Digital vs physical Railcard

[suzanneparis]

Good evening. I have always received great advice on this forum and wondered if anyone can please help me with this decision.

My senior railcard is coming up for renewal. I have a choice of physical plastic card or a digital card which works with an app for my phone.

My worry is that I leave home without my railcard. And this problem gets worse as I get older and more forgetful. In terms of leaving home without a plastic card or without my phone I suppose both are about equally probable.

I witnessed someone with a card having to buy a new ticket on the train yesterday which worried me as I realise it is something I could easily do.

Ideally the system would be that you got a photo railcard AND a digital version . Which would be better for oldies like me. But that is not offered.

So, does anyone have any thoughts on what is the best version to get??

Thanks for any help

 

[Be3G]

I expect this thread will produce a lot of conflicting opinions! My recommendation though would always be a physical railcard (nothing to go wrong in a technological sense then), but with appropriate organisation at your end to ensure you never leave it behind. Ideas for that could be keeping it in your purse, or buying a phone case that can hold a credit card or two and always keeping the railcard there.

 

[button_boxer]

If you always have your phone on you and can be sure it’ll always have enough charge when you get your ticket inspected then you might as well get the digital one. Otherwise the physical card is safer (if you’ll always have your phone but can’t be sure about battery then get a physical card and keep it in your phone case...)

 

[suzanneparis]

Thanks but as I said it's equally likely that I'll forget my phone or my card.

I wondered if there was any advantage in either. Eg is it acceptable to have a photo of your plastic card on your phone. Or can the digital card be accessed even without your phone etc etc

 

[StoneRoad]

I would go for the physical card, and keep it in purse / wallet / phone case as appropriate.
Phones can and do break, run out of battery or even grow legs etc.

 

[suzanneparis]

But it seems that the digital can be on two phones. In an emergency could another passenger help me by somehow downloading my card onto their phone? If I had forgotten my phone?

 

[Joe Paxton]

I expect this thread will produce a lot of conflicting opinions! My recommendation though would always be a physical railcard (nothing to go wrong in a technological sense then), but with appropriate organisation at your end to ensure you never leave it behind. Ideas for that could be keeping it in your purse, or buying a phone case that can hold a credit card or two and always keeping the railcard there.

I used to keep my paper Railcard in a seperate plastic ticket wallet, but I forgot it or mislaid it at home a few times, so now I just have a plastic Railcard (i.e. purchased online and delivered by post) and keep it in my wallet. A paper Railcard wouldn't survive a year of use and abuse in my wallet, plus one needs to do one's bit to keep the amount of plastic in the ocean at the expected level.

As to mislaying wallets (and keys etc), one could consider a 'Bluetooth tracker' such as Tile or TrackR.

There is also now supposedly a pan-industry policy that TOCs will refund you once if you forget your Railcard and so have to buy new, undiscounted tickets (i.e. once a year).

 

[Merseysider]

I’d never in a million years get a digital railcard. Plastic railcard which never leaves my wallet - it’s treated essentially as I treat credit cards.

Early on, an update to the app was pushed out which broke the app, so no railcards. Wasn’t fixed straight away, either.

 

[Hadders]

Digital V Physical Railcard really is a personal choice. There’s no right or wrong answer.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

But it seems that the digital can be on two phones. In an emergency could another passenger help me by somehow downloading my card onto their phone? If I had forgotten my phone?

I don't think that would be very practicable, and or probably wouldn't be accepted either.

I find the simplest thing to do is simply to have a plastic Railcard and to keep it in a blue "National Rail" logo ticket wallet together with my tickets. They give these out free at most ticket offices.

That way, if you forget the Railcard you've also got no ticket, so it's got to be a pretty serious lapse of memory for it to happen!

I had a digital Railcard for a year but I had plenty of unreliability and battery scares. It's just not worth it IMO - get a plastic one and be done.

 

[Ianno87]

I've had a Digital Railcard for 9 months (enforced as it's as 26-30), and it's not been *that* bad - keeping your phone charged is the biggest headache, especially if you're out and about all day and not by a plug socket at all.

I just make sure I take my charger with me, plug into charge at every opportunity and moderate my phone use as necessaey.

 

[matt]

I don't think that would be very practicable, and or probably wouldn't be accepted either.

I find the simplest thing to do is simply to have a plastic Railcard and to keep it in a blue "National Rail" logo ticket wallet together with my tickets. They give these out free at most ticket offices.

That way, if you forget the Railcard you've also got no ticket, so it's got to be a pretty serious lapse of memory for it to happen!

