• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Validity of Disabled Railcard

Status
Not open for further replies.

johnnychips

Established Member
Joined
19 Nov 2011
Messages
3,675
Location
Sheffield
I teach a group of disabled students, and I am teaching them about various aspects of travelling by train. As far as I can tell, all of them would be entitled to buy this railcard. I have looked at various websites and it seems you can get the one-third discount on any tickets, without the time or minimum price restrictions that apply to other railcards. I expect there will be exceptions for sleepers and Eurostar. Is my understanding of this correct?

Thanks for any answers.

John
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

ForTheLoveOf

Established Member
Joined
7 Oct 2017
Messages
6,416
I teach a group of disabled students, and I am teaching them about various aspects of travelling by train. As far as I can tell, all of them would be entitled to buy this railcard. I have looked at various websites and it seems you can get the one-third discount on any tickets, without the time or minimum price restrictions that apply to other railcards. I expect there will be exceptions for sleepers and Eurostar. Is my understanding of this correct?

Thanks for any answers.

John
Yes. There will always be one or two exceptions (for instance, that the discount available for companions is not available to add for a companion's Oyster card). However the Disabled Railcard is probably the least restricted Railcard out there.

Because of the availability of the discount for a travelling companion (regardless of whether they are disabled or not, or a carer or not), you will only require one Railcard for every second student for any trips made together.
 

alistairlees

Established Member
Joined
29 Dec 2016
Messages
3,724
I expect there will be exceptions for sleepers and Eurostar. Is my understanding of this correct?
Absolutely valid on Caledonian Sleeper, in both the rooms and the seats. I am sure it will be on GWR Sleeper too, though I have not checked. I assume not valid on Eurostar though (not part of National Rail).
 

johnnychips

Established Member
Joined
19 Nov 2011
Messages
3,675
Location
Sheffield
Thank you! I totally forgot about the companion discount, so I will read up on that - some of them can get a companion on buses, others not - so I’ll research the eligibility.

Very glad the sleeper is promoting inclusion!

EDIT: no idea how I missed the bit about companions - it’s on the second paragraph on the official website . I suppose I was too excited about seeing it was valid on any train.
 
Last edited:

Peter Mugridge

Veteran Member
Joined
8 Apr 2010
Messages
14,753
Location
Epsom
Absolutely valid on Caledonian Sleeper, in both the rooms and the seats. I am sure it will be on GWR Sleeper too, though I have not checked. I assume not valid on Eurostar though (not part of National Rail).

It is valid on the Night Riviera.

It is not valid on Eurostar.
 

Be3G

Established Member
Joined
14 Sep 2012
Messages
1,595
Location
Chingford
Note too that there are discounts on walk-up peak-time tickets available for people with certain categories of disability without the need to purchase a railcard, as detailed here: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/44965.aspx

(As a side note, it's a bit concerning that the page says the discounted tickets are available from staffed ticket offices. In doing so, are TOCs being freed of an obligation to sell the discounted tickets to someone originating at an unstaffed station?)

(And another side note… the companion season ticket sounds an awful lot like the rarely seen bearer passes. I wonder if they are issued in the same way?)
 
Last edited:

Peter Mugridge

Veteran Member
Joined
8 Apr 2010
Messages
14,753
Location
Epsom
(And another side note… the companion season ticket sounds an awful lot like the rarely seen bearer passes. I wonder if they are issued in the same way?)

No, they are ordinary tickets but do carry the same "DSB" discount code on them that the railcard holder's tickets carry. There is in fact no visible difference between the two tickets.
 

Be3G

Established Member
Joined
14 Sep 2012
Messages
1,595
Location
Chingford
Oh yes, silly me. When I read it earlier I thought it was saying a DSB holder could get a second season which would act like a bearer pass – but I see now it's saying that the DSB holder's season is also valid for a companion.
 

Haywain

Veteran Member
Joined
3 Feb 2013
Messages
14,871
(As a side note, it's a bit concerning that the page says the discounted tickets are available from staffed ticket offices. In doing so, are TOCs being freed of an obligation to sell the discounted tickets to someone originating at an unstaffed station?)
No, it means that they would be available at a TVM or from a train guard. But it's fair to say that they can't be available at an unstaffed ticket office or station!
 

