Can I buy a 16-25 railcard in advance to start in the future?

[phil35]

I currently have a 16-25 railcard that expires in October 2015. My 26th birthday is at the start of January 2015. My understanding of the rules is that I can purchase a 16-25 railcard up to the day before my 26th birthday.

What I was hoping to do was purchase a new railcard that starts a day before my birthday. This means I'll have two active railcards between January 2015 and October 2015 - the benefit comes from that fact that I'll save a lot of money over the Christmas period in 2015 (as the new one I'm hoping to purchase would expire in January 2016).

I tried to buy the second one online, but as it knows that I currently have an active railcard it won't let me. So my questions are:

1. Am technically allowed to have two active railcards at the same time?
2. In the interest of being organised, could I theoretically go into a ticket office today and purchase a 16-25 railcard that has a start date of a specific day in January?
3. If 2 isn't possible, am I right in thinking that I can go into any ticket office on the day and purchase a railcard there and then to start that day? So I could go the day before my birthday and buy it on the day?

Any answers, or other comments are appreciated.

 

[marcouk2]

You can buy it online, you'll just have to use a different email address.

I did the same before my 26th birthday, buying my new one using different contact details and had no problems at all.

 

[phil35]

Were you able to specify the start date in advance so that it was exactly the day before your birthday? It's been a long time since I bought my 3 year railcard online and can't remember the process.

 

[dave4jackie]

answer to number 1 is it does not matter

answer to number 2 is no it must start when you buy it

3 is the correct answer you buy it day before your 26th birthday then valid for a year you can then bin your current one

 

[hairyhandedfool]

1. Am technically allowed to have two active railcards at the same time?

I don't believe there is a rule to stop you having more than one, but a ticket office clerk may request that you surrender the old one if you are buying a second 16-25 (or Senior) Railcard.

2. In the interest of being organised, could I theoretically go into a ticket office today and purchase a 16-25 railcard that has a start date of a specific day in January?

It depends. If you surrender the current one, a clerk *could* do it upto a month ahead, but if you are unwilling to do so, they *should* only allow it to be done on the day it is to start.

3. If 2 isn't possible, am I right in thinking that I can go into any ticket office on the day and purchase a railcard there and then to start that day? So I could go the day before my birthday and buy it on the day?

Yes, though you will need to take a photo with you if you do not already have a station issued photocard, station issued Railcards cannot use the online issued Railcards as a photocard.

 

[island]

Ticket issuing systems support Railcards being issued in advance but it is not normally done barring renewal of a Railcard surrendered at the time.

 

[rg177]

In a slightly different context, is it possible to buy a 16-25 railcard prior to turning 16 at a ticket office? I turn 16 on February 26th and I've already bought tickets online for journeys on March 1st and 7th with the 16-25 discount, I'd just like to have it at least a week before travel.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

In a slightly different context, is it possible to buy a 16-25 railcard prior to turning 16 at a ticket office? I turn 16 on February 26th and I've already bought tickets online for journeys on March 1st and 7th with the 16-25 discount, I'd just like to have it at least a week before travel.

No. I believe online systems will prevent it and ticket office issued Railcards can only be advance dated if an existing Railcard is held.

 

[rg177]

No. I believe online systems will prevent it and ticket office issued Railcards can only be advance dated if an existing Railcard is held.

Ok thanks. I'll have 4 days to go to the ticket office then which should be fine

 

[causton]

Your mileage may vary, I am allowed (and encouraged sometimes!) to give railcards that start a few days after the issuing date! But probably not one now for March, as they don't have a start date anyway so makes them more liable to be abused.

 

[CallySleeper]

I bought a three year railcard online the day before my 24th. At the time a three year railcard was cheaper per year than a twelve month. Not sure if that's still the case however.

Appreciably you don't have it straight away after buying it. However not only was it cheaper but it expired a week or so after my 27th so I got in effect a bonus few days of validity.

 

[Phirstman]

Similar question - my current 16-25 railcard expires in August but my 26th Birthday is in March.

Am I allowed to renew the railcard in March before my 26th Birthday even though the existing railcard won't have expired?

 

[island]

You can buy a new Railcard up to or on the day before your 26th birthday.

This would be a new application and not a renewal.

I suggest buying it online (using a new account if necessary) for maximal validity unless you have a Gold Card.

 

[higthomas]

Interestingly I just renewed my railcard, which expires on the first of January, but even though it said that it estimated that I would receive it sometime in December it said that the validity would definitely end after the 1st of January 2018.

 

[island]

Online railcards have extra time added to them to reflect postal delays.

 

[phil35]

So for maximum validity, I should create a new account online and purchase a new railcard the day before my birthday? Even though it will arrive after my 26th birthday, the fact that it was purchased on that day means that the application will be valid and won't be rejected.

Is that correct?

 

[island]

That is correct.

 

[reb0118]

...[Y]ou can then bin your current one.

May I humbly suggest that you do not "bin" your current one. Once you have your new railcard keep that safe in the house and use your old one until it's expiry date. That way you will have a spare just in case - you can of course carry the two of them on your person if, unlike me (), you do not have a habit of losing things.

 

[Wolfie]

May I humbly suggest that you do not "bin" your current one. Once you have your new railcard keep that safe in the house and use your old one until it's expiry date. That way you will have a spare just in case - you can of course carry the two of them on your person if, unlike me (), you do not have a habit of losing things.

My varient on this would be to use the new one and keep the old one safe. That way you minimise the risk of putting the new one 'somewhere safe' and not being able to find the damn thing while still having an insurance in place...

 

[Billy Hicks]

I bought my current railcard online a couple of days before my 26th birthday and it's actually valid for a few days into my 27th year, as online they add an extra seven days onto the card to account for postage time. My previous one expired in December 2014, this new one in September 2015 so I've got an extra nine months because of it.

Don't forget to use one of the several promotional codes around to get £3 off, so you pay £27 instead of £30.