UK Railcard Types 2026: Prices, Eligibility & Offers

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UK Railcard Types

What are the different types of Railcards?

UK train tickets can be expensive. Luckily, there is a wide range of UK Railcards which provide extensive discounts for students, families and also friends who are travelling together! In this article, Trip.com will show you the different types of UK Railcards, their prices and the requirements to apply for them. What’s the best part? These Railcards discounts are applicable when you purchase your train tickets on Trip.com!

Railcard Type

Brief Description

16 –17 Saver

Passengers aged 16-17 can enjoy 50% off standard Anytime, Off-Peak, Advance and Season tickets. The 16 –17 Saver Railcard costs just £35 a year.

16 – 25 Railcard

Passengers aged 16-25 can enjoy 1/3 off rail fares. The 16 – 25 Railcard costs just £35 a year or £80 for 3 years.

26 – 30 Railcard

Passengers aged 26-30 can enjoy 1/3 off rail fares. The 26 - 30 Railcard costs just £35 a year.

Senior Railcard

Passengers aged 60 and over can enjoy 1/3 off rail fares. The Senior Railcard costs just £35 a year or £80 for 3 years.

Two Together Railcard

Two Together Railcard is designed for 2 named people travelling together. Passengers can enjoy 1/3 off rail fares. The Two Together Railcard costs just £35 a year.

Family and Friends Railcard

Up to four adults and four children can travel on one Family and Friends Railcard. Adults can enjoy 1/3 off rail fares while kids can enjoy 60% off rail fares. The Family and Friends Railcard costs just £35 a year or £80 for 3 years. Please note that the Railcard holder must travel with a child to be eligible for the discounts.

Disabled Persons Railcard

Passengers with a disability that makes travelling by train difficult may qualify for a Disabled Persons Railcard. Passengers can enjoy 1/3 off rail fares. The Disabled Persons Railcard costs just £20 a year or £54 for 3 years.

Veterans Railcard

Veterans of the UK Armed Forces may qualify for a Veterans Railcard. Passengers can enjoy 1/3 off rail fares. The Veterans Railcard costs just £35 a year or £80 for 3 years.

Network Railcard

Network Railcard is available for passengers aged 16 or over who are traveling in the South East. Passengers can enjoy 1/3 off rail fares in London and the South East in the Network Railcard area. The Network Railcard costs just £35 a year.

🎟️ Trip.com Digital Railcard: 25% Off 1-Year Railcards

Save 25% on selected 1-year Digital Railcards for just £26.25, or get a 3-year Railcard for £72. Save 1/3 on eligible UK train tickets and keep your Railcard on your phone. Offers are limited and may change at any time, so check the latest price on the offer page. Available on a first-come, first-served basis.

  • 1-year Railcard: £35.00 £26.25
  • 3-year Railcard: £80.00 £72.00
Looking for cheaper train travel? Check the latest Train Promo Codes and Railcard offers on Trip.com to save on your next UK journey.

Railcard eligibility and requirements

Let’s take a look at the special requirements for applying for different types of Railcards in the UK.

16–17 Saver Railcard

The 16 – 17 Saver Railcard allows users aged 16-17 to enjoy 50% off standard Anytime, Off-Peak, Advance and Season tickets. This means 50% off most rail fares every day of the year with no time restrictions!

However, please note that a £12 minimum fare applies to journeys starting between 4:30 and 10:00 on weekdays. This Railcard is designed such that 16- and 17-year-olds can access the same half-price child fares that they enjoyed until they were 16 years old. This 16-17 Saver Railcard can be purchased by all 16- and 17-year-olds who live in Britain or abroad. The 16 – 17 Saver Railcard is priced at just £35. It is valid for 1 year or until the day before the user’s 18th birthday, whichever comes first. Users can buy and travel discounted tickets up until the expiry date of the 16-17 Saver Railcard. For users who have bought a discounted Season ticket before the Railcard’s expiry date, users can continue to use the Season ticket for up to 4 months after the Railcard’s expiry date provided that the Season ticket is still valid. The expiry date and the date that users can use their Season tickets are shown on the 16-17 Saver Railcard.

