So confused :( using Senior Rail card for early departures Chesterfield to London / Chesterfield to Manchester

[HappyCampers]

Looking at getting a Senior Railcard because I go to London and Manchester for work occasionally (at my expense)

I have read the FAQs / Google etc etc and I still don't think I understand how early morning trains work with a Senior rail card, and whether a discount is allowed or not, especially to London - say I get the 6:08am Chesterfield to London St P that gets in at 8:08, is that valid?

One of the FAQs I have seen says - Can I use my Senior Railcard at any time of day? A: Your Railcard is not valid during the morning peak period when travelling between two stations in the Network Railcard area of validity. Check locally to confirm morning peak times as these do differ. This restriction does not apply on public holidays.

But when I try to book tickets, eg on CrossCountyTrains it will allow me to apply rail card and reduces ticket prices. A random day next week is £68, apply the rail card and its £44.85 - so does that mean I can do that, or I will be charged/fined on the train. Or something else . . .

Manchester train bookings on CrossCountry behave the same way when booking tickets, but I dont know if Manchester is different to London

Thank you!

 

[tspaul26]

For the journeys you are making, are both stations located within the Network Railcard area?

If not, there would be no time restrictions in terms of use of your Senior Railcard for that journey.

You still have to comply with any time restrictions attached to the ticket though.

 

[yorkie]

It's valid.

These stations are nowhere near the Network Area.

However, XC's website won't look at cheaper fares for the journey, unlike our site, so you might want to have a look and see if our site comes up with something cheaper for you

 

[jfollows]

See https://www.railcard.co.uk/clientfiles/files/map.pdf if you want to check the Network Railcard area of validity; Chesterfield isn’t anywhere near as others have already said.

 

[HappyCampers]

Wow - quick reply, thank you

So a Network Railcard is different to Senior Railcard - didn't spot that, great use of plain English
Its the Network Railcard area that matters for early peak travel
And there is no discount if the journey starts and finishes in the area on the map you shared (like a Bedford to London trip) - but otherwise its all good?

 

[Rail Ranger]

The term "Network Railcard" is highly misleading, implying the whole rail network rather than the former Network SouthEast network.

Wow - quick reply, thank you

So a Network Railcard is different to Senior Railcard - didn't spot that, great use of plain English
Its the Network Railcard area that matters for early peak travel
And there is no discount if the journey starts and finishes in the area on the map you shared (like a Bedford to London trip) - but otherwise its all good?

Correct.

 

[kkong]

The term "Network Railcard" is highly misleading, implying the whole rail network rather than the former Network SouthEast network.

Absolutely. But this is sadly indicative of the London-centric view held by so many organizations.

It should be renamed to something with a connection to its geographic applicability.

 

[swt_passenger]

The term "Network Railcard" is highly misleading, implying the whole rail network rather than the former Network SouthEast network.

Agree entirely, it really should have had a different name from the day “NSE” was binned.

 

[tspaul26]

And there is no discount if the journey starts and finishes in the area on the map you shared (like a Bedford to London trip) - but otherwise its all good?

There is no discount using a Senior Railcard wholly within the Network Railcard area at times when the Off Peak fare for that journey is not valid in the morning.

There is the usual Senior Railcard discount outwith those times even within the Network Railcard area.

 

[Haywain]

There is no discount using a Senior Railcard wholly within the Network Railcard area at times when the Off Peak fare for that journey is not valid.

Except when there is!

 

[tspaul26]

Except when there is!

Indeed.

As far as the OP is concerned, the first question should be “are both ends of my journey in the Network Railcard area?”

If not, the OP doesn’t need to bother about this as there’s no time restriction on use of the Senior Railcard.

 

[Harpers Tate]

Your Railcard is not valid during the morning peak period when travelling between two stations in the Network Railcard area of validity.

The two stations mentioned here are:
Chesterfield
London St Pancras

Are these two stations in the Network Railcard (formerly Network South East) area?
Chesterfield - no.
St Pancras - yes.

So, no, they aren't.
So, no, this rule does not apply here.

The Network Railcard area is shown with a tinted backgound on this map for confirmation

http://www.network-railcard.co.uk/clientfiles/files/Map.pdf

 

[TUC]

Absolutely. But this is sadly indicative of the London-centric view held by so many organizations.

It should be renamed to something with a connection to its geographic applicability.

I agree, to say nothing of it preventing early morning discounts for journeys that nowhere near London and the surrounding area.

 

[ricoblade]

This is an apposite thread as I'll be 60 next year. I was under the impression that it was an off-peak railcard (also from the "Twirlies" as they are known round here but I think that may be bus pass related).

I'm delighted to see (and have checked the railcard site to make sure) that is not the case for probably all my journeys, I can't remember the last time I did a point to point journey with the NSE area.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The Senior Railcard discount also applies to the London Travelcard, if you buy it with your rail ticket.
Chesterfield has an inclusive return fare (rail to St Pancras and the TfL all-zone travelcard).

 

[yorkie]

Absolutely. But this is sadly indicative of the London-centric view held by so many organizations.

It should be renamed to something with a connection to its geographic applicability.

Any proposals/ideas/suggestions are to be discussed in Speculative Discussion, please.

There is a thread for this suggestion at:

Network Railcard should be renamed SE Railcard or Southeast Railcard

Moderator note: Split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/so-confused-using-senior-rail-card-for-early-departures-chesterfield-to-london-chesterfield-to-manchester.266671/ It's as if they've gone to sleep in Railcard land. Network Railcard should have been renamed SE Railcard or...

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