Taking the family out by rail opens a whole new world for kids to explore, experience and enjoy. Sit back, relax, and let the train take the strain.
Rail travel in Britain can be expensive, but I’ve found ways to get cheaper family train tickets for days out in 2025.
Cheap Family Train Tickets in Britain: Quick Links
- Family & Friends Railcard: 1/3 OFF Rail Travel
- Train Tickets: No Booking Fees or Credit and Debit Card Charges
- Family Rail Ticket Offers from Train Companies
- Days Out Guide: 2for1 Deals on Family Attractions
Family & Friends Railcard: 1/3 OFF Rail Travel
With 1/3 OFF adult and 60% OFF child train fares and an average annual saving of £131*, there’s no better way to get cheaper family train tickets in Britain.
£20 OFF 3-Year Family & Friends Railcard Discount
- Exclusive Online Offer
- 1/3 OFF Adult & 60% OFF Child train fares
- SAVE £20 (22% OFF the cost of three 1-year Railcards)
- SAVE £393* average saving over three years
Family & Friends Railcard: 10 reasons to get one today
Family & Friends Railcard holders enjoy these 10 amazing benefits and a lot more.
- 1/3 OFF adult and 60% OFF child fares
- Up to four adults and four children aged between 5 and 15 can travel together
- Unlimited potential to save money with no restrictions on how many trips you take
- Two named adults on the card, so when one cardholder isn’t using it the other can
- Discounted Standard class train tickets including Anytime, Off-Peak, Super Off-Peak and Advance tickets
- Any group of named adults and children can travel. For example, grandparents or friends can buy a Railcard and children’s friends can go too
- Save money on the card itself with 1-year and 3-year Family & Friends Railcard discounts
- Caledonian Sleeper discounts 1/3 OFF adult and 81% OFF children
- Save money on connecting PLUSBUS bus and Wightlink, Red Funnel and Stena Line ferry services
- Family & Friends Railcard holder partner offers on travel, days out, theatre and restaurants
Still can’t decide? Try our Family & Friends Railcard page for more information.
* Source: Family & Friends Railcard
Train Tickets: No Booking Fees or Credit and Debit Card Charges
Apart from some train company special offers for journeys on their networks; train companies, agents and resellers in Britain sell the same tickets.
Buy direct from Avanti West Coast or other train companies, and you’ll pay no booking fees or credit charges!
Compare booking fees, and credit and debit card charges
East Midlands Trains – and all other train companies – do not charge booking fees or credit and debit card fees. Compare their prices and charges with ticket agents and resellers.
| Booking Fees | Debit Card Fees | Credit Card Fees | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avanti West Coast | None | None | None |
| Trainline | £0.25 to £1.50 | None | 2% |
| Red Spotted Hanky | £1 | None | None |
| Train Genius | £1 | None | 2% |
| My Train Ticket | £1.50 | None | 2% |
| Raileasy | £2.50 | None | 2.5% to 4.5% |
Family Rail Ticket Offers from Train Companies
Save money with train company special offers and family discounts for journeys on their networks. And you won’t have any booking fees or credit and debit card charges.
Don’t know who operates which area of the network? Try this rail company network map of Britain.
Days Out Guide: 2FOR1 Deals on Family Attractions
There’s a 2FOR1 offer for everyone, every day when you go by train!
Here are some examples of how much a family of four (two adults and two children) can save on popular attractions:
- London Zoo – £51.75
- London Eye – £49
- Edinburgh Dungeon – £31.90
- Manchester United Museum & Tour – £30
- Cadbury World – £29.50
Follow these steps for huge savings with 2FOR1 offers:
- Choose an attraction at Days Out Guide
- Download and print your vouchers
- Travel by train
- Present voucher and train tickets at your attraction
Make sure you check whether your train ticket is valid for 2FOR1 offers.
Save money days out by train this summer 2025 with cheap family train tickets!
Image credits: Nathan Rupert