Rail Travel and student daughter

pandaonmyshoulder

My daughter has just got a place at a Manchester college (4 days per week)but we live 1/2hr away by train, can she/should she apply for a sudent rail card? I know she could apply for a bus pass but the journey would be so long by bus but can't find any info for the same sort of thing by train.

redsquirrel80

Have a look at http://www.youngpersons-railcard.co.uk/ - you do have to pay £20 for it but I'd imagine you'd save that easily travelling 4 days a week.

melancholly

the only thing to check is the timings - you can usually only use a young person's railcard after 9.30am, so it might not make huge savings if she has to be there first thing.... (which is very annoying!)

redsquirrel80

melancholly wrote: »

the only thing to check is the timings - you can usually only use a young person's railcard after 9.30am, so it might not make huge savings if she has to be there first thing.... (which is very annoying!)

Ooh yeah, had forgotten there were some restrictions, few years since I had one! The site FAQs say:

4. Can I use my Railcard at any time of day? For all journeys made at or before 10am, Monday to Friday (excluding July & August and Public Holidays), a minimum fare applies, which is the least you can pay for your ticket. If you travel regularly before 10am, then a weekly or monthly season ticket may be more appropriate. Here is some more information about minimum fares.

andyrules

if she decides to go for the railcard then don't forget NatWest do a freebie 5 year one as their student account incentive.

A_Nice_Englishman

There are also various season tickets which GMPTE issue which may or not be applicable.

If you can post the stations your daughter will be travelling between someone may be able to do the (complicated!) sums.

Lavendyr

You can use the railcard during peak times, it just doesn't save as much as at other times.

Might be worth checking the fares online to see how they will work out.

student_advisor

pandaonmyshoulder wrote: »

My daughter has just got a place at a Manchester college (4 days per week)but we live 1/2hr away by train, can she/should she apply for a sudent rail card? I know she could apply for a bus pass but the journey would be so long by bus but can't find any info for the same sort of thing by train.

How old is your daughter and what course is she studying at MC?

Stubert

I assume if youre 30 mins away you live within the GMPTE zone. So might be cheaper getting a rail pass from GMPTE directly? They do young person rates anyway.

freebie_junkie

if your daughter is under 19, she can apply for a free GMPTE scholar's permit which will entitle her to children's fares between her home and college during term time, my sis whose 17 has one of these for college.