Don’t get taken for a ride... save up to £186 on your child’s train tickets
A NEW National Railcard offering discounted train fares for more than a million teenagers launches on Tuesday.
The new 16- 17 Saver Railcard could be a welcome break for parents who are forking out huge sums for regular train travel to get to work, as well as for their children to get to school or college.
There are an estimated 1.2 million teens aged 16 to 17 in the UK, who stand to make average savings of £186 a year.
This financial relief comes as commuters are facing miserable rail fare increases of 2.8 per cent next J a nuary, which wil l a dd £ 100 t o annual costs for many commuters.
Although a Railcard already exists for young people aged 16-25, the new deal is different because it chops prices in half – rather than a third off – and applies to both peak time and season tickets. Other Railcards feature more restrictions on time of travel and types of ticket purchased.
Andrew Hagger, personal finance expert and founder of research company MoneyComms, says: ‘It’s a no-brainer for those that meet the age criteria and frequently use the train. It won’t take many journeys to recoup the £30 upfront cost.’
The cards are available to buy online at 16- 17saver. co. uk from 9am on Tuesday, and can be used f or discounts on t ravel f rom September 2. The cards can also be bought over the phone on 0345 301 1656.
Hagger adds: ‘The card expires after one year or on your 18th birthday – whichever comes first. However, if it is used for a season ticket – this can run for up to a maximum of four months after you hit 18.’
This latest launch brings the number of Railcards on offer up to eight. Making up the full suite are cards covering young people aged 16 to 25, those aged 26 to 30, couples, families and friends travelling together, older passengers, disabled passengers and people travelling around the South East.
The last Railcard to join the family was the Millennial Railcard for people aged 26-30, launched nationwide in January this year.
More than 327,000 people are now using one and are saving an average £19 a month, according to the Rail Delivery Group, which represents train companies.
All customers can also make extra use of their cards through Railcard Rewards – off eri ng discounts on dining out, holidays and theatre, for example. Visit railcard.co.uk to find out more about each card.
MORE WAYS TO CUT RAIL COST
ALL passengers – even those without a Railcard – can make savings or recoup losses on rip-off fares.
Season ticket holders whose destination starts or ends in the South East automatically get Annual Gold Cards. These give a third off anyt time and off- peak train fares for the cardholder and up to three adults travelling with them.
It cuts child fares by 60 per cent for up to four children aged between 5 and 15. Cardholders can also buy a one year Railcard for themselves or a nominated person for just £10.
Anyone travelling b by train to a UK attraction, such as a Sea Life Centre, zoo or t heme park s hould check whether they are eligible for a voucher via daysoutguide.co.uk. When shown with the train tickets customers get t wo- for- one on entry prices.
And rail users who have suffered long delays or cancellations should chase refunds through a commonly used ‘delay repay’ system. These can be applied to season tickets too and can be worth up to the full price of a return ticket. Enquire with whichever train company is responsible for the delay.