Users are advised to apply for the 16-17 Saver Railcard online as it is the most convenient method. Please prepare the following documents during application: evidence of age (a valid UK driving licence, passport or EEA national ID card), a good quality digital passport-style photo of the applicant and a debit or credit card for payment. Users who do not have the above forms of ID can upload a scanned copy of their birth certificate or a government-approved PASS card instead. However, applications using these forms of ID will take more time to process. When the application is approved, users can download the 16 –17 Saver Railcard to the Railcard app on their phone or keep the Railcard in their wallet to get half-price tickets across the National Rail network (excluding travel on ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper services).

The 16 – 17 Saver Railcard allows users to enjoy 50% off standard Anytime, Off-Peak, Advance and Season ticket

Source: Creative Christians/ unsplash

The 16 – 17 Saver Railcard allows users to enjoy 50% off standard Anytime, Off-Peak, Advance and Season ticket

16–25 Railcard

The 16 – 25 Railcard allows users aged 16-25 and mature students to enjoy 1/3 off rail fares. The 16 – 25 Railcard costs just £35 a year or £80 for 3 years, and it provides average annual savings of up to £159! As the Railcard only costs £35, the card will have paid for itself after several trips. Here are some examples of the savings you can get for train tickets with the 16 – 25 Railcard:

Train Journey

Original Price

Discounted Price with16 – 25 Railcard

Manchester - UCL

£68.60

£45.25

Glasgow - Leeds University

£51.40

£33.90

Birmingham - Cambridge University

£34.90

£23.00

Please note that the prices above are estimated prices.

Please note that a £12 minimum fare applies to journeys starting between 4:30 and 10:00 on weekdays excluding Advance Fares. This minimum fare does not apply on public holidays or throughout July and August.

1-year 16-25 Railcard is priced at £35 and it can be bought online or at a station. Users can buy or renew their 1-year 16-25 Railcard up to and including the day before their 26th birthday and keep using it until its expiry date. 3-year 16-25 Railcard is priced at £80 and it can only be bought online. Users can buy them up until the day before their 24th birthday, which will make the expiry date the day before the user’s 27th birthday.

Users are advised to apply for the 16-25 Railcard online as it is the most convenient method. Please prepare the following documents during application: evidence of age (a valid UK driving license, passport or EEA national ID card), a good quality digital passport-style photo of the applicant and a debit or credit card for payment. Users who have opted for a digital Railcard can download the Railcard app. Then, users will be able to download the 16 - 25 Railcard to the app using the download code sent by email and the Railcard will be available for use right away. As for users who have opted for a physical Railcard, please allow up to 5 working days for the Railcard to arrive. Users are required to have the Railcard to be able to get a discount on the rail ticket, so please leave enough time before your journey for the Railcard to be delivered. Hence, users who are traveling on the day of their purchase are advised to purchase their Railcards at a station instead. Applicants will need to fill in an application form and provide the following documents: evidence of age (birth certificate, any nationality’s passport, a valid UK driving license or EEA national ID card), a passport-size photo and proof of eligibility if the applicant is a mature student.

Mature students are required to provide evidence of continuing study every year. Thus, they are only eligible to apply for the 1-year 16 - 25 Railcard. Mature students will need to meet the following requirements to be eligible: attending a recognized college or university for over 15 hours a week at least 20 weeks a year. Mature students are requested to have the mature student section of the 16-25 Railcard application form completed by the applicant’s College or University. Mature students will also need an NUS card or College/University photo card as proof of identity.
The 16 – 25 Railcard allows users aged 16-25 and mature students to enjoy 1/3 off rail fares

Source: Dollar Gill/ unsplash

The 16 – 25 Railcard allows users aged 16-25 and mature students to enjoy 1/3 off rail fares

26–30 Railcard

The 26 – 30 Railcard allows everyone aged 26 – 30 to enjoy 1/3 off rail fares. The 26 – 30 Railcard costs just £35 a year, and it provides average annual savings of up to £281! As the Railcard only costs £35, the card will have paid for itself after several trips. Here are some examples of the savings you can get for train tickets with the 26 – 30 Railcard:

Train Journey

Original Price

Discounted Price with 26 – 30 Railcard

London - Edinburgh

£82.20

£54.25

Newcastle - York

£23.10

£15.20

London - Manchester

£68.60

£45.25

Please note that the prices above are estimated prices.

