Save Big Money On Rail Travel Every Year With Railcards
At the age of 61 I just got my first Senior Railcard.
I must admit I hadn’t realised I was even eligible for a Senior Railcard – I assumed you had to be over 65 for this and/or receiving a pension. That’s definitely not the case, though. As long as you are 60 or above, that’s all that’s necessary.
I already saved most of the cost of my card within a month visiting a friend who was in hospital in Birmingham (now safely home, I’m glad to say). So in this post I thought I’d say a bit about Senior Railcards and railcards more generally. If you ever travel by train, they can generate big savings for you over the course of a year.
Senior Railcard
The Senior Railcard (which I now have) costs £30 a year, or you can save yourself £20 by paying £70 for three years.
Once you have your card, you can save a third on most types of ticket, including standard and off-peak, single and return. One thing you can’t do, though, is use them to get a discount on season tickets. You are also barred from using them between two stations in London and the South-East during morning peak time. A full list showing when you can and can’t use your Senior Railcard can be found here.
If you really feel like travelling in style, you can also use your railcard to get a third off a first class ticket. That would almost certainly cover the cost of the card in one trip!
For travelling from Lichfield City (my nearest station) to University (the station for Birmingham University and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital), using my railcard cut the cost of a day return from about £9 to £6. Obviously, for longer journeys the savings would be even greater.
To use the card, you have to present it at the ticket office when buying your ticket. It is also available as an option on automatic ticket machines and when buying a ticket from websites (where this is possible). One important thing to remember is that you must have your Senior Railcard with you when travelling, as a ticket inspector may want to see it.
You can buy a Senior Railcard at any staffed railway station, or on the Senior Railcard website. I did the latter, and my card duly arrived by post two days later. Note that in order to buy a Senior Railcard online, you will need to enter your driving licence or passport number to prove your eligibility.
One other thing to note is that Senior Railcard holders are eligible for certain additional benefits as well, such as discounts on Warner Leisure Hotels and Haven Holidays. More information about this can be found here.
Other Railcards
If you aren’t over 60, there are still other railcards you may be eligible for. They are listed in the table below. In most cases holders of these cards get 1/3 off the normal fare. There may be some restrictions, e.g. you may not be allowed to use them in the morning rush hour (in London and the South-East especially).
Railcards
| Name of Card | Price/year | Terms | Notes | Apply online? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Railcard | £30 | Age 60 or over | Yes | |
| Two Together | £30 | Two adults of any age | Must travel after 09.30 on weekdays | Yes |
| 16-25 Railcard | £30 | Age 16-25 or full-time mature student of any age | Yes | |
| Family & Friends | £30 | Up to 4 adults and 4 children | Gives 1/3 off adult fares and 60% off children's fares | Yes |
| Network Railcard | £30 | 16 and over | Valid anywhere in the London and South-East region | Yes |
| Disabled Persons | £20 | Must have a disability and/or receive a disabled person's benefit | Also valid for an accompanying adult | No |
| HM Forces | £17 | Must be a serving member of UK armed forces or reservist, or spouse/partner of one, or a dependant | No |
For more information about any of these cards and links to apply (for those cards where online application is available), visit this page of the National Rail website.
If you have any comments or queries about this post, as ever, please do post them below.
See you on the train!
February 20, 2017 @ 3:38 pm
Interesting about the other benefits that come with the railcard as I wasn’t aware of those! Will have to suggest this to my mother, who has a fit at the thought of going by train anywhere given the ridiculous prices. Great post 🙂
February 20, 2017 @ 3:45 pm
Thanks, Caz. Yes, there are some good extra benefits with the Senior Railcard as well as the discounts on travel. It’s definitely worth checking out!
February 21, 2017 @ 1:42 am
I wish that there was a convenient railway system to travel upon over here.
February 21, 2017 @ 2:22 pm
Sorry about that. Yes, not much point buying a railcard if there’s no opportunity to use it!