UK Railcards – who can’t get one

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Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 19 total)

  • Bath_VIP
    Participant

    High rail fares are a frequent complaint in the UK so railcards giving you a 1/3 off are welcome. I myself have a disabled persons railcard.

    I was looking at this list of railcards and I hadn’t realised the sheer extent of railcards available. It seems that nearly all now give 1/3 discounts to anytime, off peak and advance fares at least in standard class.

    https://www.gwr.com/your-tickets/railcards

    As far as I can make, you CANNOT get 1/3 off your rail fare if all of these conditions apply.

    1. Aged between 31 & 59
    2. Not disabled
    3. Not unemployed
    4. Not a member of the armed forces
    5. Not a veteran
    6. Not travelling with children
    7. Travelling on your own

    If at least one of these don’t apply to you, there is a railcard you can take advantage of.

    I’m wondering what % of rail travellers actually tick all the boxes above?

    As often happens with the railways, a bewildering array of options may lead to confusion. I think there is a case for having a single national railcard for which certain people can apply for.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    DavidSmith2
    Participant

    Well we are only occasional rail users but we will be travelling from London to Penzance (return) in May/June. My son, very helpfully but quite cheekily, pointed out that, from January, I will be eligible for an Over 60s card. So we should save the cost for two people on one trip. Happy days! I think the last time I had one was as a student.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    ImissConcorde
    Participant

    DavidSmith2 If you know someone with an annual season ticked (Gold Card) they can purchase your ralcard for you for £10 Alternatively you can also purchase it with £10 Tesco Clubcard vouchers!! Every little helps as they say!!!

    3 users thanked author for this post.

    Johnnyg
    Participant

    [quote quote=1269393]Alternatively you can also purchase it with £10 Tesco Clubcard vouchers!! Every little helps as they say!!![/quote]

    Totally agree, just renewed my Senior railcard with Tesco vouchers before they expired. Great value


    AspirationalFlyer2
    Participant

    I do tick all of those boxes, but I DO have a railcard you may not have considered. The Network Railway works for me and covers my frequent journeys between London and East Anglia, although it doesn’t work for many parts of the country. Well worth £30 per annum despite the area it covers being limited.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    Tom Otley
    Keymaster

    Yes, I have the Network Railcard – quite useful.


    Bath_VIP
    Participant

    AspirationalFlyer, I originally had the Network card in my list but took it out because as you say it only applies to journeys starting and ending in the London/SE area.

    There are similar railcards for Devon/Cornwall, Cotswolds and Pembrokeshire but you have to be resident in those areas.


    Bath_VIP
    Participant

    ImissConcorde, I think this applies to quite a few railcards. Certainly anyone who travels with me as a disabled railcard holder will also get a 1/3 off.


    TimFitzgeraldTC
    Participant

    Network Railcard used to be much better until they butchered the benefits a few years ago.

    now only gets you a 1/3 off if ticket value is over £13 (Mon-Fri) – applies to any fare level on a Weekend. Also only valid on trains after 10:00 weekdays.

    So great for say a trip Brighton to London after 10:00 but not so much for a weekday off peak trip Brighton to Lewes for example (which I do quite often).

    About time they considered a national railcard. Been talked about for years but never materialised

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    RoyJones
    Participant

    I don’t think the ticket value of over £13 is correct. I looked for an evening fare from Woking to Surbiton today. Fare without Senior Railcard is £8, fare with is £5.25


    Bath_VIP
    Participant

    RoyJones,

    Tim was referring to the Network Gold card which is available to London season ticket holders. You’re right that restriction doesn’t apply to other railcards.


    Bath_VIP
    Participant

    Tim,

    Interesting to hear that a National Railcard is not a new idea.

    One issue that may get in the way is the growth of Oyster like cards around the country. I only ended up on the railcard link because I followed a GWR ad about their new “Oyster” card for the West England (Bristol) area.

    https://www.gwr.com/your-tickets/smart-tickets/payg

    Whilst a railcard can be attached to Oyster so that you automatically get the 1/3 off, oysters can’t be paired up for companions. So my wife who normally gets a 1/3 off because she travels with me, wouldn’t get a 1/3 off if she used the Oyster-like card. She would need her own railcard to get that.


    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    [quote quote=1271845]About time they considered a national railcard. Been talked about for years but never materialised[/quote]

    Indeed. Something akin to DB’s Bahncard.

    It was hoped Great British Railways would have led to fares simplication and, hopefully, something like the Bahncard.

    But as rail author Christian Wolmar noted last September Great British Railways “GBR is dead. There is no legislation and they will have to muddle through. The grand ideas did not really accord. Does this government really like the idea of a strong arms-length organisation running the railways ?”

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/sep/28/great-british-railways-is-dead-rail-industry-at-lowest-ebb-since-the-days-of-railtrack?CMP=share_btn_tw


    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    Simon Calder has just posted this piece. Follows on from my previous posting.

    https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/transport-secretary-future-great-british-railways-b2240499.html


    Tom Otley
    Keymaster

    The £13 limit applies to Network Railcard – I go to St Albans which is £12.80 and it doesn’t kick in.

    Then I go to Gatwick for a morning flight, and it doesn’t work for that either (peak time).

    But going to London tonight, I get the saving (£17.80 instead of £27.00)

    1 user thanked author for this post.
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