UK benefits of a Young Person's Rail Card

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This review was made: Sep 27th, 2005
UK benefits of a Young Person's Rail Card (hereafter YPRC)


I've been travelling from Llandudno (UK) to Bangor University, mon-fri, for the last two years.
the benefits of a Young Person's Rail Card (hereafter YPRC)


What it is
The YPRC enables holders save 1/3 on most rail fares throughout Britain, all for £20 per year. As long as you produce it when you make your journey and whenever a ticket master/mistress asks for your ticket, you can make the savings.

Who is eligible?
Like many - I hope it's not just me, I thought that the YPRC was only eligible for person's aged 18 - 25: It's not! The YPRC can be used by 18-25 year olds and also by mature students aged 26 and above as long as you have proof that you are a full-time student at a recognised educational establishment for over 15 hours, at least 20 weeks a year. If there is any doubt if your institution is a recognised Institution you may have to have a NUS (Student Union Card) as proof. You will need to take the application form to someone in your department, head of year or tutor for verification. You are also eligible if you are an international Student with an ISIC (International Student identity Card).

How much?

The current cost is £20 per year, but someone in my local station told me that there are offers on sometimes where you get 15 months for the price of 12.

What do you save?
On the website www.youngpersons-railcard.co.uk you are told that you can save up to 1/3 on train journeys. Further on in the website you are given a few examples of actual saving that you can make. I will not list them all but here are two as an example.

Carlisle to Glasgow return
Cheap Day Return £15.50
Student Rail card £10.25
Save £5.25
Birmingham to Manchester return
Saver Return £26.80
Student Rail card £17.70
You save £9.10

So I could test out what savings I could make - going from Llandudno to Bangor - I went to National Rail enquiries website www.nationalrail.co.uk and typed in my journey details.
Without the railcard my journey will cost
Cheap day return £4.20
Standard Day return £4.90

With the YPRC my journey will cost;
Cheap Day Return £2.85
Standard Day Return £3.25
So you can see I have made a saving of 1/3 give or take 5p.

What's not good about it?
The problem that for all journeys before 10am a minimum fare applies ( You will have to ask your operator how much this will be. On my route it is £8.00). For me that is a major problem as some of my lecture start at 10am. You also have to remember to bring it with you at all times, which for someone like me that is difficult.

here to buy it from?

There are two options that you have to buy the YPRC
Firstly you will need to fill out an application form. You can either get one online www.youngpersons-railcard.co.uk or you can get a form from your local train station.

You can take the completed form to your local train station. If you are applying for the first time then you need to bring along one of the following;
Birth certificate
Passport
Driving License
ISIC card
You will also need a passport size photo - some large stations have their own booths - and £20. If you are mature student you will need to provide proof that you are in fulltime education. In order to do this you will need to fill in the /mature students only section of the application form completed and certified by your by your institution.

You can also buy or renew over the phone. Ring the number that corresponds with your local train company. You will need one of the items that I listed above i.e. Birth certificate when you ring up the train company. If you have done this before then all you need is your photo card number, railcard number and expiry date. Payment can be made by debit or credit card. I presume all debit cards, but I have in the past had problems with Visa Electron. You will be sent card through the post within about 14 days.

Arriva Trains Wales 08709 000773
C2C 08457 44 44 22
Central Trains 0870 609 60 60
Chiltern Railways 08456 005 165
First Great Western 08457 000 125
GNER 08457 225 225
Hull Trains 01482 606 388
Midland Mainline 08457 125 678
Northern Rail 08457 000 125
One 08700 40 90 90
Scot Rail 08457 55 00 33
Silverlink 08705 125 240
South West Trains 08456 000 650
Virgin Trains 08457 222 333
West Anglia Great Northern 0870 850 8822

My opinion
Well is it worth it? I think it is without a doubt. Although I will be having lectures sometimes at 10 am - so this not able to use it - I still think it's worth it. For £20 per year I save 1/3, also, within a couple of weeks of me using it for two or three times a week, I will have got my money back. Although I worried about losing the card, I was told by the man in the ticket office that as long as I keep the original receipt when I purchase the card, I can have a replacement: I'm not aware of any charges that are made for this. The only problem is remembering to bring it, but I think that the money that you save will be a great motivator.

All in all I would say that this has been a great buy for me, and I will save a lot of money over the coming year.***