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Online Network Railcard

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Bletchleyite

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I note that you can now buy a Network Railcard online, which you couldn't for years.

Does anyone know if the version you get if bought online is a plastic card version or just a normal ticket-blank one?
 
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Hadders

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Some interesting figures on the railcard.co.uk site.

https://www.railcard.co.uk/

Network Railcard Average Annual Saving £196
16-25 Railcard Average Annual Saving £187
Two Together Railcard Average Annual Saving £130
Friends and Family Railcard Average Annual Saving £130
Disabled Persons Railcard Average Annual Saving £123
Senior Railcard Average Annual Saving £118

Average annual savings figures for Railcards are based on the total savings made on journeys with the Railcard over the year, divided by the total number of Railcards in circulation.
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Surprised to see the Network Railcard topping this list. To be fair up to three additional people can travel with a Network Railcard holder which might skew the figures but on the other hand it can't be used on long distance inter-city journeys where other railcards would obtain a larger saving.
 
Cundy66

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I have a Network Railcard and can't understand why when other railcards are used before 10am you can use it but pay minimum fare £13 but this one not at all before 10am
 
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island

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Most Railcards have their own variations of morning restrictions, actually. Gold cards can't be used before 09:30 M-F and have no minimum fare afterwards. Two Together Railcards can't be used on day trains between 04:30-09:30 M-F. Senior Railcards can't be used for journeys wholly within the Network area before an off-peak ticket would be valid. And I'm sure there are other variants.
 
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Cundy66 said:
I have a Network Railcard and can't understand why when other railcards are used before 10am you can use it but pay minimum fare £13 but this one not at all before 10am
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Because many commuters would ditch their season tickets and use railcard discounted tickets losing the train company money!!!

The Network Railcard came into being specifically to encourage off peak travel, that's why the 10am restriction exists.
 
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Cundy66 said:
I have a Network Railcard and can't understand why when other railcards are used before 10am you can use it but pay minimum fare £13 but this one not at all before 10am
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Yeah, if it wasn't for that pesky time and geographical restriction, it'd be great right :lol:
 
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RJ said:
Yeah, if it wasn't for that pesky time and geographical restriction, it'd be great right :lol:
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I can cope with the 10am thing and understand why it's there, it's the £13 minimum fare that irritates as it makes it useless for short journeys, e.g. MKC-Bletchley which as a single (say if you walked or got the bus in the other direction) is barely cheaper than a taxi.
 
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Neil Williams said:
I can cope with the 10am thing and understand why it's there, it's the £13 minimum fare that irritates as it makes it useless for short journeys, e.g. MKC-Bletchley which as a single (say if you walked or got the bus in the other direction) is barely cheaper than a taxi.
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My understanding is that the introduction of the minimum fare was to appease one of the TOCs, with it allegedly being a case of "introduce a minimum fare or we'll withdraw", which would effectively have killed it off.
 
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Bletchleyite

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CyrusWuff said:
My understanding is that the introduction of the minimum fare was to appease one of the TOCs, with it allegedly being a case of "introduce a minimum fare or we'll withdraw", which would effectively have killed it off.
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Yes, better that than to kill it, but it is annoying. I remain surprised, though, that the two VTs aside the Gold Card, which was originally similar, has kept expanding and does not have this "feature".
 
47421

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i recall minimum fare introduced as for some return journeys full fare anytime single + railcard discounted single is cheaper than anytime day return, and some TOCs were concerned that too many part-time/non-season tic commuters were using network card for commutes buying two singles. As others have said network card was introduced to increase utilisation of off peak services, not to discount commutes
 
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I'd have rather seen an evening peak restriction to combat that than the minimum fare. Could have worked the same as the Family Railcard but for the evening - if the Off Peak is available, it's valid (or a standard 0930 if the flow has no Off Peak, as very few do).

On the original point it is indeed a plastic card, it arrived today. 4 extra days on the expiry for postage, too.
 
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Neil Williams said:
I'd have rather seen an evening peak restriction to combat that than the minimum fare. Could have worked the same as the Family Railcard but for the evening - if the Off Peak is available, it's valid (or a standard 0930 if the flow has no Off Peak, as very few do).

On the original point it is indeed a plastic card, it arrived today. 4 extra days on the expiry for postage, too.
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Just picture the scene at Paddington, Euston and Kings Cross gate lines in the evening peak..... They can't understand the existing Off Peak restrictions.
 
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