How quickly will I get my new digital Railcard? In most cases, you should get your digital Railcard instantly after following the steps in the 'How do I add a digital Railcard to my device' section below.
You can buy a Family & Friends Railcard at any National Rail staffed station ticket office or National Rail-licensed Travel Agent. You can do it on the day you are travelling, just ensure the ticket office is open.
You can also apply for your Railcard by visiting any staffed station ticket office and get your Railcard on the same day! Just be sure to allow yourself plenty of time between purchasing your Railcard and when you need to depart for your journey.
You can get your Railcard in a digital format to be stored in the National Rail Railcard app on your phone or tablet, or as a physical card. You can use your Railcard to buy tickets online, at a ticket office, from a ticket machine, and over the phone.
It's perfectly acceptable to buy the tickets online first and buy the railcard later - just as long as you have it when boarding the train. All I have to say is that you must have the railcard with you when you travel as the rail ticket without the railcard will then be invalid.
If you forget your Railcard you will either be required to buy a new ticket or you may on certain services be liable for a Penalty Fare. However, a train company will normally allow you to claim back this extra expense on the first occasion in each year where this happens.
The Railcard and tickets bought with it are not transferable to anyone else and you must not give, lend, or resell them. Only the named cardholder(s) can use the Railcard. 2.4. Train Companies will not issue refunds on unused/unwanted Railcards, or extend their validity period.
About National RailcardsWe offer 9 main National Railcards, which give you savings of 1/3 off train fares. Most are available to buy online or at stations. You must carry your Railcard with you on your journey to qualify for the discount.
Yes. You must show your valid 16-25 Railcard (digital or plastic) when you buy your ticket and travel on the train. If you bought your Railcard at a station, both the paper printed Railcard and the photocard must be presented.
Why can't the Network Railcard be used before 10:00am Monday to Friday? The Network Railcard is designed to promote off-peak leisure travel. This means that it encourages people to use trains outside of the busy commuting period which occurs before 10:00am Monday to Friday.
Please allow up to 5 working days for your Railcard application to be reviewed. Once approved, a download code will be sent to your registered email address, along with instructions on how to download your digital 16-25 Railcard.