FAQs

• How do I purchase or renew my Railcard online?
• What do I need to buy online?
• What payment methods are accepted?
• Why is the system not accepting my passport or driving licence?
• Which countries passports can be used to apply for the Railcard?
• How long do I have to wait for my Railcard to arrive?
• Can I buy tickets at a discounted rate before my Senior Railcard arrives?
• My Senior Railcard has not arrived in the post. What can I do?
• Can visitors to Britain buy the Senior Railcard?
• How can I change my address details if I am an online Railcard customer?
• Can I save my data and return to finish my application later?

1. How do I purchase or renew my Railcard online?

Simply select "Buy Senior Railcard now" and follow the onscreen instructions.

You will need a valid passport or driving licence number to verify your eligibility online. Once payment has been made online you will receive an email confirmation and acknowledgement of your application number.

Your new Railcard will be despatched within one working day and sent free by First Class post. We’re sorry, but it can’t be collected from a rail station. 

You will need to have your Railcard for travel with discounted tickets.

No online refunds are available.

2. What do I need to buy online?

Before you start, you will need:

• A valid passport or UK driving licence to verify your eligibility online
• Delivery address details of where you would like your Railcard to be delivered.
• A valid debit/credit card or PayPal account

You'll only need your passport or driving licence details for your first online purchase.

3. What payment methods are accepted?

We accept online payment via PayPal and credit and debit cards. The cards accepted are: Visa, Visa Debit, Visa Electron, MasterCard, MasterCard Debit, Maestro and Solo.

4. Why is the system not accepting my passport or driving licence?

You need to enter your valid  passport or UK driving licence number as proof of age. We accept machine readable passport codes from all countries with the exception of those issued in the Phillippines and Bangladesh prior to 2010.

If you have done this and received an error message, please check that your date of birth, gender and passport number have been entered correctly. When you have made the necessary changes click continue.

If you have done this and received an error message, this may be because you are not eligible for a Senior Railcard (you are not 60 or over). Continued error messages mean that you won’t be able to buy your Railcard online.

To buy your Railcard in person, please visit your nearest staffed train station or National Rail-licensed Travel Agent. To buy over the phone, call 08457 48 49 50 for a train company telesales number.

5. Which countries passports can be used to apply for the Railcard?

We accept machine readable passport codes from all countries with the exception of those issued in the Philippines and Bangladesh prior to 2010.

6. How long do I have to wait for my Railcard to arrive?

If you are buying your Railcard online we will despatch it within one working day, and send it free by First Class post. We are dependent on the postal service so please allow FIVE working days for your Railcard to arrive. You won’t be able to collect your Railcard from a rail station. 

You can only start travelling on discounted tickets once you have received your Railcard. You cannot use your printed out confirmation of sale to get discount. The Railcard is the only proof of entitlement to discount that rail staff are able to accept.  

7. Can I buy tickets at a discounted rate before my Senior Railcard arrives?

You must carry your Senior Railcard with you on any journey where you have bought discounted tickets with the Railcard. Therefore, if you buy discounted Railcard tickets before you receive your Railcard, you do this at your own risk. We’re sorry but we can’t be held responsible for Railcards lost in the post.

8. My Senior Railcard has not arrived in the post. What can I do?

You will need to wait FIVE working days and then log back in to your Railcards online account. From there, you can apply for a replacement Senior Railcard. Please remember you need to have your Railcard with you to travel on discounted Railcard tickets. 

9. Can visitors to Britain buy the Senior Railcard?

Yes, provided you are 60 or over. You can buy the Senior Railcard online with a valid passport or UK driving licence, or from a staffed rail station in England, Scotland or Wales or a National Rail-appointed Travel Agent on arrival.

You can also buy a Railcard at Gatwick Airport and Stansted Airport rail stations, Luton Airport Parkway and Manchester Airport – but NOT at London Heathrow Airport.

You will have to complete an application form, provide proof of age, and payment. The Railcard will be issued for use straightaway and is normally valid for 12 months.

However you might also like to consider the BritRail Pass if visiting this country. For details about BritRail, please see www.raileurope.com.

10. How can I change my address details if I am an online Railcard customer?

Simply Log in and enter your email address and password. Choose “Edit your details” to edit your address.

11. Can I save my data and return to finish my application later?

Yes, In order to make the process easier, you can click on save and exit and all data entered by you will be saved so that you can come back later and finish your application. We will keep your personal information for six months after which time it will automatically be deleted from our system.