Question for forum members regarding multiple Railcards

[yorkie]

Does anyone here have multiple Railcards?

If so, which ones and why do you have more than one? (I can think of several reasons why people might, but I am keen to hear real examples!)

Also does anyone have multiple geographic Railcards? (e.g. @yorksrob do you have a Network Railcard and a Dales Railcard) and if the answer to that is "yes", have you ever actually made a journey where two (or more) would be required to find the optimal fares for a journey? (e.g. a journey from Ribblehead to Ashford using a Dales Railcard to Leeds, then no Railcard, and a Network Railcard from Huntingdon/Stevenage/St Pancras)

 

[danm14]

I would expect it to be somewhat commonplace for people to have both a Two Together Railcard and an age-based railcard if they regularly travel both alone and with someone who is ineligible for an age-based railcard.

 

[Haywain]

Does anyone here have multiple Railcards?

If it counts, a Rail Staff Leisure Card and a Senior Railcard. The Senior Railcard gets discounts on London Underground (Oyster) fares, PlusBus and Advance fares giving more flexibility.

 

[Hadders]

I've got an Annual Gold Card (Hatton to Lapworth version purley for the GC benefits). I've also got a Two Together Railcard.

I have in previous years had a Network Railcard as well, for a period of time when I was making frequent journeys to Milton Keynes using Avanti (Gold Cards technically aren't valid). Technically Gold Card discounted tickets aren't valid on LNER between Stevenage and Kings Cross, that really needs sorting out.

 

[yorkie]

If it counts, a Rail Staff Leisure Card and a Senior Railcard. The Senior Railcard gets discounts on London Underground (Oyster) fares, PlusBus and Advance fares giving more flexibility.

Not specifically looking at that however it's still interesting to know, thanks

I've got an Annual Gold Card (Hatton to Lapworth version purley for the GC benefits). I've also got a Two Together Railcard.

Useful to know; as these are both valid from 0930 and given the conditions of these, I imagine there's no scenario where you'd be wanting to combine the two Railcards for one journey?

 

[kristiang85]

I've got an Annual Gold Card (Hatton to Lapworth version purley for the GC benefits). I've also got a Two Together Railcard.

Exactly the same for me.

Useful to know; as these are both valid from 0930 and given the conditions of these, I imagine there's no scenario where you'd be wanting to combine the two Railcards for one journey?

I can't think of any myself. Obviously there have been multiple times where my wife would be working in Basingstoke, and me in London, and on one of our northern weekends I would go to work on my Gold card, and then when we meet up for the train up north in London we would travel on the Two Together from there. But I've always booked these separately, and given the conditions I cannot see how this would be joined and benefit me from doing a BOJ in London (as obviously the TTRC would be invalid).

 

[Doctor Fegg]

Also does anyone have multiple geographic Railcards?

Yes, albeit overlapping: I have a Cotswold Line Railcard and a Network Railcard.

Both offer 1/3 off off-peak fares, but the Network card obviously has a minimum fare, whereas the Cotswold Line card doesn't. Given that many of my journeys are to either Oxford or Worcester, I easily recoup the extra cost.

It's absolutely plausible that we might end up getting a Family Railcard as well for journeys outside the ex-NSE area... we just haven't yet made a journey like that since Junior turned 5.

 

[Hadders]

Not specifically looking at that however it's still interesting to know, thanks


Useful to know; as these are both valid from 0930 and given the conditions of these, I imagine there's no scenario where you'd be wanting to combine the two Railcards for one journey?

Correct. My preference is to use the Annual Gold Card for a journey made exclusively within in the Gold Card area, and only use the Two Two Together if the journey goes outside the GC area.

My brother has a Network Railcard and a Family & Friends Railcard but I can't think of a reason for using both on the same journey.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I looked at investing in one of Transport for Wales' railcards as well as my own, because it offers 50% off Welsh travel, including TfW routes that go through Hereford, Shrewsbury, Gloucester and Chester. This would have been much better value for not just my leisure travel within Wales, but also my regular train to Uni lectures/seminars. It also does not have a minimum fare in morning peak. I have since learned it is for 18 year olds only, but now I'm 19 I might look into the TfW Student Railcard (£20, 33% off and no minimum fare) It's less good value though.

I use my 3 year 16-25 (unfortunately complete with the morning minimum fare) Railcard for everything at the moment, but this would have been sidelined while at Uni, for use for my Wales - England journeys and my journeys while at home in England only.

 

[smsm1]

I've currently got a Family railcard and Two Together railcard. I have 2 children aged 6 and 2. Have journeys were we travel as a family to my parents, drop the kids off, and then go on somewhere else, so the Two Together card then becomes useful, even if only used a few times a year. Used use the Two Together card more when the oldest was under 5 didn't need a ticket for them, however the family one was still worthwhile for when only myself or my wife was travelling with the kid(s).

Longer ago (before kids came along) I had Two Together and Network Railcard. The Network Railcard was mostly for when I was travelling into London on my own, with a split in Manningtree (I live in Ipswich). Two Together was for travelling (not in the Network Railcard area) with my wife (well partner prior to getting married).

 

[philthetube]

If it counts, a Rail Staff Leisure Card and a Senior Railcard. The Senior Railcard gets discounts on London Underground (Oyster) fares, PlusBus and Advance fares giving more flexibility.

