Trainline customers vent their anger after company unexpectedly withdraws 50% off railcards Black Friday deal just days after launch

Shoppers were told they had until 11.59pm on 17 December to use the half-price discount code on railcards. However, Trainline closed the deal on 26 November - three weeks early - due to what it called "unprecedented demand".

Trainline began offering customers the deal on 23 November. Across the course of last week, people were sent an email containing the code ‘RAILCARD50’. They needed to click the link in the email, choose the appropriate railcard for them and type in the code at checkout. 

Customers who had been planning to use the code after 26 November but before 17 December are no longer able to. Railcards normally cost £30 for a year, or slightly more for three years, and give holders a third off train fares. For example, passengers using a 16-30 Railcard for a trip from London Euston to Birmingham New Street could save £14.15 on a fast train.

If you're planning on travelling and would like to purchase a railcard, see our railcard deals page. Alternatively, you can read our Cheap Train Tickets guide. 

'Really disappointed'

Many people took to Twitter to vent their frustration:

Complain to Trainline if you're unhappy about the offer being pulled early 

There's no harm in complaining if you were planning to take up the offer and didn't get around to doing so before it was pulled. However, bear in mind there's no guarantee Trainline will honour the discount - it insists the deal has been pulled - and we've not seen any success stories reported. See Trainline's website for details of how to get in touch. 

You may also want to consider reporting Trainline's advertising of the offer to watchdog the Advertising Standards Authority, although this won't help you to get the discount itself. 

What does Trainline say?

Trainline's T&Cs state that the offer was "subject to availability" and that it "reserves the right to refuse the issue of any discount code offer at any time" and to "vary any and all elements of each offer at any time without notice". 

A Trainline spokesperson added: "Due to unprecedented demand, we ended our Black Friday deal earlier than anticipated. We’re sorry for anyone who has missed out this time around. Customers should watch this space, as we’ll have other deals soon that they can make the most of."

The discount would have been applied to the following railcards:

• Network Railcard           

• 16-17 Saver

• 16-25 Railcard  

• 26-30 Railcard  

• Family & Friends Railcard

• Two Together Railcard  

• Senior Railcard

• Disabled Persons Railcard           

• Veterans Railcard