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Railcard Website Error
- Thread starter rmt4ever
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RailUK Forums
Willie Bee
Member
There's an offer at Trainpal with a 3 year card costing about £46. Maybe you could try there
You could try using the East Midlands Railway version instead. RDG have suggested it as an alternative during previous issues with the main site.
https://railcards.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/
All good and well, went through the whole process of registering etc, and input my promo code and get "Sorry the promotional code is not valid."
Accepted it on the Railcard website, but can not complete the transaction.
Surely it can't just be me having this issue?
miklcct
Established Member
I think that the EMR and the Railcard websites are separate.
When I renewed my Railcard the Railcard website didn't recognise it was a renewal because I initially purchased it from EMR, as the Railcard website didn't recognise my passport nationality (GBN) which EMR didn't have the same problem.
JBuchananGB
Established Member
I have an account with the Railcard website. I click on the type of RailCard (Senior), and then log in with my credentials. My railcard history appears, back to one that expired 30/05/2015. The only thing that is odd is that the ones I bought in 2022, expiry date 15/6/23, have the status "Ordered". Those were Plastic Senior Railcards for myself and my wife, paid for with Tesco vouchers.
There is an option to "Transfer a Railcard to this account", to answer the need: "If you have a Railcard that isn't shown in the list below, you can transfer it to your account. You will need the Railcard number, the Railcard type, the expiry date and your surname."
So there doesn't seem to be a fundamental problem with the Railcard website. Maybe clear all cookies, close web browser, come at it again.
There is an option to "Transfer a Railcard to this account", to answer the need: "If you have a Railcard that isn't shown in the list below, you can transfer it to your account. You will need the Railcard number, the Railcard type, the expiry date and your surname."
So there doesn't seem to be a fundamental problem with the Railcard website. Maybe clear all cookies, close web browser, come at it again.
We had trouble with this last month, and there a a lot of complaints of the same thing. In our case, the first attempt failed - it doesn't matter why, it could have been user error. The site is quite fussy about what you enter. That failed transaction was kept open, and stopped a new one working properly. On a web browser, the number of open transactions is shown in a little round window at the top of the screen. Click on it and tell it which attempt to continue with and which to kill off. That worked for us.
I have tried everything, on my mac, on my laptop, on my work computer, ipad, phone etc....
I have killed off the purchase, tried again, without the discount code, new railcard, renewing existing railcard.
Nothing at all work, same error in the red box every time.
Its ridiculous.
I have killed off the purchase, tried again, without the discount code, new railcard, renewing existing railcard.
Nothing at all work, same error in the red box every time.
Its ridiculous.
Howardh
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Yes, I can't get through to renew, and expiry is coming up shortly. Want the three-year card, if I can't get through I'll have to find a ticket office for a one-year? Will have a go with East Midlands though as suggested above
Haywain
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You can buy 3-year railcards through the LNER site, either on phone or plastic by post. I don't know whether it is completely separate from the main railcard site but it might be worth a try.
Howardh
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OK, just done that with success, however unlike the site that crashes, it's not asked me for my photo, just proof of date of birth. Is everything in order? ie it is accepted nationally?
Haywain
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It is accepted everywhere and no photo is required for most plastic railcards (if you ordered one to hold on a phone there's a problem!). Unless, of course, it's a 16-25 Railcard you were buying, but I'm guessing that isn't the case as you joined the forums 12 years ago!
Howardh
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Yeah, it's a plastic one, I hope if it gets lost it can be replaced, three years is a long time for me to hold on to a card without losing/damaging it!!
Haywain
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Howardh
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Thanks, I'll keep the email so I remember. Just had a second email from EMR telling me it's been dispatched first class post. Might get it tomorrow!
What's wrong with the "official" railcard site?? If they can't handle it then they should re-direct pax to a site that can.
EDIT - just came through the post this morning, fantastic service!! But it's valid until 11th April 2026; so slightly more than three years, does that mean I can start using it right away or do I carry my old one until it expires on 11 Apr this yr?
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If it’s a renewal they’ll extend the date of the old one. If it’s a new purchase they put slightly more than the time on it to allow for processing and postage time, it seems a bit longer than normal though it’s entirely possible they’ve increased this time recently due to the poor reliability of Royal Mail.
You may start using the new one straight away.
You may start using the new one straight away.
I ordered my 16-25 Railcard 10 days ago and it was dispatched seven days ago - yet still no sign.
I've got in contact with them by email (the website doesn't make much sense - apparently there's an option to re-send it but all I see is 'lost', 'damaged' and two instances of 'stolen' for some bizarre reason), but my Railcard expires in three days.
Less than impressed, though thankfully my upcoming travel is tomorrow and Friday, so I'm (just) within the validity of my old one. The expiry of it is also 20/03/24 so we're already on less than a year...
I also found the website to be really glitchy when ordering. Got right to the end when it declared there'd been an error - it took several attempts to actually go through.
I've got in contact with them by email (the website doesn't make much sense - apparently there's an option to re-send it but all I see is 'lost', 'damaged' and two instances of 'stolen' for some bizarre reason), but my Railcard expires in three days.
