Buying a Railcard Ticket, Before a Buying a Railcard

[ic31420]

We usually have a friend's and Family railcard (as a family of 2adults and 2 over 4s) however it has recently expired.

Because we have no qualifying trips or use planned for a few months I haven't renewed it as it would be a waste of validity time.

However I am planning a couple of trips in December where the railcard would be used.

Can I buy tickets today with Railcard discount for a trip on the 5th December, then buy / renew my Railcard on the 1st December. Is that allowed?

Is the "test" at point or purchase or point of travel.


* Yes I am that parsimonious....

 

[Sonic1234]

Online or at a ticket machine, yes. There is no test.

At a ticket office, they will often refuse to sell a railcard ticket without seeing a railcard.

Do you plan to get a digital or physical railcard? If a physical one, the postage times seem to be quite long these days so I'd renew before the 1st December in that case.

 

[ic31420]

Online or at a ticket machine, yes. There is no test

At a ticket office, they will often refuse to sell a railcard ticket without seeing a railcard.

Do you plan to get a digital or physical railcard? If a physical one, the postage times seem to be quite long these days so I'd renew before the 1st December in that case.

I'll likely be buying both the Railcard and ticket online.

I guess I am asking if I present a gate line or a guard with a ticket bought before the Railcard started I'm not going to end up in trouble with some ticketing peculiarity or obscure rule.

 

[Sonic1234]

I guess I am asking if I present a gate line or a guard with a ticket bought before the Railcard started I'm not going to end up in trouble with some ticketing peculiarity or obscure rule.

As long as you have the railcard at the time you use the ticket, you'll be OK.

 

[ic31420]

Splendid... Thankyou

 

[talldave]

I'll likely be buying both the Railcard and ticket online.

If you've got surplus Tesco Clubcard points they can be exchanged online against a Railcard purchase.

 

[Titfield]

Can I buy tickets today with Railcard discount for a trip on the 5th December, then buy / renew my Railcard on the 1st December. Is that allowed?

Trainline has run a 30% off the price of a railcard "offer" in previous autumns so may be worth looking out for that in due course. There is no obligation to buy rail tickets from Trainline if you buy the railcard from them.

 

[Hadders]

November, or more sepcifically 'Black Friday' which this year is 28th November is often a good railcard offers.

 

[Adam Williams]

There may even be late summer Railcard promotions, you never know.

 

[thejuggler]

I purchased a dozen tickets (thanks to split tickets) many months ago and have only just purchased the railcard which was applied at time of purchase.

 

[yorkie]

I purchased a dozen tickets (thanks to split tickets) many months ago and have only just purchased the railcard which was applied at time of purchase.

Yes, it's valid to do so, however some ticket office staff will refuse to issue tickets on this basis; some of them seem to want to accelerate the demise of their own jobs!

However, while some companies/staff do anything they can to discourage customers from actually booking with them, the forum's ticketing site would absolutely welcome such purchases (which help towards the running costs of the forum )