Discount railcards

Railcards can save you 33% for a flat £30 fee (Photo courtesy of National Rail)
Railcards can save you 33% for a flat £30 fee

Young adults, families, seniors, and couples can get 1/3 off all trains with a £30 railcard

British train tickets are already discounted 50% to children aged 5 to 15 (kids under 5 are free). 

Anyone aged 16–25, over 60, couples, families, and the disabled can buy a £30 railcard (£20 for the handicapped) that will get you 33% off all train tickets for one year. 

(Sorry, middle-aged singletons; closest you can get is a Network railcard only good in the Southeast region.)

Most are good on Standard and First Class Anytime, and on Off-Peak and Advanced fares (basically, anything after 9:30am on a weekday, plus weekends).

There are different cards specific to each of those life situations, and can be purchased at most major train stations as well as at some airport rail stations (Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, Manchester):

  • Two Together Railcard (Twotogether-railcard.co.uk) - For two people over aged 16 traveling together (so really just £15 per person—making it a better deal for than the next one if you are young and have a friend).
  • 16-25 Railcard (16-25railcard.co.uk) - For that age range (or a mature student over 25 with proof of student status)
  • Family & Friends Railcard (Familyandfriends-railcard.co.uk) - Good for up to four adults and four children (the adults get 1/3 off, the kids 60% off). You can have two adults named on the card, one of whom must be traveling when you use it (along with at least one child).
  • Senior Railcard (Senior-railcard.co.uk)
  • Disabled Persons Railcard (Disabledpersons-railcard.co.uk) - This one is discounted at £20, and covers the handicapped traveler plus one other adult traveling with him or her.
  • Network Railcard (Network-railcard.co.uk) Anyone can get this one, but it only covers Southeast England (which is still a lot). Peruse the map to see if it might be handy for you. 

Note you will have to bring your passport and a passport-sized photo when you go to buy a British railcard.

If you happen to have a U.K. mailing address, you can order one online.

Trains links