Please note that a £12 minimum fare applies to journeys starting between 4:30 and 10:00 on weekdays. Journeys that commence at 10:00 are eligible for the Railcard discount. For users who travel regularly between 04:30 and 09:59 from Monday to Friday, a weekly or monthly season ticket could be the best way to save money instead. Please note that 26 – 30 Railcards do not give discounts on season tickets.

All users between 26 and 30 years old are eligible. Users can buy the 26-30 Railcard any time before the user’s 31st birthday and keep using it until its expiry date. The digital 26-30 Railcard is only available for purchase online. Please prepare the following documents during application: evidence of age (a valid UK driving license, passport or EEA national ID card), a good quality digital passport-style photo of the applicant and a debit or credit card for payment. Users will first need to download the Railcard app. Then, users will be able to download the 26 - 30 Railcard to the app using the download code sent by email and the Railcard will be available for use.

The 26 – 30 Railcard allows everyone aged 26 – 30 to enjoy 1/3 off rail fares

Source: Helena Lopes/ unsplash

The 26 – 30 Railcard allows everyone aged 26 – 30 to enjoy 1/3 off rail fares

Senior Railcard

The Senior Railcard allows everyone aged 60 and over to enjoy 1/3 off rail fares. The Senior Railcard costs just £35 a year or £80 for 3 years, and it provides average annual savings of up to £76! As the Railcard only costs £35, the card will have paid for itself after several trips. Here are some examples of the savings you can get for train tickets with the Senior Railcard:

Train Journey

Original Price

Discounted Price withSenior Railcard

London - Edinburgh

£82.20

£54.25

London - Liverpool

£68.60

£45.25

Doncaster - London

£32.50

£21.45

Please note that the prices above are estimated prices.

1-year Senior Railcard is priced at £35 and it can be bought online or at a station. 3-year Senior Railcard is priced at £80 and it can only be bought online. Users can buy their Senior Railcards online up to 2 weeks before the user’s 60th birthday. However, the Senior Railcard will only be valid for use from the user’s 60th birthday onwards. Users purchasing their Senior Railcards at a station are unable to purchase the Railcards in advance.

To purchase a Senior Railcard online, please prepare the following documents during application: evidence of age (a valid UK driving license, passport or EEA national ID card), a good quality digital passport-style photo of the applicant (for digital Railcard only) and a debit or credit card for payment. Users who have opted for digital Railcard will need to download the Railcard app. Then, users will be able to download the Senior Railcard to the app using the download code sent by email and the Railcard will be available for use. Digital Railcards can be stored on up to two devices.

The Senior Railcard allows everyone aged 60 and over to enjoy 1/3 off rail fares

Source: Christian Bowen/ unsplash

The Senior Railcard allows everyone aged 60 and over to enjoy 1/3 off rail fares

Two Together Railcard

The Two Together Railcard allows 2 named people traveling together to enjoy 1/3 off rail fares. The Two Together Railcard costs just £35 a year, and it provides average annual savings of up to £153! As the Railcard only costs £35, the card will have paid for itself after several trips. Here are some examples of the savings you can get for train tickets with the Two Together Railcard:

Train Journey

Original Price

Discounted Price withTwo Together Railcard

London - Edinburgh

£145

£95.70

York - London

£88

£58

London - Cambridge

£24

£15.80

Please note that the prices above are estimated prices.

Both applicants will need to be at least 16 years old. The 1/3 discount applies to most adult rail tickets except for the morning peak times. Users are advised to apply for the Two Together Railcard online as it is the most convenient method. Please prepare the following documents during application: 2 separate digital photos (one for each person named on the Railcard) and a debit or credit card for payment.

The Two Together Railcard allows 2 named people traveling together to enjoy 1/3 off rail fares

Source: Tyler Nix/ unsplash

The Two Together Railcard allows 2 named people traveling together to enjoy 1/3 off rail fares

Family & Friends Railcard

Up to 4 adults and 4 children can travel on one Family and Friends Railcard. Adults can enjoy 1/3 off rail fares while kids can enjoy 60% off rail fares. The 1-year Family and Friends Railcard is priced at £35 and it can be bought online or at a station.

