16-25 Renewal

[rebmcr]

I'm turning 26 in November, and I plan to purchase my last 16-25 Railcard the day before. My query is: can this be one of the three-year ones?

(I'm aware that it's wholly against the spirit of the Y—P scheme, but I find it unfair that I can't get a Gold Card just because I happen to live elsewhere than London...)

 

[hairyhandedfool]

No, a three year Railcard can only be issued to persons under the age of 24.

 

[LexyBoy]

They should only be issued for a year as hairyhandedfool said. However, a friend of mine went to renew his online before he turned 26 and was offered (and bought, obvs) the three year one. This was a few years ago mind.

(I'm aware that it's wholly against the spirit of the Y—P scheme, but I find it unfair that I can't get a Gold Card just because I happen to live elsewhere than London...)

There's no reason you can't get a Gold Card. Might not be very useful but that's another matter

 

[yorkie]

They should only be issued for a year as hairyhandedfool said. However, a friend of mine went to renew his online before he turned 26 and was offered (and bought, obvs) the three year one. This was a few years ago mind.

That loophole has since been closed.

There is another way to save ~ 1/3 off fares: attend a fares workshop and use the knowledge to get an average of 1/3 off the fare (in some cases more than 50% off) by intelligently splitting & avoiding tickets with unfavourable restriction codes and making use of routeing anomalies.

In cases such as Harrogate - Sunderland or York - Derby (in the morning peak), the savings are greater than 50% just by straight splits.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

....There's no reason you can't get a Gold Card. Might not be very useful but that's another matter

A Goldcard can only be issued by NSE area stations and only for journeys that are, atleast in part, within the NSE area.

 

[rebmcr]

fares workshop

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get an average of 1/3 off the fare (in some cases more than 50% off) by intelligently splitting & avoiding tickets with unfavourable restriction codes and making use of routeing anomalies.

90% of my travel is APEX — I was under the impression that those are already generally cheaper than splitting?

 

[LexyBoy]

90% of my travel is APEX — I was under the impression that those are already generally cheaper than splitting?

Travelling on Advance fares can often be made cheaper too - arguably more so because availability depends on demand for those journeys. There are also tricks which can yield cheaper Advances than offered by default for some journeys.

A Goldcard can only be issued by NSE area stations and only for journeys that are, atleast in part, within the NSE area.

But not living in "London" doesn't mean that you can't get one... hence the

 

[hairyhandedfool]

...But not living in "London" doesn't mean that you can't get one... hence the

Equally, not living in London doesn't mean you can get one. So actually there may well be a very good reason the op can't get one

 

[yorkie]

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Sorry. I've corrected the link.

90% of my travel is APEX — I was under the impression that those are already generally cheaper than splitting?

Use of Advance tickets and "splitting" are not mutually exclusive

However I will concede that there is generally a lower potential for savings using the methods listed above, when booking Advance tickets.

 

[trainophile]

I've always assumed the fares workshops are exclusively for rail employees? Are they open to any interested passengers too?

If so, what's the cost please?

 

[bb21]

I've always assumed the fares workshops are exclusively for rail employees? Are they open to any interested passengers too?

They are intended for anyone interested in fares, ticketing and routeing. It is not run or funded by the railway companies so is not open exclusively to railway employees. (Indeed the majority of attendees aren't.)

If so, what's the cost please?

If you could bring along a bottle of bubbly it would be much appreciated.

 

[ainsworth74]

If you could bring along a bottle of bubbly it would be much appreciated.

Indeed! But it's not required We have some coming up in the next few weeks this Saturday (9th) in York, the 22nd in London and the 9th March again in York, just drop a PM to Yorkie if you're interested

 

[trainophile]

Cheers guys. I'm tempted. You couldn't organize one somewhere on the more westerly side of the country could you? Southport is very nice . Seriously, Liverpool or Manchester would be good too. I suppose it depends on where you can get a venue.

 

[ainsworth74]

Seriously, Liverpool or Manchester would be good too. I suppose it depends on where you can get a venue.

Manchester is certainly somewhere that we're considering along with Sheffield. There will be a survey going up at some point with several options, in terms of location, and the most popular will likely be taken forward for workshops.

 

[IanXC]

Cheers guys. I'm tempted. You couldn't organize one somewhere on the more westerly side of the country could you? Southport is very nice . Seriously, Liverpool or Manchester would be good too. I suppose it depends on where you can get a venue.

If you know of a venue, we find a pub with a private room is a good choice, let us know and we can see if a workshop would be viable.

 

[trainophile]

If you know of a venue, we find a pub with a private room is a good choice, let us know and we can see if a workshop would be viable.

It would have to be (very) near a station if I was going, as I'm useless at finding my way around big cities. Will think about it though.

I expect I'd be out of my depth within the first five minutes of the practical stuff, but would be good to meet some forum members.

 

[Crossover]

It would have to be (very) near a station if I was going, as I'm useless at finding my way around big cities. Will think about it though.

I expect I'd be out of my depth within the first five minutes of the practical stuff, but would be good to meet some forum members.

I wouldn't worry too much about that...some was beyond me but over time it makes more sense, and I'm intending on attending another workshop this weekend too, which will hopefully help more

 

[Chouette]

If you could bring along a bottle of bubbly it would be much appreciated.

Coca-Cola bubbly enough for you?

 

[bb21]

I will settle for that if nothing better turns up on the day.

 

[Prairie_5542]

Why aren't booking offices able to sell the 3 year railcards then?:roll:

 

[trainophile]

Why aren't booking offices able to sell the 3 year railcards then?:roll:

Maybe because the 3-year ones are a plastic "credit card" type, and presumably stations don't have the facilities to produce these. I imagine they are plastic rather than card as they have to last so much longer.

 

[Prairie_5542]

Maybe because the 3-year ones are a plastic "credit card" type, and presumably stations don't have the facilities to produce these. I imagine they are plastic rather than card as they have to last so much longer.

I see your point. But we do give replacements on faded railcards free of charge!