Railcard deals

Getting a railcard could put you on the right track for some decent savings, especially if you take the train often, as these cards get you one-third off most rail fares.

If you want to get on board for some more discounts, from midday on Saturday 30 November, you can get 50% off the cost of a digital one-year Railcard (which means the railcard is stored on your phone) making it £15 instead of the normal £30, when you purchase via third-party booking site TrainPal.

Note: With this deal, the railcard can only be accessed via TrainPal. You can't transfer it to the Railcard app after purchasing.

You'll need to enter the code MSEONLY at the checkout from midday on Saturday 30 November. There are only 2,000 £15 Railcards available, so go quickly if this is something you're after as these are likely to get snapped up.

If you miss out on getting a half-price Railcard, the same discount code (MSEONLY) will instead get you 34% off, making a one-year Railcard £19.80.

How to get this offer:

You'll need to have never purchased a railcard via TrainPal before, and you'll also need to buy a train ticket via its app or website on the same day (Saturday 30 November) if you get a 50% off railcard, or within 180 days if you get a 34% off railcard, in order to activate your Railcard. So only use this offer if you're happy to buy a train ticket from TrainPal (there's no minimum spend so you could just search for the cheapest possible fare) or if you already had a train trip planned.

You can get a refund anytime if you do not activate your railcard by purchasing a train ticket. 

The offer ends at 11.59pm on Tuesday 31 December, though we expect the £15 Railcards to go fast. The code is limited to one digital Railcard per person.

• Sign up for a free account at TrainPal. If you're given the option to enter the code while signing up, you can – enter MSEONLY in the 'Promo code (optional)' box.
• Once you're signed in to TrainPal, select the account/member icon and then 'Promo Codes'. Or in the app, go to the 'Account' tab and tap 'Vouchers & Promo Code'.
• If you entered the code while signing up, your 50% or 34% off voucher will appear here. If you didn't, enter MSEONLY in the 'Enter promo code' box ('Enter code' in the app). The voucher will then be added to this section.
• Go to the 'Railcards' section (the 'Buy Tickets' tab, then the 'Get Railcards' button in the app) and choose the railcard you want. The discount should be automatically applied.
• To activate your digital railcard, you'll need to buy any train ticket through TrainPal on the same day you purchase a 50% off railcard, or within 180 days of purchasing a 34% railcard. TrainPal says it doesn't charge a booking fee. If you don't activate your railcard, you'll be issued an automatic refund. During this period, you could also manually request a free refund for an inactive Railcard at any time on the booking page.

The code can only be used to buy one of the following digital railcards: 16-17 Saver, 16-25 Railcard, 26-30 Railcard, Family & Friends' Railcard, Network Railcard, Senior Railcard and Two Together Railcard. The offer excludes the Disabled Person's Railcard and Veterans' Railcard.

If you've trouble accessing the deal or your Railcard, you can contact TrainPal via this email address: customer_complaint@trainpal.com

How to maximise the discount

Newbies to TrainPal can also get 5% off their first UK train ticket purchase with the same code MSEONLY – so you could use this code when buying the train ticket needed to activate your railcard.

You don't have to purchase a railcard if you want to use this 5% off code. It is open to all newbies to TrainPal making their first UK train ticket purchase until 11.59pm on Tuesday 31 December.

See our cheap train tickets guide for more ways to save on rail fares.

Getting a railcard could put you on the right track for some decent savings, especially if you take the train often, as these cards get you one-third off most rail fares. If you want to get on board for some more discounts, you can get 34% off the cost of a digital one year railcard (which means the railcard is stored on your phone) when you purchase via third-party booking site TrainPal.

Note: With this deal, the railcard can only be accessed via TrainPal. You can't transfer it to the railcard app after purchasing.

To get this offer, you'll need to be new to TrainPal and also buy a train ticket via its app or website. Buying the train ticket will activate your digital railcard, and you'll need to do it within 30 days of your railcard being issued. So only use this offer if you're happy to buy a train ticket from TrainPal (there's no minimum spend so you could just search for the cheapest possible fare) or if you already had a train trip planned in the next month.

How the offer works 

Railcards normally cost £30 for one year (or £70 for three years on some cards), but enter the code MSEONLY when selecting your digital railcard at TrainPal to get it for £19.80 for one year.

Warning: While this discount code will work for a three year Railcard, the discount is capped at £11 (which is 34% off a one year Railcard). So, you're better off using the code for a one year Railcard as you won't get the full 34% off a three year one. If you want to get 34% off a three year Railcard, try this deal at Trip.com

The offer ends at 11.59pm on Tuesday 31 December 2024. The code is limited to one digital railcard, and remember you need to be new to TrainPal.

