Network Rail Card Question

Kildare

Morning! First time Network Rail Card buyer so this may be a silly question... is there a best site to buy it through and is there anyway to get a discount when buying the card? I'm looking to mostly use it to travel on my own into London off-peak, but also on weekends with family. Thanks!

MattMattMattUK

Personally I would buy it through the official site, but

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/railcard/

p00hsticks

MattMattMattUK said:

Personally I would buy it through the official site, but

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/railcard/

I though of some of those but I think, like most railcard deals,  they are only for 'National' Railcards, whereas the Network Railcard the OP wants is regional (London and the South East)

katejo

Kildare said:

Morning! First time Network Rail Card buyer so this may be a silly question... is there a best site to buy it through and is there anyway to get a discount when buying the card? I'm looking to mostly use it to travel on my own into London off-peak, but also on weekends with family. Thanks!

I'd check the benefits/restrictions before you buy one. I had one for 1 year just after lockdown but barely got anything from it. You have to spend a minimum amount before you get any discount. When I had it, the minimum was about £14. One day I bought a return to the south coast and got no money off. I asked why because I had paid £26. I was told that it was actually 2 singles for £13 each so didn't qualify!

Kildare

katejo said:

Kildare said:

Morning! First time Network Rail Card buyer so this may be a silly question... is there a best site to buy it through and is there anyway to get a discount when buying the card? I'm looking to mostly use it to travel on my own into London off-peak, but also on weekends with family. Thanks!

I'd check the benefits/restrictions before you buy one. I had one for 1 year just after lockdown but barely got anything from it. You have to spend a minimum amount before you get any discount. When I had it, the minimum was about £14. One day I bought a return to the south coast and got no money off. I asked why because I had paid £26. I was told that it was actually 2 singles for £13 each so didn't qualify!

Thanks! I didn’t realise there was a minimum ticket price involved so I’ll check this. Also a shame the Network Rail Card isn’t included in the Tesco offer. 

MattMattMattUK

I have a Network Railcard (I do not qualify for the others), the discount is worth it. For me it pays for itself quickly. The minimum ticket price does not apply at weekends which makes it practical for shorter journeys when going out for an evening etc. 

The minimum discounted adult fare payable is £13 on all journeys Monday to Friday (does not apply at weekends or on Public Holidays).

The minimum discounted child fare payable is £1 at all times

The minimum fare payable for Anytime Day Travelcards is £22.60 at all times, when bought as part of your ticket to London from outside London Zones 1-9.

Minimum fares apply to each individual travelling, not to the total value of tickets purchased.

https://www.network-railcard.co.uk/help/faqs/is-there-a-minimum-fare/

Kildare

MattMattMattUK said:

I have a Network Railcard (I do not qualify for the others), the discount is worth it. For me it pays for itself quickly. The minimum ticket price does not apply at weekends which makes it practical for shorter journeys when going out for an evening etc. 

The minimum discounted adult fare payable is £13 on all journeys Monday to Friday (does not apply at weekends or on Public Holidays).

The minimum discounted child fare payable is £1 at all times

The minimum fare payable for Anytime Day Travelcards is £22.60 at all times, when bought as part of your ticket to London from outside London Zones 1-9.

Minimum fares apply to each individual travelling, not to the total value of tickets purchased.

https://www.network-railcard.co.uk/help/faqs/is-there-a-minimum-fare/

Thanks for this! I've just been checking and my lowest off peak fare into London is £15 and more for a travelcard so this plus weekend travel will be worth the savings

MilesT6060842

If you are a very heavy leisure time train user in the NSE area it's worth considering getting the cheapest possible annual season ticket instead between two stations in the NSE area (or your local station to something nearby that you will want frequently), which comes with what is called "Gold card".   You don't have to ever travel between your selected stations or start your journeys from your "season ticket" stations to get Gold card benefit

Gold card has some additional benefits over NSE--discount on off peak oyster fares (IIRC) for example, and otherwise slightly more permissive terms of use.

MSE_James

For the last few years the cheapest Gold Card has been Lapworth <-> Hatton on Chiltern Railways