Railcard price increase

[globetrotter]

In France, SNCF has a Carte Senior (that you buy for 56 euros). It allows 25% to 50% reduction on all domestic train fares. Like everything in France, it's complicated to understand but one can buy the card at any station. In peak periods (periodes blanches), you'll only get 25% off all fares, otherwise generally (and subject to availability on some long distance trains) you get 50% off. To understand this better, take a look here but be aware that discount is restricted also to 25% on popular weekends and holidays (jours particuliers, not mentioned in the link):

http://www.univers-eco.fr/bons-plan...-vos-reductions-sur-vos-billets-de-train.html

I was just reading this online: you will always get a minimum reduction of 25%, even at peak times. Although not recognised by Eurostar, or members of ATOC in the UK, almost every rail system in Europe accepts the Carte Senior, the reductions you get will be in line with that country's policy.

So that card pays for itself very quickly and you only have to be 60 to qualify. Needs passport and a photo. No need to reside in France. Not valid on Eurostar.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

If they put the price up, how about reducing the minimum fare to £10?

I see no reason to have some holders being charged more (and I've seen TVMs that happily let you pay the minimum fare even if it's cheaper not telling it you have a railcard!) because of a minimum fare. And if you can't use it, why have it? Only at weekends does the minimum not apply, which seems a bit cheeky as there's no weekend-only railcard!

I appreciate that some people may buy tickets that go below the capped amount, but if you live just in or just outside London then a railcard is pretty pointless for a lot of the time.

Your first sentence really worried me. What is the £10 minimum fare to which you are referring.

Both my wife and I are holders of Senior Citizen Railcards and we are both on their mailing lists. We always receive a leaflet every year in advance of the renewal date, addressed to both of us, in the post which always has a fully comprehensive list of conditions of use.

There is NOTHING in the conditions of use that states a MINIMUM ticket value before these Railcards can be used.

Examples of journeys made by us in 2011 where the cost an off-peak day return ticket (after railcard discount) has been FAR cheaper than your minimum fare, are as follows:-
LITTLEBOROUGH to HEBDEN BRIDGE
BROMLEY CROSS to CLITHEROE
APPLEY BRIDGE to SOUTHPORT
ORREL to BLUNDELLSANDS AND CROSBY

Of course, we make longer distance journeys such as:-
MANCHESTER AIRPORT to EDINBURGH
WILMSLOW to HEREFORD
WILMSLOW to TRURO
WILMSLOW to PLYMOUTH

Incidentally, at the bottom of page 2 of the leaflet, it states there is a 10% discount for renewing on line by using the promotional code Renew10

CAN ANYONE ON THE FORUM ON THIS THREAD PLEASE CLARIFY EXACTLY WHAT THE TRUE AND CORRECT POSITION CONCERNING A MINIMUM TICKET VALUE WHEN PURCHASING TICKETS WITH A SENIOR CITIZEN RAIL CARD?

 

[SS4]

CAN ANYONE ON THE FORUM ON THIS THREAD PLEASE CLARIFY EXACTLY WHAT THE TRUE AND CORRECT POSITION CONCERNING A MINIMUM TICKET VALUE WHEN PURCHASING TICKETS WITH A SENIOR CITIZEN RAIL CARD?

I am almost certain that comment was referring to the pre-10am minimum fare from £12 as it is at the moment (IIRC)

 

[tony_mac]

senior railcards don't have a minimum fare, network and 16-25 railcards do.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

senior railcards don't have a minimum fare, network and 16-25 railcards do.

Thank you for that information from both my wife and myself

 

[SS4]

senior railcards don't have a minimum fare, network and 16-25 railcards do.

My bad, I thought they all did