The essential discount card for anyone aged 16 - 25. Or 26, 27, 28... (Young Persons Railcard)

Member Name: jamesontheroad

Product:	Young Persons Railcard
Date:	13/10/08 (282 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Works right across the UK and offers a hefty discount on most train travel.

Disadvantages: Not valid during the morning rush hour on most trains.

The 16-25 Railcard (formerly the Young Persons Railcard) is the National Rail discount card for train travel in the UK. You can use it to get 1/3 off almost all train tickets (with only the notable exception of season tickets). Even advance purchase single tickets can be reduced with a railcard, although railcard discounts aren't normally available during the morning rush-hour.

The card costs £24 (up from £20 just a few years ago) so you only have to spend about £50 on reduced travel and its paid for itself.

The card is available to anyone between the ages of 16 and 25. You can even apply for a one year railcard on the day before your 26th birthday, if you want to continue to enjoy discounted rail travel.

Interestingly, if you hold a UK driving license or passport, the 16 - 25 Railcard can now be purchased online, and you can use the webcam of your computer (or a jpeg) to upload a passport style photograph for an integrated railcard/photocard (meaning one less card to show with your ticket than if you buy it in a station). The card can be bought online and delivered in about two working days. The crucial detail is that to verify the age of the cardholder, the application form asks for either your UK driving licence number or UK passport number. That's because these numbers contain your date of birth - albeit scrambled. No verification is needed with the issuing agencies of these pieces of ID; the age of the railcard applicant can be verified from this number alone.

This would suggest that anyone who understands the coding of a drivers license (and that would include anyone who has typed "Driving licence in the United Kingdom" into Wikipedia) could create a fictitious UK driving license number that suggests an age between 16 and 25, regardless of their actual age. I have met several people over the age of 25 who have exploited this loophole. While I don't condone it, it would appear to work and to have been exploited.

Summary: Pricier than it used to be, but still great value