Using Friends Railcard

[curiontil1]

Hi all,

I’d really appreciate some advice.

Firstly, what I did was incredibly stupid and I completely realise this. It was a ridiculous decision out of character.

I was on the Stansted Express and realised mid-journey that my railcard had expired. I was running late for a flight, panicked and showed my friend’s railcard instead with a photo of my face on it which I was obviously caught for. I know this was wrong.

Staff stopped me, took my details and said I’d get a fine. I didn’t get a receipt. I’ve since emailed them and they’ve said my case is now with their Prosecution Department.

Has anyone been through similar? Is it likely they’ll offer me an out-of-court settlement instead of court or could I end up with a criminal record? How much do settlements usually cost?

I have ADHD and was really overwhelmed at the time. Just want to resolve this and avoid a criminal record if possible.

Thanks so much for any help.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Jul 2025 ==

It’s worth noting this was a one-time offence, this hasn’t happened before.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Jul 2025 ==

And I also emailed them straight away admitting my wrongdoing and asked to pay the fine as soon as possible

 

[GadgetMan]

How do you just happen to have a 'friends' railcard avaliable to show mid journey having 'just' realised you railcard is expired?

They'll search your online purchase history, expect you to pay for any previous journeys as well as this one without a railcard plus an admin fee if you reply to their letter using advice on the many other threads.

 

[curiontil1]

I asked him to send me an online screenshot and he did.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Jul 2025 ==

I haven’t received a letter from them either, which I’m confused about, I’m pretty sure I gave the right address and the inspector did check it using my drivers license?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

It’s worth noting this was a one-time offence, this hasn’t happened before.

@curiontil1. Welcome to the forum. Was it indeed a one time offence, or just the first time you've been stopped? If you've routinely been buying your tickets online, it's easy enough for the rail company to check.

How long was it since the old railcard expired? A few days, a few weeks, or longer? Was there definitely no travel made in the intervening period?

If it really was a one-off incident, reckon you'll be looking at £25.00 in fares due, with no allowance made for what had already been paid, and a three figure admin/investigation fee added on top. Obviously, will be more expensive if there have been other occasions of buying/using inappropriately discounted tickets.

 

[curiontil1]

@curiontil1. Welcome to the forum. Was it indeed a one time offence, or just the first time you've been stopped? If you've routinely been buying your tickets online, it's easy enough for the rail company to check.

How long was it since the old railcard expired? A few days, a few weeks, or longer? Was there definitely no travel made in the intervening period?

If it really was a one-off incident, reckon you'll be looking at £25.00 in fares due, with no allowance made for what had already been paid, and a three figure admin/investigation fee added on top. Obviously, will be more expensive if there have been other occasions of buying/using inappropriately discounted tickets.

I hardly take the train, so I didn’t even realise it expired in Sep 2023 - it was a physical card. I’ve taken about 5 train journeys since then, and looking back at my trainline, it seems I didn’t even opt for any railcard option those times.

I’ve been on the train since the incident and obviously paid for tickets normally with no railcard option as well.

 

[styles]

You'll most likely receive a letter from Greater Anglia notifying you that you may be prosecuted.

You'll respond with a letter apologising for your actions, that you understand it was wrong, and it won't happen again.

They'll offer you an out of court settlement amount involving the full cost of a ticket plus some admin charge.

Then you'll never do this again, otherwise you might find the consequences are less friendly.

 

[curiontil1]

You'll most likely receive a letter from Greater Anglia notifying you that you may be prosecuted.

You'll respond with a letter apologising for your actions, that you understand it was wrong, and it won't happen again.

They'll offer you an out of court settlement amount involving the full cost of a ticket plus some admin charge.

Then you'll never do this again, otherwise you might find the consequences are less friendly.

How long does the letter usually take to arrive? It’s been 3 weeks since it happened.

 

[Hadders]

It can take several weeks for a latter to arrive. As long as you co-operate with Greater Anglia then you will get offered an out of court settlement. This will typically cost the fare avoided at the full Anytime rate, with no credit given for the invalid ticket purchased plus an admin fee, yupically £150.