I had a digital Railcard for a year but I had plenty of unreliability and battery scares. It's just not worth it IMO - get a plastic one and be done.

I'd agree with that. I've got a digital railcard but I'd much rather have had a physical one if I had the choice (it is a 26-30 so digital only)

 

[DavidGrain]

I am one of those who has an old style phone which lets me make and receive phone calls and text messages only so I never have that choice. I keep my plastic senior rail card in a wallet that I was given at the ticket office when I used to buy paper senior railcards. I keep my senior bus pass in the same wallet with my name and address which I regard as my ID if anything untoward should happen. I soon learned that I could not keep my Oystercard in the same wallet because of card clash. I don't often need my Oystercard as I live out of London.

By the way I am not a complete technophobe as I take a tablet with me when staying away from home.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

I don't think that would be very practicable, and or probably wouldn't be accepted either.

I find the simplest thing to do is simply to have a plastic Railcard and to keep it in a blue "National Rail" logo ticket wallet together with my tickets. They give these out free at most ticket offices.

That way, if you forget the Railcard you've also got no ticket, so it's got to be a pretty serious lapse of memory for it to happen!

I had a digital Railcard for a year but I had plenty of unreliability and battery scares. It's just not worth it IMO - get a plastic one and be done.

What ForTheLoveOf says.

And another vote for the physical railcard from a Senior Railcard holder who has had his share of Senior Moments .

I have taken to carrying my National Rail ticket wallet ((as described in the post quoted) with me at all times, whether going by train or not.

 

[suzanneparis]

Thanks everyone an interesting set of answers. Which leave me leaning towards a plastic railcard.

Sub question. I usually take a photo of both sides of my plastic railcard and keep those photos in my mobile phone. Has anyone ever had the experience of forgetting their physical plastic railcard but of having the photo of their railcard accepted by the on train ticket inspector? (I assume not, but you never know).

Thanks again. All very interesting.

 

[221129]

Thanks everyone an interesting set of answers. Which leave me leaning towards a plastic railcard.

Sub question. I usually take a photo of both sides of my plastic railcard and keep those photos in my mobile phone. Has anyone ever had the experience of forgetting their physical plastic railcard but of having the photo of their railcard accepted by the on train ticket inspector? (I assume not, but you never know).

Thanks again. All very interesting.

I have seen it happen yes both with me as the Passenger and as the inspector but would NEVER rely on it.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Physical without a doubt. The digital Railcards are a good idea but the implementation is totally not fit for purpose and causes all sorts of issues. Just get one online so it's a single plastic card and keep it in your wallet so you always have it with you.

 

[WelshBluebird]

I have a 26-30 railcard, so didn't have a choice!
As a concept, the digital railcard is a great one. But sadly it is let down by a buggy app that seems to get buggy updates, and the problems of being punished if your device and app isn't working for any reason.
I also find it a bit odd you can only have one physical card, but are allowed the digital one on two mobile devices. I'd gladly accept a limitation of one digital device if I could have a physical card to go along with that!

 

[DelW]

For me, 3 year plastic card without a doubt (I've just renewed for my third one). At home it's kept in a plastic wallet along with my bus pass and Oyster card, plus any rail tickets that I've bought in advance (unless there are lots of those). That way they're all ready to pick up whenever I go travelling.

There was a thread on here a few months ago, of people's experiences when a software update meant the railcard app didn't work for a period. Despite the problem being quite widely known, there were instances quoted when guards or RPIs insisted on passengers buying new tickets. That alone would rule out the digital only version for me.

 

[DavidGrain]

For me, 3 year plastic card without a doubt (I've just renewed for my third one). At home it's kept in a plastic wallet along with my bus pass and Oyster card, plus any rail tickets that I've bought in advance (unless there are lots of those). That way they're all ready to pick up whenever I go travelling.

I agree with you as that is what I do and I always take my plastic wallet out with me as ID even if I am walking out. However I have occasionally forgotten my Oystercard when going to London as I experience card clash with my bus pass

 

[Bantamzen]

Digital V Physical Railcard really is a personal choice. There’s no right or wrong answer.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

Is the right answer. It all comes down to what someone is more comfortable with. Many people will prefer the plastic card, others the digital version. I'd say it comes down to which you are more likely to remember to take, your wallet or your phone. Unless of course your phone cover is also your wallet....