Here's how to use the code:

• Sign up for a free account at TrainPal. If you're given the option to enter the code while signing up, you can – enter MSEONLY in the 'Promo code (optional)' box.
• Once you're signed in to TrainPal, select the account/member icon and then 'Promo Codes'. Or in the app, go to the 'Account' tab and tap 'Vouchers & Promo Code'.
• If you entered the code while signing up, your 34% off voucher will appear here. If you didn't, enter MSEONLY in the 'Enter promo code' box ('Enter code' in the app). The voucher will then be added to this section.
• Go to the 'Railcards' section (the 'Buy Tickets' tab, then the 'Get Railcards' button in the app) and choose the railcard you want. The discount should be automatically applied.
• To activate your digital railcard, you'll need to buy any train ticket through TrainPal within 180 days of the railcard being issued. TrainPal says it doesn't charge a booking fee. If you don't activate your railcard, you'll be issued an automatic refund. During this period, you could also manually request a free refund for an inactive Railcard at any time on the booking page.

The code can only be used to buy one of the following digital railcards: 16-17 Saver, 16-25 Railcard, 26-30 Railcard, Family & Friends' Railcard, Network Railcard, Senior Railcard and Two Together Railcard. The offer excludes the Disabled Person's Railcard and Veterans' Railcard.

If you've trouble accessing the deal or your Railcard, you can contact TrainPal via this email address: customer_complaint@trainpal.com

How to maximise the discount

Newbies to TrainPal can also get 5% off their first UK train ticket purchase with the same code MSEONLY – so you could use this code when buying the train ticket needed to activate your railcard.

You don't have to purchase a railcard if you want to use this 5% off code. It is open to all newbies to TrainPal making their first UK train ticket purchase until 11.59pm on Tuesday 31 December.

See our cheap train tickets guide for more ways to save on rail fares.

Getting a railcard could put you on the right track for some decent savings, especially if you take the train often, as these cards get you one-third off most rail fares. If you want to get on board for some more discounts, you can get 34% off the cost of a digital railcard (which means the railcard is stored on your phone) when you purchase via third-party booking site Trip.com.

Note: With this deal, the railcard can only be accessed via Trip.com. You can't transfer it to the railcard app after purchasing.

To get this offer, you'll need to be new to Trip.com and also buy a train ticket via its app or website. Buying the train ticket will activate your digital railcard, and you'll need to do it within 30 days of your railcard being issued. So only use this offer if you're happy to buy a train ticket from Trip.com (there's no minimum spend so you could just search for the cheapest possible fare) or if you already had a train trip planned in the next month.

How the offer works 

Railcards normally cost £30 for one year (or £70 for three years on some cards), but enter the code RCD001 when selecting your digital railcard at Trip.com to get it for £19.80 for one year (or £46.20 for three, where available). The offer ends at 11.59pm on Tuesday 31 December 2024. The code is limited to one digital railcard, and remember you need to be new to Trip.com.

Here's how to use the code:

• Sign up for a free account at Trip.com. If you're given the option to enter the code while signing up, you can – enter RCD001 in the 'Promo code (optional)' box.
• Once you're signed in to Trip.com, select the account/member icon and then 'Promo Codes'. Or in the app, go to the 'Account' tab and tap 'Vouchers & Promo Code'.
• If you entered the code while signing up, your 34% off voucher will appear here. If you didn't, enter RCD001 in the 'Enter promo code' box ('Enter code' in the app). The voucher will then be added to this section.
• Go to the 'Railcards' section (the 'Buy Tickets' tab, then the 'Get Railcards' button in the app) and choose the railcard you want. The discount should be automatically applied.
• To activate your digital railcard, you'll need to buy any train ticket through Trip.com within 180 days of the railcard being issued. During this period, you could also manually request a free refund for an inactive Railcard at any time on the booking page. If you don't activate your railcard, you'll be issued an automatic refund.

The code can only be used to buy one of the following digital railcards: 16-17 Saver, 16-25 Railcard, 26-30 Railcard, Family & Friends' Railcard, Network Railcard, Senior Railcard and Two Together Railcard. The offer excludes the Disabled Person's Railcard and Veterans' Railcard.

How to maximise the discount

Newbies to Trip.com can also get 5% off their first UK train ticket purchase with the code TRIP555 – so you could use this code when buying the train ticket needed to activate your railcard.

You don't have to purchase a railcard if you want to use this 5% off code. It is open to all newbies to Trip.com making their first UK train ticket purchase until 11.59pm on Tuesday 31 December.

See our cheap train tickets guide for more ways to save on rail fares.

Get a 16-25, Family & Friends, Senior or Two Together Railcard via Tesco Clubcard* for £15 in Clubcard vouchers instead of the usual £30. You'll be sent a code that can be used at the Railcard* site.