The 3-year Family and Friend Railcard is priced at £80 and it can only be bought online. The Family and Friends Railcard provides average annual savings of up to £150, and the card will have paid for itself after several trips! Please note that the Railcard holder must travel with a child (age 5 – 15) to be eligible for the discounts. Here are some examples of the savings you can get for train tickets with the Family and Friends Railcard:

Train Journey

Original Price

Discounted Price withFamily and Friends Railcard

London - Sheffield

£69.00

£39.30

London - Brighton

£60.90

£32.55

Manchester - Blackpool

£24.00

£13.50

Please note that the prices above are estimated prices.

Up to 4 adults and 4 children can travel on one Family and Friends Railcard

Source: Nathan Dumlao/ unsplash

Up to 4 adults and 4 children can travel on one Family and Friends Railcard

Network Railcard

The Network Railcard is available for users aged 16 or over who are traveling in the South East. Passengers can enjoy 1/3 off rail fares in London and the South East in the Network Railcard area. The Network Railcard costs just £35 a year, and it provides average annual savings of up to £134! As the Railcard only costs £35, the card will have paid for itself after several trips. Here are some examples of the savings you can get for train tickets with the Network Railcard:

Train Journey

Original Price

Discounted Price withNetwork Railcard

London - Brighton

£20.30

£13.35

Reading - London

£22.60

£14.90

Portsmouth - London

£20.10

£13.25

Please note that the prices above are estimated prices.

Users can apply for the Network Railcard online or at a station. For online applications, please prepare the following documents: the user’s home address, a valid email address, a digital passport-style photo of the applicant (for digital Railcard) and a debit or credit card for payment. Users who have opted for digital Railcard will need to download the Railcard app. Then, users will be able to download the Network Railcard to the app using the download code sent by email and the Railcard will be available for use.

The Network Railcard is available for users aged 16 or over who are traveling in the South East

Source: Tomek Baginski/ unsplash

The Network Railcard is available for users aged 16 or over who are traveling in the South East

Disabled Persons Railcard

The Disabled Persons Railcard allows users with a disability that makes traveling by train difficult to enjoy 1/3 off rail fares. The Disabled Persons Railcard costs just £20 a year or £54 for 3 years, and it provides average annual savings of up to £91! As the Railcard only costs £20, the card will have paid for itself after several trips. Here are some examples of the savings you can get for train tickets with the Disabled Persons Railcard:

Train Journey

Original Price

Discounted Price withDisabled Persons Railcard

Peterborough - London

£16.90

£11.15

Newcastle - York

£19.10

£12.60

Edinburgh - London

£82.20

£54.25

Please note that the prices above are estimated prices.

Users can apply for the Disabled Persons Railcard online or by post. For online applications, please prepare the following documents: proof of eligibility, a digital passport-style photo of the applicant and a debit or credit card for payment.

Source: Audi Nissen/ unsplash

The Disabled Persons Railcard allows users with a disability that makes traveling by train difficult to enjoy 1/3 off rail fares

Veterans Railcard

The Veterans Railcard allows UK veterans who served at least one day in His Majesty’s Armed Forces or Merchant Mariners who have seen duty on legally defined military operations to enjoy 1/3 off rail fares.

The Veterans Railcard costs just £35 a year or £80 for 3 years. The Railcard can be used any time of the day. However, please note that a £12 minimum fare applies to all journeys made between 04:30 and 09:59 from Monday to Friday, excluding Advance fares, on Public Holidays or throughout July and August. For users who travel regularly between 04:30 and 09:59 from Monday to Friday, a weekly or monthly season ticket could be the best way to save money instead. Please note that Veterans Railcards do not give discounts on season tickets.

Users can apply for the Veterans Railcard online or by post. For online applications, please prepare the following documents: proof of eligibility as a veteran, a digital passport-style photo of the applicant and a debit or credit card for payment.

The Veterans Railcard allows UK veterans to enjoy 1/3 off rail fares

Source: Roberto Catarinicchia/ unsplash

The Veterans Railcard allows UK veterans to enjoy 1/3 off rail fares

Railcards discounts are applicable when you purchase your train tickets on Trip.com!

Source: Dan Senior/ unsplash

Railcards discounts are applicable when you purchase your train tickets on Trip.com!

FAQ – UK Railcard types

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