16-17 Savers will no longer expire at 18th birthdays

[MrJeeves]

As "announced" (via the media) by DfT this morning:

Eighteen-year-olds will be able to buy half price train tickets for most services when railcard rules are changed later this month, the Department for Transport (DfT) has announced.

It's an extension of the 16-17 Saver railcard which currently expires when the holder turns 18. From 17 August, they will be valid for a full year from the date of purchase.

It means 17-year-olds will be able to buy the railcard up until the day before they turn 18, making it valid until the day before they turn 19.

The existing rule meant more than 70,000 students each year were an average of £175 worse off than those in the same academic year who hadn't yet had their 18th birthday, the DfT said.

This change does not apply to any existing 16-17 Savers purchased, so if you (or someone you know) are planning to buy one soon and would benefit from these changes, perhaps it's a good idea to wait a little longer. Likewise, if anyone is turning 18 on or after 18th August, they should buy a new 16-17 Saver the day before their birthday to claim an extra year of half-price tickets.

Half-price rail travel extended to 18-year-olds

They'll be able to buy the 16-17 Saver railcard up until the day before they turn 18.

www.bbc.co.uk

I haven't seen an official press release from DfT or RDG for this yet, surprisingly!

 

[1D54]

Much discussion elsewhere on here about potential new rules coming in for railcards and if this is the only one then it will be very good news indeed for a lot of people, unless of course there are more announcements due.

 

[talldave]

Cue a 50% incresse in 16-17 Railcard cases in the disputes section!

 

[Snow1964]

The full press release is here:

More students to save from September as changes to 16-17 Saver railcard come in

From 17 August 2026, 16-17 Saver railcards will be valid for a full year from the purchase date and will not expire when the holder turns 18.

www.gov.uk

...The 16-17 Saver’s expiry rules will now align with other railcards, making life’s essentials more affordable and supporting teenagers through the crucial years when they’re accessing education, training or work...

There is also an analysis, that suggests it will save 70,000 18 year olds £175 each. (a typical year group is near 700k people so that sounds like only affects 10% of the year group)

From 17 August 2026, the 16-17 Saver railcard is valid for a full 12 months from the date of purchase, instead of expiring when the holder turns 18.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has calculated that this will save the average affected cardholder £175.

More than 70,000 cardholders were affected in the past year.

This document shares:

• how DfT calculated this saving
• the data that DfT used for the calculation

Estimated passenger savings from change to the 16-17 Saver railcard

www.gov.uk

 

[yorksrob]

Nice of the Establishment to be thinking of passenger savings for a change.

Now when do we get our National Railcard/Bahncard/climate ticket etc.

 

[Krokodil]

Cue a 50% incresse in 16-17 Railcard cases in the disputes section!

If this gets rid of the silly system where there are two expiry dates (one for seasons, one for ordinary tickets) then it should reduce a lot of confusion.

 

[The exile]

Cue a 50% incresse in 16-17 Railcard cases in the disputes section!

But presumably only for a year…

 

[talldave]

But presumably only for a year…

No forever, because there's a 50% increase in the number of people who are entitled to use the card but who will have forgotten to buy one / left it at home / had it eaten by the dog, etc.

 

[blimmo]

No forever, because there's a 50% increase in the number of people who are entitled to use the card but who will have forgotten to buy one / left it at home / had it eaten by the dog, etc.

But there's a decrease in the number of people who aren't entitled to one but claim it anyway...

 

[RPI]

I don't know why they don't just make child fares available until 18, it would make so much more sense.

 

[Watershed]

I don't know why they don't just make child fares available until 18, it would make so much more sense.

I imagine the (perceived) dual benefits of age verification and revenue from Railcard sales are too attractive to give up.

 

[OscarH]

I imagine the (perceived) dual benefits of age verification and revenue from Railcard sales are too attractive to give up.

I imagine this is the reason, but we should at least fix the insanity of it not being valid in Scotland - it should have identical validity to child tickets in my opinion, then you can keep it for age verification reasons

 

[Gaelan]

It’s rather annoying that they’ve introduced this in a way that requires careful management of railcard expiration dates (and risks a very significant penalty for missing a deadline), rather than just keeping the current policy but renaming it to the 16-18 saver (and changing the validity period accordingly).

 

[fandroid]

Does it make the early years validity of the 16-25 Railcard even less useful than it was before?

 

[Adam Williams]

It’s rather annoying that they’ve introduced this in a way that requires careful management of railcard expiration dates (and risks a very significant penalty for missing a deadline), rather than just keeping the current policy but renaming it to the 16-18 saver (and changing the validity period accordingly).

I did ask if we could extend validity for existing customers who had had their end date capped by the previous policy.

The answer was a resolute no.

 

[talldave]

It’s rather annoying that they’ve introduced this in a way that requires careful management of railcard expiration dates (and risks a very significant penalty for missing a deadline), rather than just keeping the current policy but renaming it to the 16-18 saver (and changing the validity period accordingly).

