SeniorRailcard v Disabled Railcard

[Teflon988]

Hi I shall soon be eligible to purchase a Senior Railcard however I also meet the criteria for a Disabled Railcard to.
Which would be the better Railcard to purchase ?


TIA

 

[Bletchleyite]

Disabled is better as it allows a discounted fare for a companion as well. My Dad was in the same position and chose the Disabled one.

I'm pretty sure all other validity is the same.

 

[Teflon988]

Disabled is better as it allows a discounted fare for a companion as well. My Dad was in the same position and chose the Disabled one.

I'm pretty sure all other validity is the same.

TY Bletchleyite for your very quick answer I will do that when the time comes.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Disabled also has one more advantage - it (and the 16/17 Saver) are the only two Railcards valid with no time restrictions. Senior has morning peak restrictions in the South East.

It's also available for some very minor disabilities, such as if you need a hearing aid in one ear (which is how my Dad has one, he'd not consider himself disabled). I'd rather have my hearing than a Railcard, but equally I'd rather have his lack of hearing in one ear than my post-thrombotic syndrome, which doesn't even qualify!

 

[WesternLancer]

A rather minor point, but you can not get a Disabled Railcard at a station ticket office over the counter. So you can't buy on the day of travel if needed, you need to plan ahead a bit. A ticket office can give you the application form if you need that.

Disabled Railcard call centre team have been very helpful when I have had dealings with them ref my mum's railcard.

 

[Teflon988]

Disabled also has one more advantage - it (and the 16/17 Saver) are the only two Railcards valid with no time restrictions. Senior has morning peak restrictions in the South East.

It's also available for some very minor disabilities, such as if you need a hearing aid in one ear (which is how my Dad has one, he'd not consider himself disabled). I'd rather have my hearing than a Railcard, but equally I'd rather have his lack of hearing in one ear than my post-thrombotic syndrome, which doesn't even qualify!

Thank you for the extra info Bletchleyite,yes it is strange how some conditions qualify and some don't.

A rather minor point, but you can not get a Disabled Railcard at a station ticket office over the counter. So you can't buy on the day of travel if needed, you need to plan ahead a bit. A ticket office can give you the application form if you need that.

Disabled Railcard call centre team have been very helpful when I have had dealings with them ref my mum's railcard.

Thanks for your info to Western Lancer must remember to pick up form.

 

[gray1404]

It is also possible to apply for a disabled persons Railcard online.

 

[Teflon988]

It is also possible to apply for a disabled persons Railcard online.

TY gray 1404 for the information, that is handy to know.

 

[JBuchananGB]

My wife qualifies for a Disabled Railcard on grounds of deafness but resolutely refuses to obtain one, as she does not wish to be branded "Disabled". At the moment her train journeys are not often enough to justify obtaining a Railcard anyway. She has had a Senior Railcard in the past.

 

[Bletchleyite]

My wife qualifies for a Disabled Railcard on grounds of deafness but resolutely refuses to obtain one, as she does not wish to be branded "Disabled".

Given that it would likely save me well north of £500 per year, I think I would swallow my pride.

 

[WesternLancer]

My wife qualifies for a Disabled Railcard on grounds of deafness but resolutely refuses to obtain one, as she does not wish to be branded "Disabled". At the moment her train journeys are not often enough to justify obtaining a Railcard anyway. She has had a Senior Railcard in the past.

Yes, I have a friend with hearing impairment who takes the same view (and has no entitlement to any other railcard so certainly misses out on discounts - and does not drive either).

The list of eligibility criteria is quite interesting - and I suspect a 'social document' in itself in that I wonder if it reflects a 1970s (when the card was introduced?) view of 'disability' - in as much as I suspect that, for example, hearing loss of the level required to obtain the Railcard may now be more common, given the larger number of people living longer and who may suffer from it for age related reasons maybe, than would have been the case back in the 1970s. Just speculating this on my part.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Disabled Railcards are £20 for a year- compared with the usual £30 for a Senior Railcard.

 

[SAPhil]

I persuaded my friend with hearing difficulties to get the disabled card. He's well pleased! Cheaper than the senior rail card, less restrictions and he can get a discount for one other person as well. Well worth the ribbing he gets from the rest of us!

 

[Mike99]

I have a Disabled Railcard, it's straightforward to apply online, quick to be dealt with and get the card sent back to you. Unless someone else has mentioned it, it can be purchased for three years as well. Its very handy that it can be used without time restriction, when I lived near Nuneaton it was possible to regularly get an advanced cheap ticket £7.45 for the 07:34 Nuneaton to London Euston (08:43)with Avanti West Coast so a peak service. For a few weeks after I moved to mid Suffolk in January 2022 it was possible to get an advanced cheap ticket with Greater Anglia from Stowmarket to London Liverpool Street for £6.60 on the 05:34 and 05:59 departures. Just lately however these particular tickets have disappeared.

 

[Starmill]

Just lately however these particular tickets have disappeared.

