1stTimer

Gatwick express has a special 4 for the price of 2 (if all passengers are 15 or older). Our 2 children will be with us. One child is 15 and the other will be 14 and 7 months.

Will the ticket office check her ID or can we claim she is 15 in order to get the special deal?

What does Heathrow Express consider an adult and will they check an ID?

Thanks for any input.

Intrepid

All depends on how you feel about telling the truth or not. I somehow doubt they'll check IDs but you never know.

abram

And teaching your children to lie for money.

fergie12

If you're child already looks 15 I doubt this will be a problem, but if he/she is small for their age, who knows.

Flyboy

It seems odd that it would be unethical to seat a child with an adult ticket.

mpprh

Hi

I read this in the Sunday Times

They have a special machine by the ticket office, which everyone has to walk through.

It's reputed to disclose birthdates to within seconds.

Sorry

Don't worry about it ..... if you are queried, you just pay the correct fare ?

Peter

Jennie

Oh please, are you kidding me? "Teaching your children to lie for money"???!!! Give me a break. This is hardly a moral issue. This is a practical matter. People do this every day! For example, my niece turned 3 three days before I recently took her and my nephew on a trip to a theme park near where I live. At this place, kids under 3 get in free. However, 3 and up cost $27.99 + tax to get in. Do you think I told the people at the front gate that she was still 2? You bet I did. Have I lost one, single, solitary wink of sleep over it? No.

Please, please get over yourself. There are many, many more things in this world to spend your righteous indignation on than people adding 5 months to or shaving three days off the age of their child to catch a little bit of a financial break.

RevvedUp

Well, Jennie, for some people honesty is not relative. You're either honest or you're not. You're not.

Anonymous

I'm afraid I have to side with the posters who are chiding you for trying to cheat the country you have chosen to visit, when you've been there for barely an hour.

Are you sure that the cutoff is 15? Normally, child fares are for ages 5 through 15, with adult fares for age 16 and up.

Lesli

From the site(www.gatwickexpress.co.uk):

"Can two adults and two children travel on a four for two ticket?
No, all party members must be over 15 years of age."

"Child fares are available for children age 5 to 15. Children under 5 go free and children 5-15 pay half price of adult fares (excluding Cheap Day Returns)"

allovereurope

Actually answering your question instead of getting into a moral debate, I would think that they would not bother to check, especially since they will both appear to be 15. But that's just what I think.

You can buy the ticket on board the train (no ticket office necessary) and just ask the conductor if you can use the 4 for 2 fare. If he/she says yes, then enjoy it. If not, not.

ron

As I read Lesli's quote from the website, you will have to lie about both kids ages. And the idea that you ask the conductor for the 4 for 2 offer doesn't work either; the website states that these cannot be bought on the train.

Given that parents with kids aged 5 to 15 would love to take advantage of this offer, I imagine many will be trying the trick suggested by 1stTimer. You could quite likely get a conductor who has lost patience with these attempts and does ask for proof of age.

PalenqueBob

If your goal is to just get into London as cheaply as possible, ditch the Gatwick Express, which only goes to Victoria Station, and take Thameslink trains to several different parts of London. Though these take a bit longer as they stop a lot and are, like usual in London area, somewhat filthy, they are about twice as cheap and you won't have to cheat - and they too probably match any offer Gatwick Express makes and they are highly competitive with each other. There are no special provisions for luggage on these trains however, which typically come from Brighton area and may be quite full by the time they get to Gatwick. The real cheap skate can take hop Thameslink to Croydon, about half way to central London, then buy a TravelCard good for a day or longer that will cover travel all over London for the day or longer period. Thameslink trains run every half hour from Gatwick, same station as Gatwick Express, to several London termini, like Kings Cross; full fare recently was about 7.50 pounds to any London termini; by changing at various places en route, London's maze of commuter railways can even take you to Victoria Station. Folks wanting to rail from Gatwick to places like Cambridge are in fact much better taking Thameslink to Kings Cross and a mainline train from there to Cambridge or other points north of London.

wojazz3

So you're either honest or you're not. If your wife asks "Does my butt look big in these jeans" and it does, should you say yes?

sel0902

Hi

i agree with with palengue bob - forget about the Gatwick Express and get the thames link service - takes a bit longer but alot cheaper.

If you do go with the Gatwick Express don't worry about ages - they won't ask and if they do just say ur passports etc are in your luggage. i would'nt worry about morals etc the money is better in your pocket than the train company.

just go for it and enjoy the trip

sel

suze

Just because "people do this every day" does not make it right ... just ask my Mother!

14 and 7 months is not 15. You seem to have already made up your mind so I'm not sure the point of your post. Will you get caught? Will they ask for ID? Maybe yes, maybe no.

Some people do consider a lie a moral issue, not simply the solution to a "practical matter". When you post on a public BB like this you open yourself up to hear other's opinions ... like them or not, that's what it's all about.

jsmith

I suggest you tell the ticket agent you are all 15 or under and qualify for the half price tickets. Voila - 4 for 2.