 

[some bloke]

Here is the procedure mentioned earlier, on forgotten cards. (The first answer incorrectly says they won't refund a full fare, but it seems worth pointing out its existence in case you come across it. It is out of date, as can be seen here:
https://www.raildeliverygroup.com/media-centre/press-releases/2017/469772179-2017-03-21.html)

Will I have to pay the full fare if I forget to bring my Railcard when I travel?
A: Yes. You must show your valid Railcard when you buy your ticket. You also need to have your Railcard with you on each journey and present it to staff when your ticket is checked aboard the train. Failure to present both your Railcard will mean you have to pay a full fare, which is not refundable.

What happens if I don't have my Railcard with me and I have to buy a new ticket or pay a Penalty Fare?
A: If you are travelling by train on a ticket with a Railcard discount, you must travel with your valid Railcard. If you forget your Railcard you will either be required to buy a new ticket or you may on certain services be liable for a Penalty Fare. However, a train company will normally allow you to claim back this extra expense on the first occasion in each year where this happens.
Each train company will have their own process for doing this. You will need to provide proof of your Railcard and either the original and additional tickets that you have purchased, or if you have not yet paid, details of the notice to pay or notice of Penalty Fare. Where you have already paid for additional tickets you should contact the relevant train company’s customer services department; in the case of a notice to pay of notice of Penalty Fare, you should follow the instructions included on how to challenge or appeal the charge.
https://www.senior-railcard.co.uk/help/faqs/?q=forget

 

[bunnahabhain]

As somebody who inspects them I'd suggest physical, it can be a right pain to transfer the digital card between phones and you can only do it the once. I don't understand the obsession for rushing towards having everything on one device whose battery life can probably be measures on ten fingers if used constantly for music, payments, railcards, etc. I'm meeting people now who don't even carry a wallet, just a phone, and once their phone is kaput they can't buy anything.

 

[LowLevel]

Photographs of the physical card should you forget it, incidentally, are regrettably not acceptable and I charge or otherwise deal with anyone who presents them without exception (by otherwise deal if the person is unable to pay immediately for a new ticket I issue an unpaid fares notice). In the digital age the reason for that should be clear.

The process is as above, each year you can get a refund once.

 

[Clip]

All these what ifs have been done to death in many previous threads about these things

Im not sure everyone ties their stuff to their wastebands of their pants though i must say - sounds a novel way of keeping stuff in your pocket till some opportunistic thief decides to try and rip it out as they sail past on their cycle

 

[Puffing Devil]

All my cards go in my wallet, together with any tickets. Also in there are my footy and cricket season tickets. My wallet always goes out with me.

I don't understand why you would keep rail cards and tickets separately?

As a side note - when digital railcards were first mooted, many of us predicted issues with App failures and an intransigent attitude by the TOCs. Looks like we were right.

 

[DelW]

I agree with you as that is what I do and I always take my plastic wallet out with me as ID even if I am walking out. However I have occasionally forgotten my Oystercard when going to London as I experience card clash with my bus pass

I've only occasionally had an error message from an Oyster reader, which I assumed was from it trying to read my bus pass (or at least, that interfering with the transaction). If it happens, I just slip the Oyster out to put on the reader. Even if I'm using through NR tickets via London, I prefer to have the Oyster with me in case of problems with the through tickets, I'd sooner pay an extra TfL fare than have to argue my case with the barrier staff and possibly miss a connection.

 

[scrapy]

If you do have a diagnosed condition that makes you more forgetful a TOCs customer service department may well allow you to claim back more than once in a year as it's a reasonable adjustment for a condition. I'm not sure if you can only make one claim in a year or one per train operator as due to data protection it's unlikely they'll share these records.

In any case taking a photo of your card is a good idea as whilst not guaranteed it's likely some staff will accept it as long as they don't come across you regularly with just a photo. Although for good reason photos are not officially accepted as there have been instances of railcards being altered or produced fraudulently and the differences are less obvious on a photo.

 

[faddy]

The process is as above, each year you can get a refund once.

Is that once per calendar year?
Once per year per railcard holder per train company, or once per year per railcard holder in total?
Is the refund paid by the ticket issuer or the company you're traveling with (if different)?

 

[LowLevel]

Is that once per calendar year?
Once per year per railcard holder per train company, or once per year per railcard holder in total?
Is the refund paid by the ticket issuer or the company you're traveling with (if different)?

Not a clue to be honest. You'd be best asking Rail Delivery Group, they might be able to give an accurate answer. As train crew we are given the basic advice to offer of one refund per year (one might assume of validity, multi year railcards make that complex), the new ticket purchased being refunded and to signpost the passenger to customer relations of the company issuing the new replacement ticket, so I assume they refund it.

The detailed part apart from selling the new ticket to correct a validity issue and sign posting to customer relations is up to said CR bods to deal with.