Greater Anglia will search your online ticket purchasing history - will this show further purchases of railcard discounted tickets since your railcard expired? If so they will factor the cost of these tickets into the settlement fee.

 

[najaB]

How long does the letter usually take to arrive? It’s been 3 weeks since it happened.

They have up to six months to decide if they want to bring charges, so it's not uncommon for the first letter to take a month or more to arrive.

 

[curiontil1]

Also, since that journey, I took a train with my girlfriend who had a railcard so I bought a railcard ticket for her and a normal ticket for me. Thing is, they didn’t inspect it on the train so how are they supposed to know it was for her and not me when I bought 2 tickets on my account?

 

[styles]

Also, since that journey, I took a train with my girlfriend who had a railcard so I bought a railcard ticket for her and a normal ticket for me. Thing is, they didn’t inspect it on the train so how are they supposed to know it was for her and not me when I bought 2 tickets on my account?

If you bought two tickets for the same journey, it should be reasonably easy for them to accept that the Railcard one was for a Railcard holder. If they asked for evidence then you could presumably give them your girlfriend's Railcard number anyway.

Don't offer up information unless they ask for it. There's no need for you to go through all your journeys yourself and proactively tell the operator what the circumstances were. Wait until they ask, if they even do, then answer honestly and concisely.

Come back to the forum for advice before sending any communication to them.

 

[najaB]

Don't offer up information unless they ask for it. There's no need for you to go through all your journeys yourself and proactively tell the operator what the circumstances were. Wait until they ask, if they even do, then answer honestly and concisely.

Indeed. It's up to the TOC to determine what, if any, offenses have occurred.

 

[curiontil1]

I’ve been doing some extra reading on other forums so if anyone has any further advice it would be appreciated.

Prior to posting this and on the day of the incident I sent an email to Greater Anglia apologising and admitting my wrongdoing. I’ve since read that this wasn’t a great idea, but it’s done now. Will this affect my case?

 

[Titfield]

If this was genuinely the one and only time you have claimed a railcard without having a valid railcard then it will not affect your case adversely.

If you have an online account with rail bookings where you have claimed a railcard discount then they will almost certainly ask you for proof of holding a valid railcard. If you can not provide proof of holding a valid railcard they may then seek to add the cost of those bookings to any out of court settlement they offer you.

Whilst forum members are of the opinion that the TOC has to prove you travelled without a valid railcard (ie the onus is on them) you would then be in a very difficult position to argue against them including those tickets in the settlement offer because if you do not accept their offer they will then prosecute for the one occasion when they did catch you travelling without a valid railcard.

 

[curiontil1]

If this was genuinely the one and only time you have claimed a railcard without having a valid railcard then it will not affect your case adversely.

If you have an online account with rail bookings where you have claimed a railcard discount then they will almost certainly ask you for proof of holding a valid railcard. If you can not provide proof of holding a valid railcard they may then seek to add the cost of those bookings to any out of court settlement they offer you.

Whilst forum members are of the opinion that the TOC has to prove you travelled without a valid railcard (ie the onus is on them) you would then be in a very difficult position to argue against them including those tickets in the settlement offer because if you do not accept their offer they will then prosecute for the one occasion when they did catch you travelling without a valid railcard

If this was genuinely the one and only time you have claimed a railcard without having a valid railcard then it will not affect your case adversely.

If you have an online account with rail bookings where you have claimed a railcard discount then they will almost certainly ask you for proof of holding a valid railcard. If you can not provide proof of holding a valid railcard they may then seek to add the cost of those bookings to any out of court settlement they offer you.

Whilst forum members are of the opinion that the TOC has to prove you travelled without a valid railcard (ie the onus is on them) you would then be in a very difficult position to argue against them including those tickets in the settlement offer because if you do not accept their offer they will then prosecute for the one occasion when they did catch you travelling without a valid railcard.

When I look at my trainline history, it doesn’t give any info about me adding railcards to the journeys I have taken since it expired, so I’m under the impression I haven’t added it on previous journeys since it expired. The reason I don’t remember is because I hardly ever take the train. Probably only about 5/6 journeys in the last 2 years. If I have missed something, and I did use a railcard ticket without a valid one, then that’s something trainline isn’t showing me visibly on the app.

