[Closed] Derby railway station

The easiest and probably cheapest way to get to Derby station is via the Skylink bus which drops off outside and takes about 30 mins.

There's a coffee shop inside the concourse, not sure of opening hours but it should be pretty safe to sit in there or the concourse for a few hours. Plenty of people do, especially last weekend before/after Download.
If he has a ticket he ought to be able to go through the barriers to the platform and there'll be waiting areas/toilets there.

Don't know about transfers between the airport and station but I'd be amazed if there aren't shuttle buses, but Derby station would be a reasonably safe place to kill a few hours. Looks like the coffee shops won't be open though...
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/DBY.aspx

It isn't massive, so not a lot to keep him occupied.

Another option would be to stay at the Airport and get a transfer closer to train departure time. Should be more eating options there.

One more option is 'Bubbles Spa' opposite the station which would help him in his transition to man-hood! 😀

Bubbles Spa across the road will take him in for a small fee.

I'll ask when my train gets back in this evening?

Be good to know the end destination, i.e. where you live?

Will the station be open overnight?

4-6 cans of Special Brew upon landing and he'll be reet.

At 18 yo he'll be fine looking after himself. Oh and let him sort it out, at his age he's prefectly capable of doing this for himself, or he should be.

There is nothing open in Derby station after about 10 at night and before 6 in the morning. I know from cold and thirsty experience. You may want to give them a ring to see if the waiting rooms on the platforms are open. They are usually warm and dry and in good condition. Also worth checking about the loos.

The ticket barriers remain open from about 10pm, so no problem with access. It's usually pretty quiet, so should be safe enough to kill some time but may be a little dull.

It might be ever so slightly more preferable for him to wait around at East Midlands airport for a few hours before getting the shuttle bus thingy to Derby station. At least there are toilets, seats and places to eat at EMA through the night (you can get a decent whisky at 4:30 I'll have you know)

As above, National Rail website suggests the waiting rooms won't open until 4:45 so he would be better off waiting in the airport until at least 4:00. Skylink bus goes every hour during the night.

The Travelodge at Donington Services (M1) is walkable and sometimes £25. Although he would then have to walk back to get the Skylink in to Derby.

https://www.trentbarton.co.uk/services/skylinkderby/timetable
Skylink bus timetable between EMA and Derby

I would also suggest waiting around at the airport end rather than Derby train station although there is quite a few chain hotels around The station in Derby so you might get a cheap rate at one, or some perfectly adequate for a few hours B&B's just down London road, towards Alvaston (ones for sale at the mo £450k for 17 bedrooms!)
The airport would definitely be a safer environment than the area around the station

Have you considered trains from East Midlands Parkway, it's much closer to the airport to than Derby station, and served by Nottingham and Derby trains, although not a great place to spend the night as there is absolutely nothing there

He's 18 ffs - coke and hookers for a few hours in either Notts, or Derby. I was taking myself off to South Wales (from Derbyshire) on the National Express to see my cousins when I was 16.

As others have said though - stay at the airport, rather than the station for that amount of time