This depends on the type of railcard some railcards are only valid on Off-peak fares such as the 26-30 railcard, others are available to use all day such as the Senior railcard. You can view all the Railcards available here.
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In general, Off-Peak hours begin at 09:30 from Monday to Friday in cities and large towns, and at 09:00 everywhere else. If your train is scheduled to depart after this time, you can travel with an Off-Peak ticket. Weekends and bank holidays are Off-Peak all day.
This depends on the type of railcard some railcards are only valid on Off-peak fares such as the 26-30 railcard, others are available to use all day such as the Senior railcard. You can view all the Railcards available here.
Yes. You must show your valid Railcard when you buy your ticket. You also need to have your Railcard with you on each journey and present it to staff when your ticket is checked aboard the train.
Off-Peak tickets give you some flexibility - if you can still use an Off-Peak ticket on the train you now want to travel on, you can just catch that one instead! If you want to travel during peak time, you'll just need to pay the difference between the Off-Peak fare and the Anytime fare.
You can buy Network Railcard discounted tickets for travel any time on weekends and public holidays or from 10:00am Monday to Friday. You may be able to start your journey a little earlier than 10:00am, see the time restriction easements section for details or check at your local station.
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, your Railcard is accepted by all the Train Companies who operate Passenger Railway Services within England, Scotland and Wales. Railcards do not give discounts on Eurostar services, Charter services, and Heritage Railways unless state otherwise.
You can use your Railcard to buy tickets online, at a ticket office, from a ticket machine, and over the phone. When you enter a journey into our Journey Planner, you can add the number and type of Railcards you wish to use. It is possible to add multiple Railcards for different people who are travelling.
Off-peak tickets, which used to be known as saver tickets, are usually cheaper than anytime tickets as they are valid for times that are less busy. They can be bought at any time, but are only valid within specific timeframes.