I know that rail fares are going up in March. I’ve not seen anything about the cost of railcards increasing, but is this something that may happen too please? I think as they’ve been at £30 for so long, this is a possibility but have nothing to support my theory so was wondering if anyone was aware of any upcoming changes please. Thank you
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Railcard Prices
- Thread starter 800Travel
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gray1404
Established Member
Not aware of any plans for them to increase at the moment. It is not standard practice at all for rail cards to increase annually.
1D54
Member
- Joined
- 1 Jun 2019
- Messages
- 539
No but I'm half expecting the age of a senior card to go from 60 to 65!!
I doubt if eligibility for a state pension was ever a key factor and it definitely hasn't been since 2010.
If it was, then 65 wouldn't be the eligibility age now.
Previous railcard changes have often been in May, rather than the new year.
Kite159
Veteran Member
Don't give the DfT any more ideas to raise extra money by increasing the cost of railcards to say £35, knowing that the vast majority of people will likely moan about the higher cost but still renew
paul1609
Established Member
With the shift towards leisure traffic post pandemic and leveling up if i was Mr Dft Id be looking at phasing out railcards, maybe 20% discount next year, 0% year after.
Anyone who bought a three year railcard at the start of the year (not me) might be up in arms about that.
There is also the question of whether it will have the anticipated effect. I am sure I am not alone in undertaking rail journeys because they are rather faster than those by bus - I recently undertook one that saved me half-an-hour each way (but less scenic). Just the knowledge that you got it cheaper might tilt the scales. Only works for some railcards, of course, Some of the leisure traffic might just jump in the car. Once you offer a perk, taking it away often remains long in the memory.
Fatboyslim
Member
I would be, just turned 60 so bought a three year senior railcard…
If you are eligible for 3, why wouldn't you?
Quite agree. If they put the price up @800Travel wins, if they change the age qualification @800Travel wins (they can't take it away), if they axe it there will be protests at constituency surgeries up and down the country, the civil servant concerned will be quietly moved to supervising pothole repairs (or something similar) and the minister concerned may find that he has been deselected in his constituency. Over 60s vote!
Did the OP ever say they were Over 60? Sorry if I've missed in, but doesn't state it and they might be 16-25 or another type too.
In my case because l got my one year for £10 courtesy of my now expired Gold Card.
Good point -.some points still apply (price and age - although it would be down rather than up). They would still have the card. Less likely to be protesting outside constituency offices. Actually the Lords will probably be at the head of the queue to protest, a fair few of them must have Railcards!
As is periodically suggested here, reducing/removing discounts for seniors may seem attractive to younger members, they should be very careful of what they wish for. With a significant proportion of the adult population not only time rich but also cash affluent, taking away a perk may result in some of them taking to the roads. That would be a step increase in traffic by a group that is in no partiular hurry to get out of other drivers' way.
Would they still need to honour existing railcards at the advertised level of discount though? Or could they just drop them with no notice and without letting the card expire? I’d have thought they’d need to honour or refund.
May not need it for 3 years - depends if I do a placement year or not
16-25
I don’t think that any of the discounts should be removed/reduced for any members - just trying to gauge if any price increases were imminent which may make me change my mind re railcard length.
Still even in that year 1-2 middle/long-distance journeys and you'd have saved.
Good point - but possible I’ll be abroad for that year on a placement
Ah well that changes things somewhat! Although perhaps travel to the airport, but that's stretching it!
A 30+ year gap really and without getting into a generational dispute, I don't believe they'd really care considering the cost of other things like housing being a much bigger issue!
It was IIRC a condition at privatisation that Railcards be continued - though of course they were introduced as commercial products not subsidies.
The Quincunx
Member
Three of the Railcards (aka "discount fare schemes") are mandated in s28 of the Railways Act 1993 - enabling '... persons who are young (i.e. Young Persons), elderly (i.e. Senior) or disabled to travel by railway at discounted fares'.
Joe Paxton
Established Member
- Joined
- 12 Jan 2017
- Messages
- 2,468
Though perhaps worth noting there's nothing in the legislation (at least AFAICS) that specifies the details of those three schemes - e.g. eligible ages, level of discount or availability of discount.
Tesco does some kind of offer if you purchase with club card points - of which I have none.
Unfortunately I already hold a student bank account with another provider, so would need to close this before taking advantage of the Santander offer.
ENCTS cards, and the Welsh and Scottish equivalents, should double as railcards.