Summer hols can feel never-ending if you’re a parent, especially when you’re trying to fill the calendar with fun, budget-friendly, things to do. This summer, the UK’s come up trumps for good weather – finally! So, getting out and about as a family is a great way to make lasting memories. If your local stomping ground has you stumped for ideas for days out, a trip to London could be just the ticket. Days out to London don’t have to cost the earth, especially when you’re using our handy app. We teamed up with the Witt family (in the video below) to show just how easy it is to travel by train as a family.
How to get cheap travel as a family
Do a quick search on our app and you can select how many adults or children are travelling, to find the right ticket price. When you’re travelling in the UK, you can bring up to two children under five with you for free, so long as they’re travelling with a full-paying adult. Kids aged 5-15 normally get a 50% discount on tickets.
Some train companies also offer £1 child train tickets when up to 4 kids are travelling with at least 1 adult holding an Off-Peak Family Travelcard. Learn more about Kids for a Quid tickets and Family Travelcards and save on your family travel.
We always recommend planning your travel in advance. And to help you, we created a nifty tool in our app called Price Prediction that helps you track predicted price rises for your route to help you know when to book.
Travel by train or coach
The Witt family chose to travel by train for their journey from Salisbury to London. But, depending on where you’re coming from, you might find that coach tickets are a cheaper option. Keep your little ones busy by playing a game of I Spy.
Use GroupSave and Railcards
Our clever app will alert you if you’re eligible for a GroupSave discount and apply the savings automatically. Alternatively, get yourself a Friends and Family Railcard and not only will you save money when you travel as a group, but you’ll also get discounts on tickets for top West End theatre shows. We’d recommend family favourites like The Lion King, Matilda The Musical and Disney’s Aladdin. Or, for very little children, check out Unicorn Theatre by London Bridge.
Visit Madame Tussauds
Have your kids ever wanted to hang out with Spiderman or the Incredible Hulk? Perhaps they’d rather harmonise with One Direction or Adele? Madame Tussauds, the home of lifelike waxwork models, will bring them up close to their idols. Book an Advance, Anytime or Off-Peak ticket and you’ll get 2 for 1 entry to London attractions like Madame Tussauds, ZSL London Zoo, and DreamWorks Tours; Shrek’s Adventure! London. You'll need to get your 2 for 1 ticket before you arrive.
Getting to Madame Tussauds is easy as it’s just a 10-minute walk from London Marylebone Station. And, trust us, the walk will be a much nicer experience than trying to tackle the tube with small children in tow.
Chill out in one of London’s parks
Why not bring a picnic with you, to cut down on costs, and settle down on a blanket in one of London’s many grassy parks? The Witt family stopped in at Green Park, near to the iconic Buckingham Palace, basically the Queen’s back garden, but the wide-open spaces of Regent’s Park and Hyde Park are also perfect picks for a lazy lunch or an afternoon kick about – football anyone?
Want more ideas of things to do in London? We’ve teamed up with Ticketmaster to bring you a range of city guides.
A sweet treat for the train home
What better way to round off a family day out than something sweet? You definitely won’t struggle to find a bakery or cake shop in London, but here are some of our favourites. Conveniently, they’re all near to a train station, so you can pop in before catching the train home.
- Aux Pains De Papy – Close to Kings Cross and London St Pancras International. This small bakery just a short walk from both stations has limited seating, making it a perfect pit stop to grab a cake and go to catch your train.
- Sunflour Bakery – This one’s also close to Kings Cross and London St Pancras International.
- Konditor and Cook – Close to Waterloo Station – Highly praised on TripAdvisor, this bakery also has a Certificate of Excellence!
- Bageriet – Close to Charing Cross Station – Swedish bakery that bakes their goodies fresh every day.
Ready to plan a day out the kids will love at a price that'll keep you smiling? Book an Advance ticket today on our website or app.