Cheap Rail Travel

16-25 Railcard

Price: £30 a year or £70 for 3 years

Eligibility: Any individual aged between 16 and 25 years (or over 25 years studying for over 15 hours a week at least 20 weeks a year)

Savings: 1/3 off standard Anytime, Off-Peak, Standard Advanced and 1st Class Advanced.  Some Oyster card services, airport services and Caledonian sleeper.

Applications

Online applications will require:

• A valid passport or UK driving licence to verify your identity
• A digital passport style photo saved to your computer, tablet or mobile phone
• A debit or credit card

Station Applications will require: One of the following...

• Your birth certificate
• Passport (all nationalities accepted)
• UK driving licence
• National identity card

Plus both....

• A passport sized photo
• Proof of eligibility as a mature student

Offers

They are currently offering:

• 20% off Virgin Experience Days
• 90% off YHA membership for a year
• Railcard theatre tickets
• Free two month Tastecard
• 2 for 1 tickets at Sealife (download voucher)

Best for:

Anyone aged between 16 and 25 years who travels alone.

Two Together Railcard

Price: £30 a year. 

Eligibility: Two people aged 16 years + Both must be named on the card

Savings: 1/3 off Standard and First Class Anytime, Off-Peak and Advance fares when you travel together after 0930 Monday to Friday, or anytime at weekends and public holidays with your Two Together Railcard. Super off-peak, Rover and Ranger tickets, Caledonian Sleeper services, London travel cards and airport services.

Applications

Online applications will require:

• Two separate digital photos (one for each person named on the railcard) saved to your computer
• A debit or credit card

Station Applications will require: One of the following...

• Two separate passport sided photos - one of yourself and one of the other card holder

Offers

They are currently offering:

• 20% off Virgin Experience Days
• £60 off case of Naked wines
• Free two month Tastecard
• 60% off Railcard theatre tickets
• 5% off Railbookers holidays
• 5% off cottages.com
• £50 saving with Haven Holidays
• Discounts with Hoeseasons
• YHA - £10 Household membership

Best for:

Any two people who travel together.    

If one person is disabled it may be better to buy the Disabled Railcard as a companion receives the same discount as the disabled person.

Senior Railcard

Price: £30 a year or £70 for 3 years

Eligibility: Any individual aged 60 years and over

Savings: 1/3 off standard Anytime, Off-Peak, Standard Advanced and 1st Class Advanced, Oyster off peak card. Some Rover and Ranger tickets, Caledonian Sleeper services, London travel cards and airport services.

Applications

Online applications will require:

• A valid passport or UK driving licence to verify your identity
• A debit or credit card

Station Applications will require: One of the following...

• Your birth certificate
• Passport (all nationalities accepted)
• UK driving licence

Offers

They are currently offering:

• 20% off Virgin Experience Days
• £60 off case of Naked wines
• Free two month Tastecard
• 60% off Railcard theatre tickets
• 5% off Railbookers holidays
• 5% off cottages.com
• £50 saving with Haven Holidays
• £10 saving on Warner Leisure Hotels
• Discounts with Hoeseasons
• YHA membership for £5

Best for:

Anyone aged 60 years + who travels alone.

Family and Friends Railcard

Price: £30 a year or £70 for 3 years

Eligibility: Up to 4 adults when travelling with up to 4 children aged 5-15 years.

2 adults must be named on the card and at least one 'named' adults must travel per group, per journey for any savings to be made on a train journey.

Savings: 1/3 off adults (over 16 years) standard Anytime, Off-Peak, Standard Advanced and 1st Class Advanced and 60% off per child fare. Also off peak/Anytime Day travel cards and airport services

Applications

All applications will require:

• Your address and email address
• The name of the second cardholder (as can't be added later)
• A debit or credit card

Offers

They are currently offering:

• 20% off Virgin Experience Days
• £60 off case of Naked wines
• Free two month Tastecard
• 60% off Railcard theatre tickets
• 5% off cottages.com
• £50 saving with Haven Holidays
• Discounts with Hoeseasons
• YHA - £10 Household membership

Best for:

Groups who regularly travel together, even if one or two member of the group are disabled.

Disabled Persons Railcard

Price: £20 a year or £54 for 3 years

Eligibility: You may qualify if you..