Gareth Marston

Established Member
Joined
26 Jun 2010
Messages
6,231
Location
Newtown Montgomeryshire
Most people I see with them don't outwardly appear to have any form of disability at all - at least nothing discernible from a 30 second interaction for a SDR - some modern hearing aids you can hardly see unless you really look hard.
 

gtis

Member
Joined
15 Apr 2009
Messages
260
Location
darfield sth yorkshire

Most people I see with them don't outwardly appear to have any form of disability at all - at least nothing discernible from a 30 second interaction for a SDR - some modern hearing aids you can hardly see unless you really look hard.

Hi thanks
I wear one NHS hearing aid and it says
Copy of the front page of the NHS battery book i don’t have a battery book
Neil
 

AlterEgo

Veteran Member
Joined
30 Dec 2008
Messages
20,035
Location
No longer here
Hi thanks
I wear one NHS hearing aid and it says
Copy of the front page of the NHS battery book i don’t have a battery book
Neil

“...or a copy of your dispensing prescription from a private hearing aid supplier.”
 

OneOffDave

Member
Joined
2 Apr 2015
Messages
453
No, it means that they would be available at a TVM or from a train guard. But it's fair to say that they can't be available at an unstaffed ticket office or station!

As I understand it, the non-railcard discounted disability related tickets are only available from ticket offices or direct from the TOC. Being able to buy the one I buy every day from a TVM would save me from having to queue at the ticket office every day
 

John @ home

Established Member
Joined
1 Mar 2008
Messages
5,148
I wear one NHS hearing aid
Having to wear one hearing aid is sufficient to meet the qualification that you "are registered as deaf or use a hearing aid". See https://www.disabledpersons-railcard.co.uk/are-you-eligible/
I don’t have a battery book
In at least some areas, a battery book has been replaced by a "Hearing Aid and Battery Issuing Card" which should be shown each time fresh batteries are collected. The card in front of me has on the front the name, address, date of birth and the words "National Health Service - Hearing Aid and Battery issuing card" and on the back are the name, address and phone number of the local Hearing and Balance Centre and the words "this record card must be produced when new batteries are required or when servicing to your hearing aid is necessary".

A photocopy of the front and back of this card is accepted as evidence of eligibility by the Disabled Persons Railcard Centre.
 

Llanigraham

Established Member
Joined
23 Mar 2013
Messages
6,073
Location
Powys
Hi thanks
I wear one NHS hearing aid and it says
Copy of the front page of the NHS battery book i don’t have a battery book
Neil
Then that is an error by your dispensing Audiology Clinic, as you should have been issued with one. I suggest you go back to them and explain why you need it.
In this area they now will not resupply you with batteries without sight of it, and I'm damned if I am paying for them.
 

gtis

Member
Joined
15 Apr 2009
Messages
260
Location
darfield sth yorkshire
Having to wear one hearing aid is sufficient to meet the qualification that you "are registered as deaf or use a hearing aid". See https://www.disabledpersons-railcard.co.uk/are-you-eligible/ In at least some areas, a battery book has been replaced by a "Hearing Aid and Battery Issuing Card" which should be shown each time fresh batteries are collected. The card in front of me has on the front the name, address, date of birth and the words "National Health Service - Hearing Aid and Battery issuing card" and on the back are the name, address and phone number of the local Hearing and Balance Centre and the words "this record card must be produced when new batteries are required or when servicing to your hearing aid is necessary".

A photocopy of the front and back of this card is accepted as evidence of eligibility by the Disabled Persons Railcard Centre.

I haven’t got one of either
Neil
 

SickyNicky

Verified Rep - FastJP
Joined
8 Sep 2010
Messages
2,772
Location
Ledbury
I haven’t got one of either
Neil

That's strange. I have an NHS battery book and hearing aids for both ears, although nowadays I wear private hearing aids that you really can't see unless you look very closely. I thought the whole thing about NHS hearing aids was that you got a battery book which entitles you to get free replacement batteries. I still have mine and keep a supply of batteries, just in case.

And yes, you absolutely do get a Disabled Persons Railcard if you have hearing aids. I agree that it's probably the best of the bunch of railcards, and it's cheaper than most. It's a good thing too, as I really don't like driving when my ears are playing up (even though I can, and I'm sure it's safe to do so) - but I personally feel much happier going by train.
 

adamskiodp

Member
Joined
16 Sep 2011
Messages
207
Location
Buckinghamshire
Note too that there are discounts on walk-up peak-time tickets available for people with certain categories of disability without the need to purchase a railcard, as detailed here: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/44965.aspx

(As a side note, it's a bit concerning that the page says the discounted tickets are available from staffed ticket offices. In doing so, are TOCs being freed of an obligation to sell the discounted tickets to someone originating at an unstaffed station?)