It's worth noting that this isn't related to the railcard. General prices have increased, at certain times of day very significantly.

 

[gordonthemoron]

All I need to do now is find my hearing aid prescription, and I'm good

 

[Bletchleyite]

Thank you for the extra info Bletchleyite,yes it is strange how some conditions qualify and some don't.

Mine doesn't to be fair actually disable me in that sense (but then nor does his hearing with the hearing aid in any more than my eyesight does once I've put my glasses on), but it does mean that sitting in a very cramped airline seat could be dangerous rather than just uncomfortable, so I'd appreciate a more affordable shot at First Class that the DSB would offer.

I now take the view that I wouldn't move out of a priority seat for someone else as I am now very much what they are intended for (unless all seats were taken, because I can stand) but a third off going in 1st instead would move me out of the way, and remove any concern about one possibly not being available.

 

[Mike99]

It's worth noting that this isn't related to the railcard. General prices have increased, at certain times of day very significantly.

Yes, I should have clarified that final point I made, your quite correct not connected to the railcard discussion. Tickets were available at £6.60 for an advance but now the cheapest on those two early Monday to Friday trains is the standard single priced at £40.90. I always re read my posts before posting but I could have made that clearer.

 

[Starmill]

Yes, I should have clarified that final point I made, your quite correct not connected to the railcard discussion. Tickets were available at £6.60 for an advance but now the cheapest on those two early Monday to Friday trains is the standard single priced at £40.90. I always re read my posts before posting but I could have made that clearer.

No worries it's still perfectly valid that you highlighted that early morning trains often have lower priced Advance tickets available as they're often very quiet reaching their final destination. Such tickets will always attract a discount with this type of railcard. In the future we may find that this practice resumes more wholesale once capacity becomes more consistent again.

 

[SickyNicky]

The other advantage of the Disabled Person's Railcard is that it discounts Oyster fares at all times, unlike other railcards.

It's also worth noting that the Disabled Person's Railcard now requires a photograph (it never used to). I renewed mine online (also for a hearing impairment) and had to upload a photo.

 

[Watershed]

It's also worth noting that the Disabled Person's Railcard now requires a photograph (it never used to). I renewed mine online (also for a hearing impairment) and had to upload a photo.

This only applies if you obtain a Digital Railcard. There is still no such requirement for a plastic Railcard.

 

[SickyNicky]

This only applies if you obtain a Digital Railcard. There is still no such requirement for a plastic Railcard.

Well, I ordered a plastic railcard and the site required that I upload a photo. I don't have the replacement card yet, though.

 

[AlterEgo]

Well, I ordered a plastic railcard and the site required that I upload a photo. I don't have the replacement card yet, though.

That was the same for me, although the card was issued without a photo.

 

[pelli]

Indeed there have been reports on this forum about being asked for photo when purchasing plastic (senior) railcards online, despite the cards not needing a photo, and the plastic card then arriving without any photo, indicating it's a website programming error:

Senior railcard renewal, asking for photo

I'm on the secure.railcard.co.uk page about to renew my senior railcard, but it is asking me to upload a photo. My current senior railcard doesn't have a photo, so is this a new thing or is it an error with the system?

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Wallsendmag]

Indeed there have been reports on this forum about being asked for photo when purchasing plastic (senior) railcards online, despite the cards not needing a photo, and the plastic card then arriving without any photo, indicating it's a website programming error:

Senior railcard renewal, asking for photo

I'm on the secure.railcard.co.uk page about to renew my senior railcard, but it is asking me to upload a photo. My current senior railcard doesn't have a photo, so is this a new thing or is it an error with the system?

www.railforums.co.uk

Or are the photos being stored in a central database for later reference?

 

[Class800]

Photos are personal data, and as such under GDPR, should only be requested if there is a legitimate purpose - i.e. it will be put on the railcard

 

[Deafdoggie]

Given that it would likely save me well north of £500 per year, I think I would swallow my pride.

Absolutely. I have a disabled railcard and a ENCTS bus pass both for being deaf. I have no qualms at all about it (obviously I meet the requirements for both) Strangely, I don't find being deaf a disability at all:it's all my friends and family that do! Although, of course, one of them gets to share the rail discounts with the railcard so they put up with it!
I had a heart attack and quintuple bypass in my 40's which is much more debilitating, but qualifies me for nothing!

 

[SickyNicky]

My card turned up today - no photo on it.

Those who have met me know that my hearing isn't perfect, but it's enough to get by with my hearing aid. However, I'll take the discount without any qualms at all.

I agree that it should be available to a wider selection of disabilities. But I'd quite like to keep my entitlement!

 

[Class800]

In theory I think it's meant to be related to whether the disability affects the person's ability to drive - but this is a bit nebulous.

 

[Bletchleyite]

In theory I think it's meant to be related to whether the disability affects the person's ability to drive - but this is a bit nebulous.

Deafness, of course, doesn't.