• Receive disability related benefits including Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payments
• Are registered as deaf or use a hearing aid
• Are registered as visually impaired
• Have epilepsy

Savings: 1/3 off standard Anytime, Off-Peak, Standard Advanced and 1st Class Advanced for the disabled person and an adult companion. Also Caledonian sleeper, off peak/Anytime travel cards and Oyster pay as you go single fares.

Applications

New applications and renewals may be undertaken online.

Alternatively you can download an application form.  It is available in large print and Easy Read.

Disabled Railcards cannot be bought at the Railway Stations.

You will be required to submit evidence of the disability - this may include:

• A copy of your Award Letter
• A copy of your Certificate of Visual Impairment
• A copy of the front page of your NHS battery book for the hearing impaired
• A copy of your Exemption Certificate for Epilepsy Medication

Evidence of disability when applying online will need to be submitted in JPEG or PDF format with a maximum file size of 4MG.

Offers

They are currently offering:

• 20% off Virgin Experience Days
• Free two month Tastecard
• 60% off Railcard theatre tickets
• 5% off cottages.com
• £50 saving with Haven Holidays
• Discounts with Hoeseasons
• £60 off case of Naked wines

Best for:

Any disabled person who does not travel in groups/with children especially if you travel to London several times a year.

An adult companion also receives the same discount as the disabled person.

Regional Railcards

These are all regional companies offer reduced rail fares for local residents, railcards or other special offers.

Cambrian Railway -Different ways to save if travelling on Cambrian Railway.

Cotswold Line Railcard - 34% discount on off peak single and return tickets and Anytime Day Tickets.  Valid between Worcester Foregate Street and Oxford.  Cost £8.50 of one year. Purchase from staffed railway stations.

Devon and Cornwall Railcard - 1/3 off most standard off peak and off peak day tickets across Devon and Cornwall. One adult can take up to 4 children for £1 each. Cost £10 for one year.  Proof of residence in local area required.

Esk Valley Railcard - 34% discount on standard Day, Cheap Day and Saver ticket types and 81% discount on Tees Day Ranger on railway between Middlesborough and Whitby.  Cost £10 for one year. Adult and up to four children can be eligible for discount.  Local residents only.

Heart of Wales Line Railcard - available to residents aged 16 or over in specific postcodes along the route of the Heart of Wales Line. The railcard costs £10.00 and is valid for one year. The card holder is entitled to 34% discount on local rail travel. Up to two accompanied children can travel with the card holder at a cost of £2.00 per child. There is no minimum fare.

Highland Railcard - Up to 50% off local rail travel for Highland residents.  Cost £8.80 for one year.  Up to two children can travel for £2 with the railcard holder.  Only available on selected routes and postcodes.

Hull Disability Rail Card - free off peak travel on Northern rail services from Hull into all East Riding of Yorkshire stations, Scarborough and York. Open to Hull residents, hold a disability bus pass issued by Hull City Council and be registered with social services.

Network Railcard - 1/3 off most rail fares in the Network Railcard area.   Cost £30 for one year. Three accompanying adults also get 1/3 off and up to four children (5-15 years) receive 60% discount.  Restricted to after 10am on day of travel and there is a minimum of £13 fare for discount Monday to Friday.

Northern Railcards - 1/3 off single and day return tickets. Dales railcard for local residents.

Pembrokeshire Railcard - 34% off local rail travel for Pembrokeshire residents. Cost £10 for the year. Proof of residence required.

Scottish Youth Railcard - 34% off most rail fares and 50% off all season tickets.  Available to young people aged 16,17 or 18 years or full time volunteers under 26 years, and hold a Young Scot Entitlement Card.  Free with the National Entitlement Card.

Valleys Senior Railcard - 50% off Cheap Day Return Standard rail fares on the Valley lines.  Over 60's only.  Cost £5 for one year. No travel until 9.30am.

Valleys Student Railcard - 26% discount on all day tickets and 10 % off season tickets on Arriva Valleys and Cardiff services.  Cost £9 a year.

Other Railcards

HM Forces Railcard - Save 1/3 on adult fares and 60% on children's fares. Cost £19.  Open to members of the Armed forces, the Volunteer Reserve and their families.  No travel before 10am and £12 minimum fare applies.