You can use Clubcard vouchers for the Disabled Person's Railcard, but Tesco says a technical error means you can only exchange £18 of vouchers for this, and as the railcard costs £20, you would need to pay the £2 difference separately.

What discounts do the railcards get you?

16-25: A third off fares if you're aged 16 and over and under 26.
Family & Friends: A third off adult and 60% off child fares, a minimum of one adult and one child, and a maximum of up to four adults and four children (age 5-15) can travel using one card.
Senior: Those aged 60 and over get a third off rail fares.
Two Together: A third off rail fares for two named adults when they travel together.

Check the railcard site for restrictions and to ensure you're eligible before exchanging your vouchers. See our Tesco Clubcard boosting guide for other ways to use your points.

If your train season ticket is an annual gold card (or comes with one), you can get extra discounts you don’t get with a standard season ticket. One of the biggest perks is being able to buy a railcard for just £10 (up to 66% off the normal price) for yourself or someone else.

This discount only works for those in the south of England, but if that’s you, it can be a winner. Railcards usually give a third off most fares – see full info on what each railcard gets you.

How do I get a gold card?

To do this, you'll need to have an annual gold card – this will either be your actual season ticket or come with it. You should have been given one automatically if you’ve bought a year's season ticket or Travelcard (not weekly or monthly) from one of 600+ stations on this annual gold card area map, and at least one of the stations on your ticket falls within the same area.

This won’t work in much of the UK, but the gold card area includes a large part of the south of England.

Which railcards can I get for £10?

You can choose from most of the major national railcards – 16-25, Family & Friends, Two Together, Senior, Network Railcard for London and the south of England (all normally £30) and Disabled Person's Railcard (normally £20). These cards get you a third off most journeys – see all railcard types.

You can get one annual railcard for £10 at any time during the validity of your annual gold card.

Don't have a gold card? You can still get a £10 railcard

The person buying the railcard doesn’t have to be the person who ends up using it.

So if a friend or family member who commutes has a gold card, just ask them to buy the £10 railcard for you if they don't need it, and they can follow the steps below. Check the Railcard* website to make sure you're eligible beforehand, and provide the gold card holder with any photos or evidence of eligibility required.

You can only buy the £10 railcard from a station

If you bought your annual season ticket from a train station, you'll need to purchase your railcard from that particular station. If you bought it online, then you can go to your nearest station. The only exception is if you're getting a Disabled Person's Railcard – see 'More info' below.

Let the staff member know you want to purchase a £10 railcard with your gold card and fill in the application they give you. Some railcards such as 16-25 and Senior require photos and evidence of eligibility so have that with you, and you'll need to show your gold card.

If you're buying a railcard for someone else, Railcard says the person you're buying the railcard for doesn't need to be present.

Another way to get a discount on railcards

• If you have a Tesco Clubcard with enough points, you could use your Clubcard vouchers to get a one-year railcard for £15 in vouchers. See National Railcards for £15 in Tesco points.

If you have a disability that makes travelling by train difficult, you may qualify for a Disabled Person's Railcard (see 'Are you eligible?' below).

It costs £20 for one year, or £54 for three years (equivalent to £18 per year), and gets you one-third off most train travel. That means if you spend over £60 on eligible rail fares in a year (or £55 if you have a three year card), then it's worth getting one as the savings beat the cost of the card.

Unlike most other railcards, there are no time restrictions for when the Disabled Person's Railcard can be used, although it won't work on season tickets. What's more, if you travel with another adult, they'll also get one-third off. The accompanying adult does not have to have a disability, but does need to travel the whole duration of the journey with the card holder to qualify.  

Are you eligible?

You should qualify for a Disabled Person's Railcard if...

• You are registered as deaf or use a hearing aid.
• You are registered as having a visual impairment.
• You receive personal independence payments (PIP) or adult disability payments (ADP).
• You receive disability living allowance (DLA) at either the higher or lower rate for the mobility component, or the higher or middle rate for the care component.
• You have epilepsy and have repeated attacks, even though you receive drug treatment, or are currently prohibited from driving because of epilepsy.
• You receive attendance allowance, severe disablement allowance, or pension age disability payment.
• You receive war pensioner's mobility supplement.
• You receive war or service disablement pension for 80% or more disability.
• You buy or lease a vehicle through the motability scheme.

You'll need to provide evidence of your eligibility when applying – see the Disabled Person's Railcard site for a list of accepted proof.

The railcard can't be bought at station ticket offices, but you can pick up an application form which you'll need to complete and post – or you can apply for either a physical or digital card online.

Can children get this railcard?

If your child (aged 5-15) has one of the eligible disabilities, you can apply for a Disabled Person's Railcard on their behalf. They won't get discounted child fares, but the card will allow one adult travelling with them to get one-third off.