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With the holiday season approaching families throughout India are preparing for holiday travel during Christmas and the New Year. Given that schools are now closed for winter vacations parents are busy figuring out how to travel with their children in a manageable low-cost and safe way. Trains remain a very inexpensive and efficient mode of transport to connect all major cities and tourist destinations across the country. Indian Railways offers everything from breathtaking views to sleeper coaches and modern air-conditioned compartments making this form of travel increasingly popular among families planning to travel for the holiday season. Before booking parents should be aware of the child ticket policy of the Indian Railways which describes how fares are determined for children of certain ages. Free Travel for Children Under 5 Years. As per the Ministry of Railways published March 6 2020 children who are less than five years old can travel on trains free of charge as long as a separate berth or seat is not required. Parents do not need to purchase a ticket for these children. What is the fare rule for children under 5 years? If a separate seat or berth is requested for a child under five the full adult fare will apply. However if a separate berth or seat is needed and a parent requests it then the child will be charged full adult fares under those conditions. Who pays for children aged 5 to 12 years? For children aged between 5 years to under 12 years the fare depends on the requirement for a seat. If no seat or berth is needed Indian Railway will permit travel at the reduced child fare. If a seat or berth is requested the fare will be charged the same as an adult ticket. This approach provides parents with discretion based on comfort and budget. What about children above 12 years? After the age of 12 a child is classified as an adult passenger and is required to pay the full adult fare on reserved and unreserved tickets. Parents are encouraged to enter accurate age information when booking their tickets since age misrepresentation could result in penalties or failure to board. While booking tickets online through IRCTC’s website and mobile app parents are able to easily enter their child’s date of birth while entering passenger details.