Railcard Providers and discounts

[RyanOPlasty]

It will soon be time to renew my senior railcard. I have noticed that discount codes are widely available for railcards from Trainpal.com and Trip.com, but can't find any for the National Rail card.

I seem to recall from these forums that people have had problems with railcards from alternative providers. Are they a worthwhile option, or should I just renew with National Rail and pay full price for peace of mind?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

For ease of future use, would suggest that you get a 3 yr physical card from www.railcard.co.uk. Others may suggest otherwise.

 

[Hadders]

We've debated physical v digital railcards to death over the eyars so we don't need to do it again!

We often hear reports Trainpal and Trip being 'buggy'.

Railcard.co.uk and Trainline are big retailers of digital railcards. You can also order physical railcards through railcard.co.uk. You do sometimes see discount codes but haven't seen any for a while (Black Friday is a good time. I managed to get a discount code to get a railcard for £10 from railcard.co.uk back in February). Tesco Clubcard vouchers is another good way of reducing the cost of a railcard through railcard.co.uk.

Trainsplit also sell railcards. I've used them (they had a Black Friday offer a couple of years ago). The app seemed to work very well.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

We've debated physical v digital railcards to death over the eyars so we don't need to do it again!

Indeed. Apologies for mentioning that!
I'd still go for a physical card though!

Tesco Clubcard vouchers is another good way of reducing the cost of a railcard through railcard.co.uk.

Good shout! Is the current Tesco Clubcard redemption value twice their face value?

 

[Watershed]

For ease of future use, would suggest that you get a 3 yr physical card from www.railcard.co.uk. Others may suggest otherwise.

Agreed - that would be my suggested course of action. It avoids any future price increases (albeit Railcards aren't usually increased every year in the way that fares are) and uses a foolproof medium that's not reliant on potentially buggy apps or phones that can freeze/overheat/run out of battery.

If you keep your Railcard in your wallet, you have bigger problems than your Railcard if you forget your wallet...

 

[styles]

Tesco Clubcard do an offer on Railcards which makes the Railcard half price when using clubcard vouchers. That can be redeemed on the official Railcard website/app.

Trainline's app is also fine for Railcards though if you've found a good offer there.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

Tesco Clubcard do an offer on Railcards which makes the Railcard half price when using clubcard vouchers. That can be redeemed on the official Railcard website/app.

I thought that the Clubcard offer was that you redeem vouchers at a 2 to 1 ratio to get a one year railcard for nothing. So for a nominal £ 35 Railcard, you spend £ 17.50 in vouchers. The website where you buy the railcard is rather better at preserving a history of purchases than some others.

 

[Joe Paxton]

It will soon be time to renew my senior railcard. I have noticed that discount codes are widely available for railcards from Trainpal.com and Trip.com, but can't find any for the National Rail card.

I seem to recall from these forums that people have had problems with railcards from alternative providers. Are they a worthwhile option, or should I just renew with National Rail and pay full price for peace of mind?

If you want an easy life, I'd advise against buying from Trainpal or Trip.com (they are sister companies). Of course, as you've noticed, they are also the retailers that offer the most significant discounts for buying a Railcard.

 

[styles]

I thought that the Clubcard offer was that you redeem vouchers at a 2 to 1 ratio to get a one year railcard for nothing. So for a nominal £ 35 Railcard, you spend £ 17.50 in vouchers. The website where you buy the railcard is rather better at preserving a history of purchases than some others.

Yes that's right. Basically half price

 

[Haywain]

Yes that's right. Basically half price

I think @MarlowDonkey is saying that £17.50 of clubcard points gets you a free railcard, but I don't think that's correct.

 

[styles]

I think @MarlowDonkey is saying that £17.50 of clubcard points gets you a free railcard, but I don't think that's correct.

It's semantics really.

How it works is:

1. Login to Clubcard account
2. Select Railcards partner
3. Select how many Clubcard points you'd like to exchange (so like 1750).
4. This amount will be doubled, then that is the number of pence you get in a voucher code to use on the Railcards website (so £35 in this example).
5. Go to Railcards website, apply for card, enter voucher code worth £35, and it will say you need to pay £0 for the Railcard.

It's 'free' in that you don't need to hand over any 'money'.

But realistically you have just spend £17.50 worth of Clubcard vouchers to get £35 of Railcards credit.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

But realistically you have just spend £17.50 worth of Clubcard vouchers to get £35 of Railcards credit.

If you shop at Tesco with Clubcard, you accumulate Clubcard points with your shopping even if you have no real use for them. From that viewpoint, a Railcard becomes a reward for shopping at Tesco.

 

[styles]

If you shop at Tesco with Clubcard, you accumulate Clubcard points with your shopping even if you have no real use for them. From that viewpoint, a Railcard becomes a reward for shopping at Tesco.

Well.. yes?

If you sign up to Monzo Flex then a one year Railcard is a reward for having a premium Monzo account.

If you are 20-25 with a Santander current or savings account then a Railcard is a reward for banking with Santander.

 

[Watershed]

If you shop at Tesco with Clubcard, you accumulate Clubcard points with your shopping even if you have no real use for them. From that viewpoint, a Railcard becomes a reward for shopping at Tesco.

True, but there is the opportunity cost of not being able to spend those points elsewhere. As a minimum you could cash them in at face value for Tesco vouchers.

 

[Joe Paxton]

[...]
If you sign up to Monzo Flex then a one year Railcard is a reward for having a premium Monzo account.
[...]

Monzo Flex being their credit card.

I can't immediately find anything about Monzo Flex offering a free one-year Railcard? Though it's clear a Railcard is offered each year as part of the £7 a month Monzo Perks account.

 

[styles]

Monzo Flex being their credit card.

I can't immediately find anything about Monzo Flex offering a free one-year Railcard? Though it's clear a Railcard is offered each year as part of the £7 a month Monzo Perks account.

Yeah Perks is the one. I don't use any of them and get confused!

£7/month, which gives you Greggs, Vue cinema tickets, and a Railcard.