(And another side note… the companion season ticket sounds an awful lot like the rarely seen bearer passes. I wonder if they are issued in the same way?)


Hi,

As a side note, is this discount for customers who stay in their own wheelchair during a journey apply to TFL?

Thanks,

Adam
 

Haywain

Veteran Member
Joined
3 Feb 2013
Messages
14,871
As I understand it, the non-railcard discounted disability related tickets are only available from ticket offices or direct from the TOC.
That is correct.
Being able to buy the one I buy every day from a TVM would save me from having to queue at the ticket office every day
These are, effectively, non-standard discounts and are actually very rarely issued due to the Disabled Railcard generally giving better discounts. The number issued even at counters is vanishingly small in my experience.
 

SickyNicky

Verified Rep - FastJP
Joined
8 Sep 2010
Messages
2,772
Location
Ledbury
That is correct.

These are, effectively, non-standard discounts and are actually very rarely issued due to the Disabled Railcard generally giving better discounts. The number issued even at counters is vanishingly small in my experience.

They're only available on anytime tickets so can be very expensive. I used to work for a charity for people who were blind or partially sighted and occasionally used them, but then I introduced a policy that we would pay for disabled persons railcards for our clients because it was inevitably cheaper in the long run. That's also the reason we stopped using rail warrants (on another side note).
 

gtis

Member
Joined
15 Apr 2009
Messages
260
Location
darfield sth yorkshire
Then how do you get your hearing aids from the NHS?
Hi I went to the doctors to get me a appointment at my hospital
Then went to the hospital had a hearing test the ENT doctor said I would benefit
From one hearing aid
Saw the audiologist fitted me with a
Hearing aid give me two packs of batteries and a list of places to get batteries or I could go back to the hospital for them
Neil
 

Attachments

  • CDA124CF-9DCC-458C-9726-CA6AE4E93949.jpeg
    CDA124CF-9DCC-458C-9726-CA6AE4E93949.jpeg
    1.1 MB · Views: 30

Llanigraham

Established Member
Joined
23 Mar 2013
Messages
6,073
Location
Powys
Then your audiologist is not doing their job fully, as you should be issued with either an NHS Battery Book or in some areas a card that says basically the same thing.
I suggest you go back to them, explain why you need it and get them to supply it.
 

Be3G

Established Member
Joined
14 Sep 2012
Messages
1,595
Location
Chingford
No, it means that they would be available at a TVM or from a train guard. But it's fair to say that they can't be available at an unstaffed ticket office or station!

Forgive me, but I'm confused. In that post you say the walk-up non-railcard discounts are available from a train guard, then in post #23 you confirm someone's statement that they can only be purchased from a ticket office or the TOC directly.

Obviously the tickets wouldn't be available from a TVM, but can they or can't they be sold by a guard? The SDR 50% discount beats that offered by the railcard, so it seems rather disappointing if a wheelchair user who rolls up at an unstaffed station wanting an SDR can't get the discount.
 

Haywain

Veteran Member
Joined
3 Feb 2013
Messages
14,871
Forgive me, but I'm confused. In that post you say the walk-up non-railcard discounts are available from a train guard, then in post #23 you confirm someone's statement that they can only be purchased from a ticket office or the TOC directly.
Two different things. Post #10 refers to Railcard discounted tickets not being available at unstaffed stations and #24 refers to the non-railcard discounts.
 

Haywain

Veteran Member
Joined
3 Feb 2013
Messages
14,871
Obviously the tickets wouldn't be available from a TVM, but can they or can't they be sold by a guard? The SDR 50% discount beats that offered by the railcard, so it seems rather disappointing if a wheelchair user who rolls up at an unstaffed station wanting an SDR can't get the discount.
I believe that such discounts can be sold by a guard but the reality is that very few ticket office staff can remember the intricacies of the discounts (and the discount codes required to issue them) and I would expect the number of guards with this knowledge to even smaller. Of course, they should have access to the required information but sometimes finding obscure things like that can be rather difficult.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top