Railcard

osborn99

I like to travel and spend £1000 a year on train journeys, buying in advance. I am 28, low income, live in low rent flat which allows me to travel. Because I go to different places the season ticket and other promotional stuff are no good for me.

Why are their no railcards for people like me?

Think it's a disgrace to be honest.

Derivative

Are you in the south-east?
Might want to look at the 'Network Railcard' if so.

I do sympathise a little as I have to travel by train quite a lot - I have a 16-25 railcard and it's saved me hundreds so far. I'd be quite literally !!!!!!ed without it.

Livingthedream

Where do you live? if you live in the South East then perhaps a Network Railcard could be of use? If not get yourself registered on the RailUK forum and when you fancy a trip post the journey details on that site ie dates/times/places and passenger numbers, the member on there are very good at getting the price down or even post back on this sub forum.

Edit: Lol, too slow again about the Network Railcard but worth trying the other forum.

tomjonesrules

Railcards are primarily for those who find themselves on a low income through no fault of their own. Why not look for a better job rather than expecting subsidies?

mattyprice4004

Why is it a disgrace that a company doesn't want to pay some of the costs of your travel?

You want to travel, you have to pay the price. Deal with it or find a better job.

Derivative

Normally I would agree with the above but rail prices have been getting daft lately, and it's not all fuel prices as they'd have you believe.

daveyjp

tomjonesrules wrote: »

Railcards are primarily for those who find themselves on a low income through no fault of their own. Why not look for a better job rather than expecting subsidies?

Must be different to the railcard we have, a family and friends which cost £25 a year. The OP is correct that there is no similar card for single travellers once you are over young persons age, mad when we are being encouraged to leave cars at home.

davenport151

I thought the same. I use a family railcard for myself and my son who is nearly 13. After 15 he can get the YP railcard but i shall find myself without one. However if it works for you its cheaper to travel off peak or at odd times of the day also do look into the ranger and rover cards as they can be good value. for example an Anglia rover covers a large area for about £13.00 for unlimited travel after 9am (actually sometimes earlier as covers some earlier off peak services)

Crunchy_Nutter

davenport151 wrote: »

I thought the same. I use a family railcard for myself and my son who is nearly 13. After 15 he can get the YP railcard but i shall find myself without one.

Here's a useful tip for you, Davenport151 - as long as you renew your Family & Friends Railcard before your son actually turns 16 (ie the day before if necessary, regardless of how much time is remaining on your old railcard - although at this point I'll add that you won't get a refund for any unused time), he will be able to travel with you at child rate until the railcard expires. Same goes for anyone else travelling with you, so long as they were under 16 when the railcard was purchased. This is explained right at the bottom of the t&cs (bottom of back page of leaflet).

Regards,
Crunchy (Retail Assistant with London Midland)

Mids_Costcutter

osborn99 wrote: »

I like to travel and spend £1000 a year on train journeys, buying in advance. I am 28, low income, live in low rent flat which allows me to travel. Because I go to different places the season ticket and other promotional stuff are no good for me.

Why are their no railcards for people like me?

Think it's a disgrace to be honest.

I agree: it's not fair. Why shouldn't there be a national railcard for individual travellers? The Network Railcard (SE England only) isn't a great example either as it doesn't cover the whole country and has a minimum fare restriction of £10.

Back in 2003 a new off-peak national railcard (for everyone not covered by existing cards) was proposed following a report commissioned by campaign group Railfuture and the Rail Passengers Council (forerunner to Passenger Focus). It was calculated that the railcard would generate 15% extra off peak passenger miles and £60 million additional profits for the industry. The proposal was rejected by ATOC (Assocation of Train Operating Companies) who believe that extending Railcard benefits to the whole population would result in a reduction of fare revenue. This hasn't been the experience in other European countries though.

One of the authors of the report, said: “Once people buy the card, they will calculate the cost of rail tickets as the reduced price they pay at the ticket window, much like a car driver who calculates his costs as the price of petrol used rather than taking into account the overall costs.”

Further info. at: http://www.railfuture.org.uk/tiki-index.php?page=National+Rail+Card

Depending upon where the OP lives the 'Two Together' Railcard might be an option for some journeys? This is available in certain postcode areas in the West Midlands region.

Stompa

Mids_Costcutter wrote: »

The Network Railcard (SE England only) isn't a great example either as it doesn't cover the whole country and has a minimum fare restriction of £10.

It's now saying £13 here:

http://www.railcard.co.uk/network/tickets-types-min-fares#Minimum_fares

Has that increase just happened?