How long does it take to get a digital Railcard?

Please allow up to 5 working days for your Railcard application to be reviewed and approved. Once approved, your Disabled Persons Railcard will be available to use straight away.



People Also Ask

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.

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In most cases, your digital 16-25 Railcard will be available to use straight away. A download code will be sent to your registered email address, along with instructions on how to download your digital 16-25 Railcard.

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If you have purchased a digital 16-25 Railcard, in most cases it will be available to use straight away.

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At a station You can also apply for your Railcard by visiting any staffed station ticket office within the Network Railcard area and get your Railcard on the same day! Just be sure to allow yourself plenty of time between purchasing your Railcard and before you need to depart for your journey.

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Unfortunately, you can only have one version of your Railcard – either plastic or digital.

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Digital Railcards are stored within the Railcard app on your smart phone or tablet, meaning there's no need to carry the physical card around with you. They can be stored on up to two devices and used quicker than plastic Railcards as they do not need to be sent in the post.

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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.

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Yes. You can buy a 1-year Family & Friends Railcard over the counter at all staffed station ticket offices.

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Unfortunately you are unable to swap a plastic Railcard to a digital Railcard. However, when the time comes to renew your Railcard you can do this online and choose to have a digital Railcard.

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To view your Railcard in the app, you'll need to first log in to your account with the same email address you purchased with. After logging in, navigate to the Account tab and tap on Your Railcards to bring up the list of Railcards you've purchased. Then tap on Download Railcard to download it to your device.

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Yes. Although your Railcard will live in your Trainline App, it can still be used with tickets bought elsewhere.

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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.

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You cannot. As of November 2022, contactless (bank cards or NFC devices) support only extends to a pay as you go model for a single adult fare with daily and weekly cap. For railcard discounts, student/young persons discounts, travelcards, season tickets, etc., a registered Oyster card is required.

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Add a travel card on your iPhone or Apple Watch
  1. On your iPhone, open the Wallet app.
  2. Tap the Add button .
  3. Tap Travel Card to add a new travel card or tap Previous Card to add a travel card that you've previously added to the Wallet app.
  4. Choose a travel card from the list, or search by location or card name.


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A: Yes. You must show your valid Network Railcard (digital or plastic) when you buy your ticket and travel on the train.

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