Great Western Coffee Shop

I think I know what the answer to my question will be, but just in case the situation is allowed for I thought I'd check.

My Y-P railcard expires on 15 May 09 (which is a Friday). Sadly, I'm now too far over the hill and too long in the tooth to renew it  :'( As it happens, I'm going away over that weekend. The booking office presumably will sell me an off-peak return ticket for my outward journey on the Friday, when my railcard is still valid. However, by the time of my return journey on Sunday 17 May I won't have a railcard any more or be eligible to renew it.

I assume this means that I can't use the railcard at all on the off-peak ticket, but if there are any rail staff out there who know different then please tell me!

Daft question, but can't you renew your railcard for another year on the Thursday (ie the day before it expires)? Or is that against the rules?

(unfortunately being a minority rail user - i.e. a middle-aged fully-employed able-bodied man - I am yet to be entitled to a railcard of any description* so I'm not at all sure what the rules are!)



*apart maybe from being entitled to a family railcard once long ago, but I don't remember ever having one of those either

the railcard if used has to be valid for both portions of the ticket. ie for both the out and rtn.

You can only renew on expiry or prior to expiry if you are still entitled to the railcard. ie some YP holders buy another YP railcard the day before their 26th birthday which is perfectly legal way of getting another year of discounted travel. as long as you are 16-25 when renewing or purchasing then the railcard is still valid even if you turn 26 whilst the railcard is in date.

hope that makes sense.

Not necessarily just those under the age of 26 when they renew, though, to be fair: this offer also applies to those (of any age) who are 'mature students' (terms and conditions apply).  ::)

Thanks for the advice. I did indeed renew the railcard the day before my 26th birthday (which was last year - staggering towards the grand old age of 27 this year), so I've had a year's extra discount - incidentally, that helpful tip was suggested to me by an FGW conductor, to whom I am eternally grateful. The full time education point is a good one, too, since anyone who is on a full time course of education can obtain a certified letter from their school/college/university and legitimately get a Y-P card (although that opportunity ran out for me last December when I finished a PhD course and couldn't string out my education any longer!).

I was pretty sure that I wouldn't be able to use the railcard in this situation but thought I'd check just in case there was any easement/exemption made in this case. Now all I have to do is wait 33 years until I become eligible for a senior railcard...

Or move to the old Network South East area (Network Card), the Cotswold Line (Cotswold Railcard) or Devon & Cornwall (D&C Railcard). All off-peak only (and some of the operators would, I'm sure, like to kill the Network Card completely) but entirely legit for all us in-betweenies.

I thought I was in the same boat until the other day, Phil, when I received an email to my personal account entitled "Book UK train tickets without any booking fees. Save even more with a Railcard this Easter".  I am in the process of investigating what railcard I am entitled to use  :P and I will let you know when I find out.   Better be quick - Easter Approaches!  Does anyone know - perhaps there is a minority railcard for our group!