Family and Friends Railcard - can I specify the start date, does anyone know??

fierydormouse

Hi, my family and I are just about to book a trip to Edinburgh for Dec 17th, returning 19th. We don't currently have a family and friends railcard, but intend to get an annual one which will pay for itself just from this trip.Can you specify the start date when you buy one of these railcards? I don't want it to start until Dec 17th, as we won't use it until then, so if it started now I'm just paying for 2 months (now to Dec) where I definitely won't use it.

Or do you have to have the railcard already in order to book the disounted train travel in the first place? (We had one once before and I seem to remember it was only checked when we were getting on the train).

Many thanks for any help!

KeithP

You can buy railcard discounted tickets without actually having the railcard at that time.
You may find it easier to do that online as some booking clerks may insist on seeing the railcard before selling a discounted ticket. They shouldn't, but...

Of course you must have the railcard at the time of travelling though.

daveyjp

Buy the tickets with a railcard discount, then railcard a few days before travel. Online digital railcard its instant, but you need photos of the adult holders.  Plastic railcard you will need to allow for postage time, no photos needed.

I advise using the website of one of the train operating companies to buy tickets online rather than a site such as Trainline.  

Trainsplit may be able to offer some split ticket alternatives to save you more money.

James_testing

If you live reasonably close to a station with a staffed ticket office, just buy the railcard there a day or two before you travel. This will give you more control over the start date than buying online.

Plastic railcards purchased online do have a few extra days validity added to them to allow for postal delays, but you probably don't want the anxiety of wondering if it will arrive in time.

I wouldn't advise buying a digital railcard that you show on your phone. 

anotheruser

KeithP said:

...as some booking clerks may insist on seeing the railcard before selling a discounted ticket. They shouldn't, but...

They actually should.
Feel free to read the terms and conditions.
When purchasing from a ticket office, the card must be present and shown.