Senior Railcard - No Photo ?

[Butts]

Have just received my Senior Railcard and much to my consternation it does not have a photo on it.

I applied online with my Passport Details to verify my eligibility.

Is this normal and if so why ?

 

[alistairlees]

It's normal.

 

[Butts]

It's normal.

Thanks, do you know why ?

 

[MarlowDonkey]

Thanks, do you know why ?

The passport link is just to validate age. In practice ticket inspectors or sellers rarely ask to see the card if the ticket holder looks ageing.

 

[Typhoon]

If you buy the Railcard at a station, you don't need photo-id so it would make little sense to insist on that for on-line applicants.

The passport link is just to validate age. In practice ticket inspectors or sellers rarely ask to see the card if the ticket holder looks ageing.

I will take it as a complement that I am usually asked for the Railcard if I haven't shown it! And, of course, if you buy a ticket on-line or at a machine, you just need to say you've got a card - not show it.

 

[Qwerty133]

Obviously old people are always entirely honest and therefore there is no need to have any verifiable details on a senior railcard to prevent them being passed to others whilst young people are overwhelmingly dishonest and therefore every possible step has to be taken to prevent 16-25 railcards being used by multiple people.
(The above may be written in jest although I suspect the true reason is along the lines of the typically middle aged rail bosses allowing their discriminatory views affect their work).

 

[trainophile]

I was showing an e-ticket yesterday (yeah I accidentally get those sometimes), and the guard's scanning machine made a loud beep, upon which he asked to see my railcard. Seems these machines are set to alert the ticket inspector that a railcard must be present.

 

[_toommm_]

I was showing an e-ticket yesterday (yeah I accidentally get those sometimes), and the guard's scanning machine made a loud beep, upon which he asked to see my railcard. Seems these machines are set to alert the ticket inspector that a railcard must be present.

There’s different beeps which the guards are trained to know. For example, Avanti’s barcode scanner has a separate screen (a tablet) so a beep code system allows them to not have to look at it constantly.

 

[J-P_L]

Physical Senior Railcards (bought online or at station) do not require a photo card, however digital ones (purchased via the Railcard app) do display a photo in the app.

 

[Typhoon]

Obviously old people are always entirely honest and therefore there is no need to have any verifiable details on a senior railcard to prevent them being passed to others whilst young people are overwhelmingly dishonest and therefore every possible step has to be taken to prevent 16-25 railcards being used by multiple people.
(The above may be written in jest although I suspect the true reason is along the lines of the typically middle aged rail bosses allowing their discriminatory views affect their work).

You are quite right. I am surprised about how lax scrutiny is, I could easily 'share' the card with just under 50% of the aged population as far as I can see from what is on it.

I suppose there is a difference in attitude between 'old people' getting away with things and 'young people' doing the same.

 

[DavidGrain]

I keep my senior railcard in the same wallet as my bus pass. Therefore I show a photo ID at the same tine as I show my senior railcard. There is no card clash as the railcard does not have a chip in it. My Oystercard for when I am in London has to be in a separate wallet.

 

[trainophile]

I keep my railcard, bus pass and debit card in the three slots inside my phone wallet case, also the train tickets I'm using for that journey. Only one item to take with me if I leave my seat, and provided I don't drop my phone down the loo I have everything I need if the worst should happen to the rest of my luggage.

 

[Butts]

The passport link is just to validate age. In practice ticket inspectors or sellers rarely ask to see the card if the ticket holder looks ageing.

I'll be okay on that front then...never be asked

Mines got an expiry date of 6 days after my Birthday, from that would the Guard be able to tell when it is valid from - ie my Birthday on the 12th ?

 

[Karl]

How old do you need to be to be eligible for a Senior Railcard? And also a bus pass?

 

[DavidGrain]

Mines got an expiry date of 6 days after my Birthday, from that would the Guard be able to tell when it is valid from - ie my Birthday on the 12th ?

There is no Valid from date on the 3 year online cards so I would use it from when you got it. Back when I used to buy annual railcards at the station they used to ask me when I was next travelling as they dated from then to give me a few extra days at the end. I don't know how they date them because sometimes they have expired on my birthday or within a week of that but my present card is dated for 7 months after my birthday. I cannot believe that last year they knew about lockdown this year.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

How old do you need to be to be eligible for a Senior Railcard? And also a bus pass?

60 for a Senior Railcard, isn't it?

For a bus pass, it depends, in the Greater Manchester area, you normally first need to be in receipt of a State Pension, if I rightly recall.

 

[Gloster]

There is no Valid from date on the 3 year online cards so I would use it from when you got it. Back when I used to buy annual railcards at the station they used to ask me when I was next travelling as they dated from then to give me a few extra days at the end. I don't know how they date them because sometimes they have expired on my birthday or within a week of that but my present card is dated for 7 months after my birthday. I cannot believe that last year they knew about lockdown this year.

