Yet another senior railcard query

[trainophile]

Don't want to put ideas into "their" heads, but is there any danger that the eligibility for a Senior Railcard is going to change to state pension age rather than remain at 60?

 

[northwichcat]

There is no reason why it should change as 16-25 year olds who aren't students and who are not entitled to benefits can get a 16-25 railcard.

It is however a bit ridiculous that a 60 year old businessman can use his railcard to travel for a fraction of the price of another passenger on a Virgin Trains peak time London service.

 

[trainophile]

There is no reason why it should change as 16-25 year olds who aren't students and who are not entitled to benefits can get a 16-25 railcard.

It is however a bit ridiculous that a 60 year old businessman can use his railcard to travel for a fraction of the price of another passenger on a Virgin Trains peak time London service.

Well I'm a not working soon-to-be-60 woman so I guess that's okay!

I've just booked Advance tickets for after my birthday, and was a bit anxious in case the age eligibility changes before I can buy my railcard.

Thanks for the reassurance.

Edited to add: Can I buy a railcard at any UK station? Was going to send for a 3-year one but have decided to get a 1-year in case circs change. Will only have a 6-day interval between birthday and booked tickets and might be away at the time. It would be silly if it had to be bought at the station nearest my address so I couldn't do it.

 

[Welshman]

There is no reason why it should change as 16-25 year olds who aren't students and who are not entitled to benefits can get a 16-25 railcard.

It is however a bit ridiculous that a 60 year old businessman can use his railcard to travel for a fraction of the price of another passenger on a Virgin Trains peak time London service.

Although I suspect a good number of business-people have taken early retirement/been made redundant, before they reach their 60th birthday.

Isn't the fact there are growing numbers of people, aged 55+ with leisure time on their hands, one of the reasons why the recent "Club55" promotions have been so successful?

 

[dzug2]

Edited to add: Can I buy a railcard at any UK station? Was going to send for a 3-year one but have decided to get a 1-year in case circs change. Will only have a 6-day interval between birthday and booked tickets and might be away at the time. It would be silly if it had to be bought at the station nearest my address so I couldn't do it.

Any staffed station yes. As long as it has an application form or you've acquired one from elsewhere.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

There hasn't been a change of age since 1985 iIrc, so I can't see one coming in the near future.

....Can I buy a railcard at any UK station? Was going to send for a 3-year one but have decided to get a 1-year in case circs change. Will only have a 6-day interval between birthday and booked tickets and might be away at the time. It would be silly if it had to be bought at the station nearest my address so I couldn't do it.

You can buy them at most (if not all) manned railway stations, it does not need to be your local station.

 

[Welshman]

Was going to send for a 3-year one but have decided to get a 1-year in case circs change. Will only have a 6-day interval between birthday and booked tickets and might be away at the time. It would be silly if it had to be bought at the station nearest my address so I couldn't do it.

I hear what you say, trainophile, but what circumstances are likely to change to make you regret buying a 3-year Railcard? [I realise that some women, allegedly[he hurriedly adds!], start counting backwards from 40], but, seriously, why not go for the 3-year one? It costs more, initially, [£65 instead of £28 ], but you get in effect the benefits of the last 2/3 of your 3rd year free. And you can buy it online, quoting a passport or driving-licence number as proof of coming age, so there's no bother about which station to get it from, etc, etc. IIRC, you can apply for it up to 3 weeks of your coming 60th birthday, and using the information you have given, it will be dated for 3 years after your birthday.

Just a thought.
Whichever card you buy, I wish you many happy years of train-travel. My 3-year card's paid for itself many times over!

 

[trainophile]

There hasn't been a change of age since 1985 iIrc, so I can't see one coming in the near future.



You can buy them at most (if not all) manned railway stations, it does not need to be your local station.

Thanks again folks (sorry this phone won't let me reply without quoting previous post). I'm getting ridiculously excited about being able at last to get some sort of benefit from knocking on a bit. In other circs it might be said that I need to get out more!