Similar here, priv + senior, used for first class advances on occasion when the price is right.

 

[Coolzac]

I currently have a two together Railcard, a Devon and Cornwall Railcard, and a network railcard. I live in London but also go back to the family home in Devon so all railcards get regular use.

For visiting the family home, the network railcard can get me to Exeter St Davids, and then the Devon and Cornwall Railcard I use for local journeys when I'm there. Very useful!

 

[DelayRepay]

Not me, but my mate has a 26-30 railcard and a Two Together card. They use the Two Together if they're both travelling, and he uses the 26 - 30 if he's on his own. His partner is too old to have their own 26-30 card.

 

[Snow1964]

Not sure if it is relevant, my wife has a 60+ (I am bit too young), daughter has a 18-25. Were going to get a Two together, but when we travel on GWR (my local operator) as a family of 3 they automatically give us group save rate so the extra railcard wouldn’t save anything

 

[yorkie]

Not sure if it is relevant, my wife has a 60+ (I am bit too young), daughter has a 18-25. Were going to get a Two together, but when we travel on GWR (my local operator) as a family of 3 they automatically give us group save rate so the extra railcard wouldn’t save anything

That's useful to know; Groupsave is treated in a similar way to a Railcard.

 

[yorksrob]

Does anyone here have multiple Railcards?

If so, which ones and why do you have more than one? (I can think of several reasons why people might, but I am keen to hear real examples!)

Also does anyone have multiple geographic Railcards? (e.g. @yorksrob do you have a Network Railcard and a Dales Railcard) and if the answer to that is "yes", have you ever actually made a journey where two (or more) would be required to find the optimal fares for a journey? (e.g. a journey from Ribblehead to Ashford using a Dales Railcard to Leeds, then no Railcard, and a Network Railcard from Huntingdon/Stevenage/St Pancras)

Hi Yorkie, I have the Dales Railcard, and I used to have the Network card as well, but the Network one lapsed during the pandemic as I didn't have as much reason to travel down south. To be honest, it was always a bit marginal as to how much value it would be.

I've never used the Dales and Network card on the same journey as I live between the two areas, so tend to travel to one or the other.

 

[James H]

I have a Two Together Railcard and a Network Railcard.

Even though most of our travel is in the Network Railcard area, the Two Together is useful if my fiancée and I are travelling together because of a) the discount on Advances and b) the lack of weekday minimum fare.

 

[Bread & cheese]

Staff at a local station tell me that the usual reason for someone having two railcards is that they use one for solo travel, and the other for travel with other people.
Eg senior railcard for solo travel, family railcard for taking grandchildren on day trips.

 

[AM9]

I have a Senior Railcard, wife has a Network Railcard and we share a Two Together Railcard for holiday trips, (the current one expires early September and we've saved over £150 on two breaks/holidays - one to Chester and one to St Ives. Next year we will both have Senior Railcards so a £30 pa. saving there.

 

[Shrewbly]

Eg senior railcard for solo travel, family railcard for taking grandchildren on day trips.

Those are the cards I have, senior for solo travel (mostly short but frequent weekday journeys to care for an elderly parent), family railcard when travelling with my daughter and wife (less frequent but usually longer distance weekend journeys). Both cards fairly easily cover themselves.

 

[sonic2009]

At one point towards the back end of 2021/2022, I held one 26-30 railcard, one Family & Friends railcard, one Two Together Railcard.

I only have the family and friends one now, as my 26-30 railcard ran out before my 32nd Birthday (bought when i was 30 just before my 31st), and the Two Together Railcard ran out in March.

 

[Deafdoggie]

I have a Disabled Railcard and a Family & Friends railcard.
Normally I use the F&F if travelling with the children and the D if not.
However, in the past I've used the D to get reduced First Class advance on Virgin Trains even with a child if there's 2 adults and 1 child.
Once, when we had 5 adults and 1 child I used both together, as my wife is named on the F&F too. So, I guess, technically, I didn't use both, but you know what I mean.

 

[saxsux]

I currently have a two together Railcard, a Devon and Cornwall Railcard, and a network railcard. I live in London but also go back to the family home in Devon so all railcards get regular use.

For visiting the family home, the network railcard can get me to Exeter St Davids, and then the Devon and Cornwall Railcard I use for local journeys when I'm there. Very useful!

Very naughty! They're only meant for Devon and Cornwall residents.

 

[swt_passenger]

I had about 6 months with Network and Senior cards when I first turned 60. I think I only used the Network Card a couple of times in that period, with other family members, obviously the Senior card was much better for solo travel without the weekday start time restriction.

 

[Coolzac]

Very naughty! They're only meant for Devon and Cornwall residents.

I got it when I was temporarily living back home for a couple of months.

 

[[.n]]

I've often had as a useful combination

Gold Card
16-25
F&F

 

[js517]

In the past I've held 2 together, family and network at the same time, and at another time 2 together and gold card.

Finding the best fare when travelling with an under 5 is a pain as you have to search once with the family Railcard and once without the child.

 

[richw]

I have a Cornwall and Devon and also a Friends and family railcard.
The d&c is cheaper to use on local journeys so was my original. The F&F paid for itself on one long distance journey.

 

[SeanG]

I have a 26-30 for trips on my own and a Two Together for when my wife and I travel (We bought the Two Together first, else it would have been just as easy to both get 26-30s)