Less than impressed, though thankfully my upcoming travel is tomorrow and Friday, so I'm (just) within the validity of my old one. The expiry of it is also 20/03/24 so we're already on less than a year...
I also found the website to be really glitchy when ordering. Got right to the end when it declared there'd been an error - it took several attempts to actually go through.
Howardh
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If you can prove you have ordered a new one, in plenty of time but it hasn't arrived, would the old one suffice to tide you over or could you be - worst case - subject to a penalty?
Thankfully I have a separate discount for my work-related commutes to/from London - so it's probably a fortnight or so til I need it again.
If it simply doesn't materialise after that long, I'll have to do it the old fashioned way. Go to Newcastle Central with a form and passport photo and hand over £30, and pursue a complaint with Railcard themselves. On the journeys I make, the Railcard is checked circa 90% of the time, so it isn't worth the hassle trying it with an expired one.
My parents tell me that the Royal Mail haven't been the best this week around here - so I'm hoping it's just them being a bit sluggish.
I had exactly the same issue. Tried multiple times but kept getting that error message. In the end I was able to renew it over the phone (Tel 0345 300 0250).
ChrisC
Established Member
This time last year, when I renewed my plastic 3 year Senior Railcard, there were similar problems with the website. Part of the problem then was that is wouldn’t renew without a photograph, which you do not need for a plastic Senior Railcard. When I got the error message and it wouldn’t allow me to continue any further, I clicked on the back button to go back to the previous page. When I re-entered my details it allowed me to continue to purchase my railcard with no photo and no further problems.
Skymonster
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I used the railcard website today to order a new plastic card, paid with a Tesco voucher. The whole thing, first registration, ordering, payment by partner code, etc went without any glitch whatsoever and took about five minutes. So it does work - at least for some.
Adam Williams
Established Member
Can confirm the official site is still bloody useless
So are the people who issue the cards. We renewed our senior card renewal early as it was around of the postal strikes/chaos and we needed the cards. Application went of fine but the cards were renewed as at the date received
not the expiry date of the old cards.
I did send off a complaint asking if they could replace the cards but they didnt even acknowledge the request.
IIRC it was only maybe 2 weeks short but if we decided not to renew next year and wanted to travel within that two weeks try explaining that one to the Revenue recovery team or whatever its called!
They are denying you 2 weeks validity regardless. I am assuming you could renew as far in advance as you did.
Yes one can apply within 30 days of expiry (3 yr senior) and we were 15 days before. On the upside
didnt apply 30 days before. I have sent again asking why and reminding them I have not had a reply from
when I first reported it.
Buzby
Established Member
I love how when you send a concern via emai, you are told they take 10 days to respond. I then get an email suggesting I phone them. I did, and I should have done this initially for all the good email had done (delaying the resolution). In essence, I was denied the Top Cashback 3% discount on a 3-year SR because they had to do it ‘manually’.
We gave up on the online ordering of my wife's 3 year Senior Railcard. So we resorted to doing it by phone, on 14th April, and payment was immediately acknowledged.
Ten days later and it's not arrived. Meantime the old one expired 3 days ago.
We need to use the new one in a few days time.
We sent an email, which will be replied to "within [another!] ten days".
So we phoned. It was apparently dispatched 7 days ago and then "takes 5-7 working days to arrive" (!).
We are to phone them if it hasn't arrived by 26th April. Nonetheless it expires on 20 April 2026!
The 14th April acknowledgement declares it cannot itself be used as a Railcard.
But we intend to present this email if the new card hasn't arrived a fortnight after the order.
We don't expect them to count any inspection as our "once/year forgotten" concession.
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
But I bet the TOC would charge us ~£150 it if we tried to use on the 362nd day of the third year!
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
Ten days later and it's not arrived. Meantime the old one expired 3 days ago.
We need to use the new one in a few days time.
We sent an email, which will be replied to "within [another!] ten days".
So we phoned. It was apparently dispatched 7 days ago and then "takes 5-7 working days to arrive" (!).
We are to phone them if it hasn't arrived by 26th April. Nonetheless it expires on 20 April 2026!
The 14th April acknowledgement declares it cannot itself be used as a Railcard.
But we intend to present this email if the new card hasn't arrived a fortnight after the order.
We don't expect them to count any inspection as our "once/year forgotten" concession.
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
It arrived today, expiring in 2 years and 361 days. Obviously it would be petty to chase this 32p shortfall.
But I bet the TOC would charge us ~£150 it if we tried to use on the 362nd day of the third year!
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
I've just noticed the letter to which the Railcard was attached is dated 15th April, ie 10 days before it arrived. If their chosen postal system is really that bad, Railcard should be adding 10 days to the expiry date, rather than just 5.
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Pumpkin Pie
New Member
Solved! I *had* to use railcard's website because I was using Tesco clubcard vouchers for my purchase. The solution (which I found elsewhere on the web) was not to "clear my basket and start again" but to note your application number, call the railcard Helpdesk on 0345 300 0250, choose option 1, listen to some music (!) and once connected to an agent just ask them to complete the application for you. It worked for me as I immediately received two emails with a code to enter into the Railcard App and, hey presto, a Senior Railcard appeared on my mobile phone! Hope this helps.
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