Pssssttttttacuf... Psssstacufff... (Young Persons Railcard)

Member Name: litefoot

Product:	Young Persons Railcard
Date:	16/07/05 (3736 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheaper fares

Disadvantages: Over 25s not eligible

I've always wondered why so many people in the UK go for the option of owning a car to get from A to B. Not only is it hideously expensive, it's a lot of hassle to maintain and fuel. Witnessing my sister's long history of car trouble, there always seemed to be something wrong, whether she had a brand new car or a second hand one. This is why I have always opted for rail travel.

Rail is quick, cheaper in the long term, and reliable (well, 90% reliable, but that's probably not much worse than my sister's car). And when there are benefits like Young Persons Railcards, all the better!

The Young Persons Railcard allows 16-25 yr olds to get a third off rail fares when travelling. This saved me an awful lot of money as I have used rail transport around North-West England frequently over the last few years. Railcards can also be used by mature students over 25, who study at least 15 hours a week and 20 weeks a year.

Throughout the review I'll refer to the Young Persons Railcard as a YPR (much easier to read).

The cost of a Railcard is £20. It lasts 12 months exactly. When I first purchased my YPR a few years ago it was £18, but I found that the price increase later on was nothing compared to all the savings I made.

For example, when I lived at Lancaster University and wanted to make the trip home to Darwen, a return ticket cost me £6.35 with a YPR. The full fare was £9.90. Similarly, a return from Darwen to Manchester was £3.30 instead of £5. If you travel even further, the savings are greater, e.g. Manchester to London return would cost £33 instead of £58. Actually, you shouldn't even have to pay that (see below) but you get the general idea.

YPRs are worth buying whether you are an occasional traveller or a regular user, although it is not suitable for people who hardly ever use the rail network.

The railcard itself is actually made up of two cards. The first, with your photo, name and date of birth; and a second, with your signature and expiry date. This is odd as there is no reason why all the information can't be put on the one card.

A special wallet is provided free to put the railcards in. The wallet has three pockets, one each for the cards described above and a third for your rail ticket. The wallet can be flipped open so that all three cards can be displayed to the rail conductor/ticket checker.

Each card is about the same size as a credit card. Bear in mind that you must show both cards with your ticket during checks, or you will be charged the full fare, so always keep them handy in your coat pocket - many times I have reached for it and found it wasn't there... much to the annoyance of my wallet!

I would advise purchasing a YPR at a railway station rather than phoning up the local rail telesales centre and waiting for it in the post, which can take up to two weeks (and you might want to make a particularly expensive journey before it arrives). Going to a station means that you get the card immediately. And of course you save yourself the cost of a phone call :)

Simply obtain a YPR form (they can be found at most staffed railway stations), fill it out, get a passport sized photograph of yourself and take them to your nearest staffed station. They will process your form in about 5 minutes, filling out the details and putting the photo in place.

The YPR can also be used as a discount on Virgin Value Fares (VVFs). VVFs are very cheap tickets that provide massive discounts on long distance journeys that would otherwise be *very* expensive. For example, you can go buy a 14 Day Advance single ticket to go from Manchester to London for £12. With your YPR you can get a further discount and it would only cost £10.


ADVANTAGES
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YPRS can be used on all trains throughout the UK (including Northern Ireland). The only train services they cannot be used on are The Heathrow Airport Express and Eurostar.

If you are nearly 26 years old and your railcard has run out, don't worry. Just fill out another form and - I have checked with National Rail on this - as long as you are still 25, you will still be eligible and can use your renewed railcard for a further 12 months. So even if you have the form processed the day before your 26th birthday, you can still own a railcard until the day before you are 27!

YPRs can provide further discounts in hidden ways. For example, if you are travelling from A to F where F is relatively far away, one ticket from A to F might not be the best deal. Check the YPR ticket prices for A to C and C to F and you might find they add up to a cheaper price. Normally, I get the first ticket in my home town, and when I change trains get the second ticket at that station. The National Rail website (www.nationalrail.co.uk) is particularly useful for checking prices - their booking system provides you with all ticket prices from and to every UK station.


DISADVANTAGES
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Recently, train companies have been clamping down on railcard users who aren't buying their tickets in staffed stations but getting them on the train instead. Make sure you buy at such a station *before* you board, or they will charge you the full fare when onboard the train, even if you have your YPR. If you board at an unstaffed station, you can use your YPR on the train, and if there's no conductor on board and you have to change trains, you can use your YPR on the second train to get your ticket :)

Unfortunately railcards are not much use before 10am on weekdays (with a few exceptions) as there is a minimum fare to pay. Try to avoid travelling before 10, but if you must, a season ticket is the better option. Fortunately this rule does not apply at weekends, bank holidays, or in July and August - for some strange reason, because you'd think that with all the people going on holiday in the summer, train companies would want to cash in!

Don't lose the YPR because you'll have to get it replaced and pay a £5 'administration fee'. Like me... finding the original one tucked down behind a chair a month later!


A word of caution. The railcard may always seem like the cheapest option available but that is not always the case. For example, it wasn't until much later that I discovered the Rail Ranger ticket. This allows you to travel anywhere within the Greater Manchester Area for £2.70 for a whole day. This includes Bolton, Wigan, Piccadilly, Stockport and other places. This ticket does not require a YPR and would have been a far better option on some occasions. It is also not offered as an option on the National Rail website when buying a ticket. So check for special ticket offers before you travel.

I'm afraid that my YPR expired in May and now that I've just turned 27 (don't forget I was able to have the card throughout my 26th year) I am no longer eligible. This is very frustrating as the fares are now a third more expensive. In some cases this is only a matter of pence. For many journeys though it is sadly more than that and so I have had to scale my journeys down. Research has not yielded any other offers.

It's worth noting that the Virgin Value fares mentioned above are still at a reasonable price even without the railcard. For example, the Manchester to London ticket mentioned above is only £2 more than the YP equivalent. Similarly a Manchester to Edinburgh 14 Day Advance would cost £11.50, only £1.50 more.

For people over 65 there is a Senior Persons Railcard which also offers a third off fares.

YPRs can be used with some tickets and not others according to the YPR website.

YPRs give discounts on the following tickets:

Cheap Day Singles & Returns (these are available on most routes as far as I know)
Standard Day Singles & Returns
Standard Open Singles & Returns (as are these two, but they are usually more expensive)
Most Rail Rovers
Savers, SuperSavers
SuperAdvance Returns, Advance Returns (both must be booked in advance)
The Weekender and Network AwayBreaks
Virgin Value Fares
Off-Peak Day Travelcards (All Zones only)
Some ticket types offered by individual Train Companies

They cannot be used with the following tickets:

First Class tickets (except Weekend First accommodation)
Railair Links
Eurostar or Heathrow Express tickets
Some coach/bus links
Season tickets or period Travelcards
Some Train Company special offers (e.g. Apex, like the Rail Ranger I mentioned above!)

In conclusion I can say that the YPR was invaluable to me during rail travel and I would certainly have one now if I was eligible. Perhaps if train companies lifted the restrictions, it might encourage more people to travel by train and reduce the congestion on our roads?

I still travel by rail even if it is slightly more expensive now... certainly cheaper than buying a car!


YOUNG PERSONS RAILCARD INFORMATION
http://www.youngpersons-railcard.co.uk/

NATIONAL RAIL BOOKINGS
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/planmyjourney

LIVE DEPARTURE BOARDS (For all UK railway stations)
http://ldb.nationalrail.co.uk/ldb/livedepartures. asp

National Rail Enquiries: 08457 48 49 50

Summary: The Young Persons Railcard offers a third off train fares all over the UK