Lol don't be silly, that would be an entirely sensible common sense approach. Sadly, it would involve RDG in getting their finger out and changing more than a sentence in some T's & C's.

Welcome to Great More Complicated than Ever Railways

 

[Solent&Wessex]

I don't know why they don't just make child fares available until 18, it would make so much more sense.

This apparently has been suggested by the industry but rejected by the DfT as it cost too much money.

Lol don't be silly, that would be an entirely sensible common sense approach. Sadly, it would involve RDG in getting their finger out and changing more than a sentence in some T's & C's.

Welcome to Great More Complicated than Ever Railways

I think you are slightly overestimating the power the RDG has in all this decision making nowadays.

 

[Krokodil]

I don't know why they don't just make child fares available until 18, it would make so much more sense.

When it was introduced I found that it did reduce the number of dubious "15 year olds" so having a half-fare option that required ID did help.

 

[Snow1964]

Does it make the early years validity of the 16-25 Railcard even less useful than it was before?

It makes the validity of including 16-17 rather pointless (who would want only a third off, if half off is available with different card).

It would be less likely to confuse (or picked wrongly or deliberately on ticket buying dropdowns) if it was renamed 18-25

 

[MalaiseForever]

It would be less likely to confuse (or picked wrongly or deliberately on ticket buying dropdowns) if it was renamed 18-25

It will be changing to 18-25 railcard soon.

 

[thedbdiboy]

I imagine this is the reason, but we should at least fix the insanity of it not being valid in Scotland - it should have identical validity to child tickets in my opinion, then you can keep it for age verification reasons

Transport is a devolved matter and so that's a matter for Transport Scotland rather than DfT/Westminster.

 

[Egg Centric]

I did ask if we could extend validity for existing customers who had had their end date capped by the previous policy.

The answer was a resolute no.

Why on earth not? I'm struggling to think of a reason other than a) money b) cause they reckon staff are too thick to adjust the expiry date when they check them or c) some sort of perceived unfairness to 18 year olds who've had one expire who would have had one been eligible. But this doesn't hold up to more than a couple of seconds of thought...

 

[jamiestuart314]

I imagine this is the reason, but we should at least fix the insanity of it not being valid in Scotland - it should have identical validity to child tickets in my opinion, then you can keep it for age verification reasons

i asked scotrail about this and they said they refuse to accept it on the basis they have the young scot discount, which is only a third off and non scottish residents wont have one of course? its a load of nonsense really

 

[81A]

It will be changing to 18-25 railcard soon.

Any idea when the change will happen? And won't that mean all the blank 16-25 railcard stock in ticket offices will need replacing (I think it has "16-25" preprinted on it)?

Edit-Also, that seems to mean 16 and 17 year olds travelling in Scotland (and not eligible for the young scot card due to not being resident in Scotland) will be paying more than 18-25 year olds, which seems odd?

 

[Hadders]

It will be changing to 18-25 railcard soon.

It would make sense for it to be 18-30, although there are a few differences between the 16-25 and 26-30 railcards that would need sorting.

 

[MalaiseForever]

Any idea when the change will happen? And won't that mean all the blank 16-25 railcard stock in ticket offices will need replacing (I think it has "16-25" preprinted on it)?

Edit-Also, that seems to mean 16 and 17 year olds travelling in Scotland (and not eligible for the young scot card due to not being resident in Scotland) will be paying more than 18-25 year olds, which seems odd?

It would make sense for it to be 18-30, although there are a few differences between the 16-25 and 26-30 railcards that would need sorting.

I don't know the full details yet, but it is the plan to make it 18-25.

 

[Wallsendmag]

It will be changing to 18-25 railcard soon.

It is valid in Scotland just not on ScotRail a small but important difference

 

[OscarH]

Transport is a devolved matter and so that's a matter for Transport Scotland rather than DfT/Westminster.

Indeed, the two do seem inept at talking to eachother

 

[318266]

i asked scotrail about this and they said they refuse to accept it on the basis they have the young scot discount, which is only a third off and non scottish residents wont have one of course? its a load of nonsense really

Also, that seems to mean 16 and 17 year olds travelling in Scotland (and not eligible for the young scot card due to not being resident in Scotland) will be paying more than 18-25 year olds, which seems odd?

From the perspective of Transport Scotland, this is an intentional feature - why should a Scottish-funded discount be valid for those who/whose parents aren't paying the higher Scottish taxes? It is, in effect, a tourist tax on 16-18yos, which helps to subsidise the discount(s) for Scottish people.

 

[jamiestuart314]

From the perspective of Transport Scotland, this is an intentional feature - why should a Scottish-funded discount be valid for those who/whose parents aren't paying the higher Scottish taxes? It is, in effect, a tourist tax on 16-18yos, which helps to subsidise the discount(s) for Scottish people.

i understand not giving the young scot discount to non scottish residents thats fair enough, but thats still no excuse for not allowing the 16-17 saver on scotrail in my opinion