Great Western Railway has put a new Family Day Out ticket on sale from July 13, 2026, for selected weekday day returns across parts of its network in England and Wales. The fixed group fare costs either 49 or 59 pounds and can cover up to two adults and four children when the chosen journey is available.
The offer can simplify the price decision for a family heading west from London Paddington or starting at another listed station, but it is not a network wide pass. Travelers must match the exact origin, destination, group size, weekday, outward train and same day return requirement before treating the headline price as usable.
- Sale and travel window: July 13 through September 4, 2026.
- Group price: Either 49 or 59 pounds for the whole eligible group.
- Group size: One adult and one child minimum, with up to two adults and four children.
- Railcard price: Family and Friends Railcard holders pay 10 pounds less.
- Service limit: The ticket is valid only on selected Great Western Railway services and journeys.
- Main restriction: Travel is Monday to Friday, must return the same day and is excluded on bank holidays.
What the GWR Family Day Out ticket includes
The official National Rail ticket entry identifies the product by ticket code FAZ and limits it to Great Western Railway services. It covers a day return from selected origins to selected destinations farther west, including some stations in Wales and Devon, rather than unrestricted travel across every GWR route.
The entire group pays one fixed amount rather than buying a separate promotional ticket for each traveler. A qualifying party can be as small as one adult with one child or as large as two adults with four children, and the product does not offer an individual child ticket outside that group structure.
Dates, train times and booking rules
Purchase and travel both run from Monday, July 13, through Friday, September 4, inclusive. The ticket is valid only Monday through Friday and cannot be used on Saturdays, Sundays or bank holidays, which removes the most common weekend day trip pattern from the promotion.
The outward trip must be booked before travel on a specific train, in a structure similar to an Advance ticket that can be purchased on the day. Availability is expected on most qualifying services from the start of service, but the latest permitted departure varies by origin because the product is designed around trains leaving Paddington before 10:15 a.m. or connections into them.
The return is more flexible because it can be made on any valid train and does not need an advance reservation. Every journey still has to be completed on the same day, so the ticket cannot support an overnight stay or a return after midnight merely because the outward train was eligible.
Families can buy the ticket online or at a ticket office, with delivery as a barcode or a paper ticket. The journey planner should show the valid option for the selected group and trains, and travelers should verify that the checkout actually labels the product as Family Day Out before paying.
How to decide whether the fixed fare saves money
The offer is most useful when the ordinary combined fare for the exact group is higher than 49 or 59 pounds and the family can accept the schedule limits. A large qualifying group may find the fixed amount compelling, while one adult and one child could sometimes find a different ticket or advance fare cheaper on a shorter route.
Start by pricing the same outward and return trains without the promotion, using the correct adult and child ages. Then compare the total with the Family Day Out result and check whether either option changes the return flexibility, refund rights or train specific obligations that matter to the plan.
The comparison should include the full day, not only the rail price. A family using Paddington as the starting point can treat this as a separate westbound day trip, while families keeping their day in London can use Deep Arrival’s Tower of London guide to compare a city itinerary that does not require this GWR ticket.
Great Western Railway also markets a broader fixed price Family Ticket on selected routes, so travelers may see more than one family product during a search. The GWR family ticket page confirms the same maximum group size, but the fare name and conditions shown for the selected itinerary settle which product is being sold.
What the Family and Friends Railcard changes
A valid Family and Friends Railcard reduces the promotional group price by 10 pounds, producing a 39 or 49 pound total. No other Railcard discount applies to this ticket, so travelers holding a Senior, Two Together, Network or other card should not expect it to reduce the fixed Family Day Out amount.
The promotional discount is simple, but purchasing a new Railcard solely for one trip needs a separate calculation. MoneySavingExpert’s independent Railcard comparison lists the normal Family and Friends benefit as one third off adult fares and 60 percent off child fares, which helps travelers compare the card’s wider value beyond this 10 pound reduction.
The group still has to include at least one adult and one child even when a Railcard is used. The promotion allows no other Railcard discount, and it remains capped at two adults and four children despite the normal Family and Friends Railcard rules allowing a different maximum adult count on ordinary eligible fares.
Refunds and changes require extra care
The Family Day Out ticket is nonrefundable, which makes a speculative purchase riskier than the low group price might suggest. Families should settle the travel date, required outward train and likelihood of completing a same day return before committing, especially when weather or attraction plans remain uncertain.
Changes follow the usual Advance ticket conditions referenced by National Rail. That means travelers should not assume the flexible return portion makes the whole product flexible, because the outward reservation and the promotional fare rules still control what can be altered and whether a charge or price difference applies.
The safest purchase record includes the ticket name, origin, destination, outward reservation, group composition and displayed restrictions. Saving the confirmation and checking planned return services before departure can prevent a low fare from becoming an expensive replacement ticket when the group reaches the station.
Decision matrix for a family booking
| Your situation | Best first check | Main constraint |
|---|---|---|
| One adult and one child | Compare the fixed fare with ordinary tickets | A smaller group may not get the largest saving |
| Two adults and up to four children | Search the exact eligible GWR journey | The group must travel together on the booked outward train |
| Family and Friends Railcard holder | Confirm the 10 pound reduction at checkout | No other Railcard type reduces this product |
| Weekend or overnight plan | Choose another fare | The promotion is weekday only and returns the same day |
| Plans may change | Review Advance change rules before payment | The promotional ticket is nonrefundable |
- Price the group: Compare the 49 or 59 pound result with ordinary fares for the same travelers and trains.
- Check the map: Confirm both the origin and destination are included by the live journey planner.
- Choose the outward train: Book the required specific service before boarding.
- Protect the return: Finish the entire trip on the same weekday and review the latest service times.
- Use the right Railcard: Expect only the Family and Friends Railcard to reduce this promotion.
- Buy carefully: Treat the nonrefundable rule as part of the fare, not a minor footnote.
What to verify before paying
As of July 2026, the official National Rail entry is the clearest statement of the promotion’s dates and restrictions. Travelers should still use the live GWR or National Rail journey planner for the exact route because the terms describe selected origins and destinations rather than promising the fare across the whole network.
Confirm the displayed ticket name, final group price, adults and children included, outward reservation and same day return before payment. Also check for planned engineering work, timetable changes and the last practical return train, since a valid fare does not guarantee that every service fits the intended day.
Great Western Railway’s Family Day Out ticket creates a useful fixed price option, but only when the route and schedule line up with its narrow rules. The next thing to watch is whether the live journey planner offers the fare for the selected trip and keeps the preferred trains available through September 4.
How much is the GWR Family Day Out ticket?
The whole eligible group pays either 49 or 59 pounds. A valid Family and Friends Railcard reduces those totals to 39 or 49 pounds.
How many people can use one Family Day Out ticket?
The group must include at least one adult and one child and can include no more than two adults and four children.
Can the GWR Family Day Out ticket be used on weekends?
No. It is valid Monday through Friday from July 13 to September 4, excluding bank holidays.
Is the GWR Family Day Out ticket refundable?
No, the promotional product is nonrefundable. Changes are governed by the usual Advance ticket conditions referenced by National Rail.
