You can get a 3-year 16-25 Railcard right up until the week before your 24th birthday. Please do not wait until the last day before your 24th birthday to apply.
A: People who are older than 25 years of age can only buy and use a Railcard if they are in full time study. We therefore require mature students to demonstrate that they are still in full time education each time they buy or renew a Railcard.
If you are aged 26-30 years old and still in full-time education, you can choose whether to buy a 26-30 Railcard, or buy a 16-25 Railcard as a mature student. Mature students who are over the age of 30, can only choose the 16-25 Railcard option and apply as a mature student.
You can buy a National Rail 26-30 Railcard any time before your 31st birthday and keep using it for a whole year, until its expiry date. These great savings mean you can save money on trips into town, family weekends, getaways or... as many times as you like.
16-25, Disabled Persons, Family & Friends, Senior and Veterans Railcards can be renewed for either 1 or 3 years. All Railcards, except 26-30 Railcards, can be renewed for a plastic or digital version.
You don't need to live in Britain or be a UK citizen to be eligible. However, they can only be posted to UK addresses. Buy in person at a staffed railway station (each railcard is different, so it is best to check beforehand with Railcard Help to see if there are any documents that you will need to bring with you).
The 26–30 has a minimum fare of £12 between 04:30 and 10:00 on weekdays. The 16–25 has the same restriction, but the minimum does not apply to Advance fares, and it does not apply during July and August. Also you can use the 16–25 Railcard on the Caledonian Sleeper, but not 26–30.
While railcards might seem like an expensive investment for those who don't regularly travel by train, do not underestimate their worth. Most railcards mean you could save up to 1/3 on train fares.
Yes. You can buy or renew your 1-year 16-25 Railcard up to and including the day before your 26th birthday and keep using it until its expiry date. With 3-year 16-25 Railcards you can buy them up until the day before your 24th birthday, which will make the expiry date the day before your 27th birthday.
You don't need to live in Britain or be a UK citizen to be eligible. However, they can only be posted to UK addresses. Buy in person at a staffed railway station (each railcard is different, so it is best to check beforehand with Railcard Help to see if there are any documents that you will need to bring with you).
You can get this Railcard if you are...You can buy a Senior Railcard in advance online, up to 2 weeks before your 60th birthday, but it will only be valid for travel from your birthday onwards. You cannot buy in advance of your 60th birthday at a station.