Aged 26 to 30? Show an avocado to get one third off Virgin Trains West Coast tickets

If you were one of the ‘millennials’ who missed out on a 26-30 Railcard, then there’s a fruity way that you can still get a third off rail fares on Virgin Trains until Tuesday.

Earlier this week, an initial 10,000 26-30 Railcards were offered as part of a nationwide trial and sold out within 12 hours. As a consolation for those who missed out, Virgin Trains is offering any 26 to 30-year-old the same third-off discount on its West Coast network (stations from London Euston to Glasgow Central, see full map) until Tue 20 Mar. You don’t have to show a railcard to get it – you need to show an avocado instead.

Yes, an avocado. It sounds bonkers (and it’s obviously a PR stunt), but regardless, it’s a genuine offer that can save a lot of people money. Show an avocado and some photo ID to prove you’re 26 to 30 when buying a ticket from a Virgin Trains station for a journey on its West Coast network and you can get a third off most tickets. Unfortunately, you can’t get this offer when booking online or from a ticket machine.

To get the discount, your train journey will need to be completed by 11.59pm on Tue 20 Mar, and the third off will only apply to the part of the journey covered by Virgin Trains West Coast, so you won’t get a third off any part of your journey where you have to travel with a different train company.

The same terms apply as the 26-30 Railcard, so there’s a £12 minimum fare for journeys between 4.30am and 10am, except for on Saturday and Sunday. See full terms and conditions.

Of course, to get the discount you’ll have to buy an avocado (from 85p-ish in supermarkets), but the saving should easily cover the cost of the fruit, plus you’ll have a healthy snack for the journey.

Looking to travel from April?

If you’re planning to travel from Tue 3 Apr to Fri 1 Jun, then Virgin Trains has an up to 52% off sale. You’ll need to book online by 11.59pm on Mon 19 Mar. See Virgin Trains West Coast sale.

Will you be bringing an avocado to the station to bag a discounted train ticket? Let us know in the comments below, on Twitter @MSE_Deals or on Facebook.