MSE News: New 26-30 Railcard to be trialled from December 19 October 2017 at 5:53PM edited 21 November 2017 at 4:05PM in Public transport & cycling 18 replies 8K views

Former_MSE_Megan_F

A new 26-30 Railcard is set to be offered by one train company from December ahead of an expected national roll-out early next year, MoneySavingExpert.com can reveal...

Read the full stories:

From 19 October:
'New 26-30 Railcard to be trialled from December'


and from 21 November:

Details of 26-30 Railcard trial confirmed ahead of Budget launch




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chattychappy

All seems rather smelly to me.

I can understand the very good social reasons behind offering discounts to children, or particular disadvantaged groups.

But something just seems wrong about picking out a particular age group for a discount. Why should a 31-year old be denied something that a 30-year old can have? Even railcards for old folk are looking distinctly dated to me.

I don't think "normal" private businesses would operate such a scheme.

Former_MSE_Andrea

chattychappy wrote: »

All seems rather smelly to me.

I can understand the very good social reasons behind offering discounts to children, or particular disadvantaged groups.

But something just seems wrong about picking out a particular age group for a discount. Why should a 31-year old be denied something that a 30-year old can have? Even railcards for old folk are looking distinctly dated to me.

I don't think "normal" private businesses would operate such a scheme.

Do you think all age related cards should be scrapped?

PaulC5

I feel it is very age discriminating.

Think of it like this: If it was a male or female only railcard then I'm sure quite a few people would have something to say!

I’ve just started a new job that takes me from Preston to Milton Keynes Monday to Thursday and as the M1 and M6 is a nightmare I prefer to travel by train with the added bonus that my train home is 2hr 10min, which is impossible by car even with not incidents!

However as I am 29 It really annoys me that people slightly younger than me or who are 60 years old can get 1/3rd off their ticket price. There is the National railcard but again that's only really relevant if you live in the South.

I’m looking forward to this new card going live and I hope I can get my hands on one but can fully sympathize with the 30-60 year olds, who don’t get any discount!

Former_MSE_Andrea

PaulC5 wrote: »

I feel it is very age discriminating.

Think of it like this: If it was a male or female only railcard then I'm sure quite a few people would have something to say!

I’ve just started a new job that takes me from Preston to Milton Keynes Monday to Thursday and as the M1 and M6 is a nightmare I prefer to travel by train with the added bonus that my train home is 2hr 10min, which is impossible by car even with not incidents!

However as I am 29 It really annoys me that people slightly younger than me or who are 60 years old can get 1/3rd off their ticket price. There is the National railcard but again that's only really relevant if you live in the South.

I’m looking forward to this new card going live and I hope I can get my hands on one but can fully sympathize with the 30-60 year olds, who don’t get any discount!

Perhaps it's felt the 30-60 bracket (which includes me!) is covered by the Family & Friends card and - in the South East - the Network Railcard?

miller

PaulC5 wrote: »

I’ve just started a new job that takes me from Preston to Milton Keynes Monday to Thursday and as the M1 and M6 is a nightmare I prefer to travel by train with the added bonus that my train home is 2hr 10min, which is impossible by car even with not incidents!

If it's any consolation a railcard wouldn't help on your commute anyway:

Anytime Return: £232.00
7 Day Season: £234.50
Bonkers; 6 days' extra travel for £2.50.

I remember when the Network Card was £10 and far more useful than it is now.

ziggycj

I'm 26 so my first thought is "great" but then thinking about it 26-30 year olds aren't necessarily going to have an income lower than 30-60 year olds. Why not just share the savings by lowering train fares for everyone? Or set up a 'low income' scheme (if they don't already have one).

miller

Maybe they shied away from creating an 18-30 railcard because of connotations with cheap package holidays of days gone by.

I think the reasoning behind the Two Together railcard was to get people out of the car where the fare would be way more than petrol etc.

Andy_L

MSE_Andrea wrote: »

Perhaps it's felt the 30-60 bracket (which includes me!) is covered by the Family & Friends card and - in the South East - the Network Railcard?

The network railcard can only be used off-peak though, so no good for commuting to work

PaulC5

miller wrote: »

If it's any consolation a railcard wouldn't help on your commute anyway:

Anytime Return: £232.00
7 Day Season: £234.50
Bonkers; 6 days' extra travel for £2.50.

I remember when the Network Card was £10 and far more useful than it is now.

I only commute Monday morning and return Thursday evening so yes it would save me money. I currently buy advance tickets for around £34-£36 each way at present so it is hardly costing the earth but at a 1/3rd discount its rather frustrating.

PaulC5

MSE_Andrea wrote: »

Perhaps it's felt the 30-60 bracket (which includes me!) is covered by the Family & Friends card and - in the South East - the Network Railcard?

Hardly covered by the family and friends railcard as you have to be traveling with at least 1 child. "At least one named cardholder and at least one child must be travelling to enable discounted tickets to be used."

I did an example for my journey home on a Thursday evening from MKC to Preston for one adult ticket and one child ticket with a family and friends railcard and it worked out cheaper than buying one adult ticket without a railcard! :mad:

But as the T&C's state, the child must be traveling with you on the journey otherwise it isn't valid even if you have purchased the tickets! Rediculous!