[category]
[title]
The cost of a train ticket can be enough to put a family day trip out of reach – something Avanti West Coast is hoping to change this summer.
The train operator has teamed up with the Family Holiday Charity, an organisation that provides spontaneous breaks and day trips for disadvantaged families across the UK. Avanti will provide them with free travel to reach holiday destinations along the West Coast Network, which connects London with major cities including Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow.
The trips are designed to give families time away together, with Avanti West Coast customer experience director Kathryn O’Brien saying the company is ‘really proud’ to help people take holidays they ‘may otherwise not have the chance’ to go on.
Curious to know more about Avanti’s free train tickets and how they will help vulnerable families? We’ve broken down what you need to know.
Who can get free train tickets in the UK this summer?
The free train tickets will be available to families experiencing difficulties, such as financial hardship, mental health challenges, bereavement, caring responsibilities, housing insecurities and domestic abuse.
Families are referred to Family Holiday Charity by organisations including social workers and the NHS, which help identify those most in need of a break. Avanti West Coast has said it will initially support six families with funding their summer holiday rail travel, calling the trial a ‘first for the rail industry’.
For some families, the trip will mark their own first – not just a holiday, but a train journey together. Rob Parkinson, chief executive of Family Holiday Charity, said: ‘While many of the families we support have not been on a holiday before, it will also be the case that some have never travelled together by rail’.
Which routes are offering free tickets?
The free tickets will only be available on Avanti West Coast, which operates long-distance trains linking London with destinations across the UK, from Birmingham and Manchester to Liverpool and Glasgow. You can see the list of destinations served by Avanti here.
The routes provide access to many beautiful spots along the UK coastline. These include Bangor, known as the gateway to Anglesey, Llandudno and Prestatyn on the North Wales coast, Lancashire resorts, such as quaint Lytham St Annes and iconic Blackpool and the rugged Cumbrian and west Scottish coasts.
Kathryn O’Brien, Avanti West Coast’s customer experience director, said the operator serves ‘many picturesque towns and seaside destinations along the West Coast Main Line that will be the perfect destination for the families to enjoy new experiences and escapism from their day-to-day reality’.
What dates are the free tickets valid?
The pilot scheme will launch over the school summer holidays. We can’t see a confirmation of exact dates yet, but typically the summer holidays across England and Wales fall between July 22 and August 31. However, these vary slightly depending on the local council and where you are in the UK.
🏖 Time Out's guide to the 40 best beaches in the UK
Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel.
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.