I completely understand the need to pay a fine which takes into account any potential previous misuse as well, but my worry is whether this will go to court or not, because I put my photo over my friends railcard.

The inspector did tell me it would be a fine, but I am not totally convinced and very anxious about it.

The whole situation was extremely overwhelming for me; it was at Stansted airport and there were crowds of people literally crushing me whilst I was speaking to the ticket inspector, I was running late for a flight and I quickly filled out the details and I’m not even sure if I gave the full address (that being said the inspector did cross reference to my drivers license), so I’m worried they’ll think I may have deliberately provided false details if I didn’t do the full/correct address. I do explicitly remember writing my phone number and full address down but I guess my anxiety is making me think I did something wrong there too.

 

[odetoboy]

When I look at my trainline history, it doesn’t give any info about me adding railcards to the journeys I have taken since it expired, so I’m under the impression I haven’t added it on previous journeys since it expired. The reason I don’t remember is because I hardly ever take the train. Probably only about 5/6 journeys in the last 2 years. If I have missed something, and I did use a railcard ticket without a valid one, then that’s something trainline isn’t showing me visibly on the app.

I completely understand the need to pay a fine which takes into account any potential previous misuse as well, but my worry is whether this will go to court or not, because I put my photo over my friends railcard.

The inspector did tell me it would be a fine, but I am not totally convinced and very anxious about it.

The whole situation was extremely overwhelming for me; it was at Stansted airport and there were crowds of people literally crushing me whilst I was speaking to the ticket inspector, I was running late for a flight and I quickly filled out the details and I’m not even sure if I gave the full address (that being said the inspector did cross reference to my drivers license), so I’m worried they’ll think I may have deliberately provided false details if I didn’t do the full/correct address. I do explicitly remember writing my phone number and full address down but I guess my anxiety is making me think I did something wrong there too.

You might be better off searching your emails for the receipts in that case, that’s what I’ve been doing to check my ticket records. If you search ‘railcard’, and set the results to only be those sent from the email address auto-confirm@info.thetrainline.com, then that will essentially show you which journeys you took with a railcard. If you don’t have access to an old email however thats a bit of a tough spot.

 

[curiontil1]

Hi all - I still haven’t received a letter (I know it can take a while) but it is making me think that I might have given the wrong address. As mentioned previously, the inspector did check my details to my drivers license but would it be worth emailing the protection team and writing this:

“Good morning and thank you for the update.

I look forward to hearing from you. If my address is needed it is

****** ******
Road
Postcode
UK

Kind regards

____”

Please let me know what you think.

 

[John R]

Is your address the same as on your driving licence? If so, why would there be a problem?

We get a lot of people here who on reflection think they might have given the wrong address, which is curious, as most people tend to know where they live even when under stress.

Finally, if your address is not the same as your licence, then unless it is an address at which the DVLA could reasonably get hold of you (eg your parents address) then I would get it changed sharpish, as you are committing an offence for which there is a £1,000 fine.

 

[curiontil1]

Is your address the same as on your driving licence? If so, why would there be a problem?

We get a lot of people here who on reflection think they might have given the wrong address, which is curious, as most people tend to know where they live even when under stress.

Finally, if your address is not the same as your licence, then unless it is an address at which the DVLA could reasonably get hold of you (eg your parents address) then I would get it changed sharpish, as you are committing an offence for which there is a £1,000 fine.

yes it is, and it is more than likely I wrote it properly, but given the situation where I was in a crowd of 100 people all over me and in a rush to get to a flight, my worry is just that the handwriting wasn’t clear and the number on the address or postcode may be skewed/unclear/incorrect. Am I better off just emailing them my address?

 

[Hadders]

Looking at what you've told us the incident happened in mid-June. There is no need to chase anything up at this stage.

 

[John R]

I’d wait a while. It’s far too soon to be worrying about it. You’ve already emailed once and you say the inspector checked your address against your licence.