16-25 railcard vs. Season Ticket

GEEGEE8

I'm 27yrs old, and am going uni this Sept! :j

I've been looking at the options between the 16-25 (+mature students) railcard and the season ticket.

The student card is £26 and will mean that the journeys will be £1.70 each way with the 1/3 discount. Castleford > Leeds.

The season ticket for 1 month will be £19.60 per week or £75.30 per month. I will just buy it as I need it for the weeks I'm at uni.

I'm inclined towards the season ticket, as it gives me anyday travel, including weekend, even though I might not use it, but you never know Also, it means I can pay in advance and not have to 'find' the money every day.

Also, the student railcard application for 26+ people is so complicated, you have to go to a station and get the application form, get the uni to sign and stamp it and then go back to the station to get it sorted. Seems a bit of a faff and will cost me at least £13 in fares before I'm finished. lol.

Anything I've overlooked here?

GEEGEE8

Also, is it right that the 16-25 railcard doesn't apply during peak times? and before 10am?

MrsManda

Season ticket seems like the best option for you if you are going to be travelling in peak times as travelling before 10am (except in july/august) is subject to a £12 minimum fare.

If you travel by train any time other than to and from university it may still be worth getting a railcard anyway but that's not something you have to decide at the moment.

GEEGEE8

Thanks

I just wanted to make sure I hadn't read it all wrong! I will most likely be travelling at peak times and would rather know I'm covered for anytime travel.

I probably won't be using the train apart from maybe going down to family three times a year. It might be worth having it then, although I will have to work out prices etc.

Mids_Costcutter

As Leeds and Castleford are within the Metro area (West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive) you're much better off buying a Student Plus Metrocard: £17/week, £62.50/month. This will give you unlimited bus and rail travel across the whole Metro area. Not to mention saving the hassle of buying tickets every day. See:

http://www.wymetro.com/TicketsAndPasses/YoungPeople/StudentPlusMetroCard.htm

With the money you'll save over a season ticket in just 2 months you'll still be able to afford to buy a 16-25 Railcard for your longer-distance journeys!

GEEGEE8

Oh wow - excellent !

I'll have a look now

I'm usually a car user, so I'm clueless on public transport. Bus travel would be a bonus though

tommy_johnson

This question is kind of relevant to me. I am 26 and just finished full time education but I am now a part time student until December. Would I be eligible for cheap train travel? I don't think I can get the 18-25 card anymore.

All suggestions would help.

Mids_Costcutter

Tommy - depends how much studying you're doing. To be eligible you need to attend for over 15 hours a week, at least 20 weeks a year. See web site eligibility rules:

http://www.16-25railcard.co.uk/are-you-eligible/eligibility

Otherwise see the guide to cheaper train travel on the main pages of this web site.