Rail Cards

GibbsRule_No3.

Can a non UK 60+ buy a Senior Rail Card, I’m expecting the answer is no. If it is, can I buy a Two Together Card instead and is that okay for a non UK citizen travelling with me, do we both need our photos uploading? Thought I’d ask before staring the process. I have a US friend coming and we plan to do a few train journeys and £35 will probably save us a few £££s. I would have liked two 60+ so that I would have been able to still use it after friend went home but as I said I’m expecting we cannot get one for them and the £35 for Two Together is better than nothing if there is no restriction on citizen country for that.

oldernonethewiser

Anyone can buy a railcard.

Nothing to do with being a UK citizen or resident.

FrugaiMacDugal

From Railcard.co.

Senior Railcard Eligibility Checklist

• Aged 60 years old or over
• Have a valid UK Driving Licence, Passport or EEA national Identity card
• Can be bought online or at a station

From Google/AI,

Yes, US visitors aged 60+ can buy a UK Senior Railcard, as there are no residency or citizenship restrictions. You can purchase a digital version online before or during your trip using a passport for ID, or buy one at staffed station ticket offices. It offers 1/3 off fares.

 

flaneurs_lobster

I'm not seeing any restriction to the application relating to citizenship. They do need a passport, but not necessarily a UK one.

I'd get your US friend to try and purchase from the official website

https://secure.railcard.co.uk/purchase/senior

but make sure that they can download the railcard app first, since they'll be wanting the digital version to avoid complications around shipping physical card to US.

In fact, make the application via the app, think it makes ID and selfie easier.

Android version

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.raildeliverygroup.railcard&pcampaignid=web_share

They'll have to find the Apple one themselves.

GibbsRule_No3.

Thank you for the answers. I made an “!!!!!! out of You and Me” by assuming when it said UK Driving Licence or Passport that it meant only UK citizens could get it.

GibbsRule_No3.

I have another question, if I buy the Senior Rail Card in my friends name but I pay for it, can I add it to an old physical Oyster Card that I have, that tops up from my bank account? I will use my 60+ for train journeys in London for myself but it will be easier if we can use my old Oyster Card for her on the train, save keep going to the ticket machine to buy tickets and know that it will just top up when it needs to.

daveyjp

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81879363#Comment_81879363

I agree. It is potentially confusing.

flaneurs_lobster

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81879386#Comment_81879386

Not done this for 3 years so hope this is still current.

Couple of possible issues. In order to add a Railcard to an Oyster Card the OC must be registered. Don't believe that the registrant's name need be the same as that on the Railcard.

Got a vague memory of OCs going into hibernation if not used for over a year (or 2). Make sure it's added to your TfL account and maybe add some cash and actually use it (or at least make sure it's readable) prior to any linking. Think registration has to happen at least a day prior to linking.

I think that the holder of the Railcard/OC needs to be physically present when the cards are linked.

The linking process can be done at the stations shown on the TfL site

https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/free-and-discounted-travel/national-railcard-discount

Beware of the definition of Tube Station (from experience, Richmond - No, Hammersmith - Yes) or at Oyster Ticket Stops. I'd be wary of the latter - only tried once at local "Stop", they had no idea what I was talking about.

If at station you need the exclusive use of that rare beast, a TfL operative who knows about these things, and the big ticket machine. Do not try this at 08:30am on a weekday in the City. Think I needed TfL account details.

Emmia

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81878938#Comment_81878938

I bought a physical two together Railcard online for my non UK resident in-laws when they came over a few years ago for a holiday partly with us, and partly on their own. All I needed were their digital photos, and I had the card delivered to me before they arrived.

Edit I could have bought two senior Railcards but that would have been twice the price.

flaneurs_lobster

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81879600#Comment_81879600

Yep, no nationality restrictions on railcard purchase, the mention earlier of driving licence/passport were for the Senior card where needed to prove applicant is 60+.

martindow

I bought my US friend a Senior Railcard here for her to use while she was visiting. She sent a photo of her passport to me and I bought a physical card sent to my address - she didn't want to faff around with something on a phone. If you have Tesco Clubcard points, you can redeem those at double the value as part payment through the railcard.co.uk site.