REPLY: My local station (South Western Railway) has told me that it will not issue a Senior Railcard for any date except for the actual day of purchase unless it is immediately following on from an existing card.

 

[Butts]

There is no Valid from date on the 3 year online cards so I would use it from when you got it. Back when I used to buy annual railcards at the station they used to ask me when I was next travelling as they dated from then to give me a few extra days at the end. I don't know how they date them because sometimes they have expired on my birthday or within a week of that but my present card is dated for 7 months after my birthday. I cannot believe that last year they knew about lockdown this year.

Well mine is a one year card, there is no start date merely en expiry one of 18/10/21.

My Birthday is on the 12th when I become eligible, hence my query.

 

[TUC]

Physical Senior Railcards (bought online or at station) do not require a photo card, however digital ones (purchased via the Railcard app) do display a photo in the app.

Well that is just bizarrely contradictory. It should be one or the other in physical and electronic formats.

 

[DelW]

How old do you need to be to be eligible for a Senior Railcard? And also a bus pass?

60 for a Senior Railcard, isn't it?

For a bus pass, it depends, in the Greater Manchester area, you normally first need to be in receipt of a State Pension, if I rightly recall.

It is 60 for a Senior Railcard.

For bus passes, it's 60 in Wales and Scotland. In England, it used to be 60, then it became the women's state pension eligibility age, which has been increasing in recent years - I'm not sure whether that's now caught up with the men's eligibility age or not. In London there is a 60+ Oyster Card which gives free travel but only within London (plus some TfL services outside the boundary).

 

[janb]

REPLY: My local station (South Western Railway) has told me that it will not issue a Senior Railcard for any date except for the actual day of purchase unless it is immediately following on from an existing card.

That is the correct rules based approach that is simple to understand and adhere to. Some staff decide to do what DaveGrain describes clearly believing old people aren't going to lie to them and use it before they say they will.

 

[Typhoon]

It is 60 for a Senior Railcard.

For bus passes, it's 60 in Wales and Scotland. In England, it used to be 60, then it became the women's state pension eligibility age, which has been increasing in recent years - I'm not sure whether that's now caught up with the men's eligibility age or not. In London there is a 60+ Oyster Card which gives free travel but only within London (plus some TfL services outside the boundary).

I entered a birth date of 04/10/1955 (ie exactly 65) into the calculator*. Bus pass due

on 4 October 2021, if you live in England

I wasn't asked about gender so I guess the answer is 'yes'. (I think that is why the 'Waspie Women' were complaining - about the sudden increase?)

* - https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-age/y/bus_pass

 

[JBuchananGB]

a Senior railcard is a commercial product in the rail industry. An English National Concessionary Travel Scheme bus pass is a government funded concession. The National scheme cuts in at State Pension age. In some areas, notably Greater London, Greater Manchester and Merseyside there are local concessionary schemes which start at age 60.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

Mines got an expiry date of 6 days after my Birthday, from that would the Guard be able to tell when it is valid from - ie my Birthday on the 12th

I don't think there's anything on the card which identifies whether it's a three year version that's almost two years old or a one year version that you've been handed early. As to whether you are allowed to use it if still a few days under 60, won't it say something in the small print if it's forbidden? It's a commercial product and the practice has been to extend the expiry date a few days forward when issued by post.

 

[trainophile]

I thought you could only get the three year ones online, and they are plastic. The one year ones are paper. However I'm prepared to be told I'm wrong on that.

 

[Ianigsy]

My grandmother and her neighbour effectively shared a Senior Railcard for several years (both are about 20 years dead now). Come to think about it, it might not have been unconnected to the fact that the neighbour used to rent her drive to one of the staff at our local station....

 

[MarlowDonkey]

I thought you could only get the three year ones online, and they are plastic. The one year ones are paper. However I'm prepared to be told I'm wrong on that.

Online one year ones are also plastic. I usually get mine for "nothing" by using Tesco Clubcard points.

 

[ChrisC]

I got my first Senior Railcard online a few weeks after my 60th birthday nearly 4 years ago. I also used Tesco Club Card points for my first one. I remember that I had to enter my passport number as identification as proof of age. I think a driving license number is also valid. Once you have received your first Senior Railcard and have registered account it’s very easy to renew online each year. Your details are retained for a number of years so it is not necessary to renew on the expiry date. If I am not going anywhere for a month or so, I don’t renew until I need it, as it’s waste of money to have card not being used. I currently have a 3 year card which I used very frequently for the first year but I have only used it once since February due to the current virus situation. All of my railcards have been plastic versions.

 

[Western Sunset]

I was eligible for my bus pass at my National Pension Age, which in my case was the month I became 66. This has my photo on it, together with my Christian name and surname, but no title. Living in Dorset, we don't get any other concessions - or many buses for that matter.

My Senior Railcard (one-year/plastic/no photo) doesn't have my full Christian name on it, just my first initial and title. As it's Dr., I suppose my wife could use it and nobody would be the wiser... Of course, she wouldn't though.