New Family Train Ticket Simplifies Travel Across Wales
From November 2025, Transport for Wales (TfW) is introducing a Family Ticket designed for parents traveling with children. The new option allows up to two children under the age of 16 to travel free of charge with each adult who has paid for their ticket. Tickets can be bought via the updated TfW app, at ticket machines, or on board. The initiative is available across Wales and border routes, offering a simplified way for families to travel under one combined fare.
The new ticket is good for all standard-class services on the TfW network, even those run in partnership with Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, Great Western Railway, TransPennine Express, Northern, and West Midlands Railway. The product combines adult and child fares into one purchase, so you don't have to buy separate tickets. Unlike other ticket types, the Family Ticket allows children to ride for free during off-peak times. This gives travelers more options when planning day trips or vacations.
What’s new for passengers:
- Up to two children under 16 can travel free with a paying adult.
- Available both digitally and on paper via the TfW app, ticket offices, and train managers.
- Valid across the TfW network and partner routes in Wales and England.
- Free child travel now available at any time, not only off-peak.
- Applies to Standard class and cannot be used with pay-as-you-go tickets.
This change makes the fare structure more clear and predictable. Families won't have to figure out how much each child costs separately anymore, which will lower the total cost of trips during school or vacation times. It might also make more people want to take trains instead of cars for trips within the country. TfW makes it easier for people who like traditional ticketing to use both digital and paper formats. This encourages more people to use digital tools.
The Family Ticket program is part of efforts to make train travel in the UK easier and more flexible for different types of passengers. For families, this is a welcome change that can simplify train journeys lasting only a few hours or within a single region. The change also shows that train companies are still trying to make fare systems easier to use and keep up with changing travel patterns across Wales.