do not hold an 11–15 Zip Oyster photocard. It is added to standard Oyster or Visitor Oyster; buying the card does not activate it automatically, and it cannot be loaded onto a contactless bank card.
Features of the Young Visitor Discount
- 50% discount: halves adult pay as you go fares and daily caps on buses, the Underground, trams, DLR, Overground, Elizabeth line and most National Rail services included in the scheme. It does not guarantee the same reduction on every airport train or special service.
- Duration: applies for up to 14 days. Once it expires, the reduction ends and the relevant adult fare applies; a Visitor Oyster does not become a standard Oyster. Check the end date when staff activate it.
- Card cost: a new standard Oyster costs a non-refundable £10.50; travel credit is extra. If you already have a compatible card, ask staff whether it can be reused for that child. With Visitor Oyster, also allow for postage if ordering before travelling.
How to Get the Young Visitor Discount
- Staff can add it to standard Oyster or Visitor Oyster at Tube or London Overground stations, certain Elizabeth line stations and Visitor Centres. Elizabeth line locations may have specific hours: check TfL’s current list.
- Requirement: the child must be present when the discount is requested so staff can verify their age.
- Process: bring the child and their card, ask staff for Young Visitor and check that it has been activated for the intended dates. You do not need to find a sales ticket office if the station has none. Each child must use the card carrying their discount.
Zip Oyster Photocard
Zip Oyster is the family of age-based photocards. This section explains the 11–15 Zip Oyster photocard, which differs from Oyster with Young Visitor.
- It is a transport card for children aged 11–15.
- It gives free travel on buses and trams and child fares on TfL and National Rail services covered by its conditions. It is not accepted between West Drayton and Reading on Elizabeth line or on every railway service outside London.
- To apply, you need:
- A digital photograph of the child.
- A valid machine-readable passport to verify age and identity.
- An image of the passport.
- A £16.50 administration fee, according to TfL’s information checked on 16 October 2026. This is separate from travel credit.
- Apply online through Transport for London’s website.
- Without a valid machine-readable passport, start the application online and follow TfL’s alternative procedure. Non-London residents may need to collect the card at a Visitor Centre with their confirmation and accepted identification. In that case, TfL asks you to apply at least 28 days before the intended collection date.
- Once the documents are approved, the card usually arrives within about two weeks. This estimated delivery time is different from the lead time TfL may require for visitor collection; check before planning your journey.
- It may suit residents, repeat visits or longer stays, but it is not always the cheapest option: consider the fee, expected use and application time.
- For a short visit, standard Oyster with Young Visitor may be more convenient.
- The 11–15 Zip does not necessarily expire on the 16th birthday: TfL states that it expires on 30 September following the child’s 16th birthday. Check the printed expiry date. Eligibility also depends on their age on 31 August; do not choose a card using the birthday alone.
An example: travelling with an 8-year-old and a 13-year-old
For an adult accompanying these two children on covered Underground journeys, the 8-year-old does not need their own Oyster to travel free with them. The 13-year-old needs their own ticket or payment method: for a short visit, an Oyster with Young Visitor activated may suit. The adult can pay contactless; buying the adult an Oyster is not required for the 8-year-old’s free travel.
Do not buy three cards by default or use the adult’s bank card to let the teenager through as well. Decide the route first, then each person’s ticket. With a pushchair or if you need to avoid stairs, see our step-free London Underground guide.
Airport trains: check the operator’s rules
- Heathrow: Piccadilly line, Elizabeth line and Heathrow Express do not necessarily have the same rules. Heathrow Express allows under-16s to travel free under its conditions, but asks you to book their free child ticket when travelling together. Compare the whole family’s cost and final destination, rather than just the adult fare. See our Heathrow guide and the operator’s offer.
- Stansted: the operator offers child tickets for ages 5–15. Do not assume Underground free travel applies to the train: Oyster is not valid at Stansted Airport and contactless does not offer child fares. Check our Stansted guide and child tickets.
- Gatwick and other airports: check the operator, specific service and family fares. A train accepting Oyster does not mean all Underground free travel rules apply. Our Gatwick guide explains the options.
Tips for Traveling with Children
Alongside our general Underground travel tips, pay particular attention to planning and carry the documents needed for the discounts and fares you use:
- Planning: check routes and zones before travelling to make sure you have the right tickets.
- Documents: carry the photocard and evidence required for your discount. A loose photo does not replace an issued card. For Young Visitor, the child must be present at activation.
- Maximum number of children: where accompanied free travel applies, the general limit for ages 5–10 is four per adult with a valid ticket. With more children, check which tickets or photocards they need; do not assume the fifth also travels free.
Last updated: 16 October 2026
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