These 8 railcard hacks can save you money on train travel

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Here’s my ultimate guide to making the cost of a railcard go further
Plus, if you’re a disabled person who couldn’t previously get a railcard, it’s worth checking again, as thousands more people became eligible at the start of this month, including Blue Badge holders.

Check the full eligibility criteria on the Railcard website .

Read more: Railcard discount codes for March 2026
1.

Look for railcard discount codes
2.

Use your Clubcard points to buy a railcard
More than 24 million people in the UK have a Tesco Clubcard.

If you’re one of them, you could use your points towards the cost of a railcard.

Through Tesco’s reward partners , you can double the value of your points, so you can convert every £2.50 in vouchers into £5 to spend towards a one-year railcard.

Not all types of railcard are available through Tesco reward partners, though – this trick only works when you buy a 16-25, senior, disabled persons, ‘family and friends’ or a ‘two together’ railcard.

3.

Buddy up to split the cost of a railcard
Similarly, if you’ve got a child aged between five and 15, you can team up with another adult with kids to get a family and friends railcard (£35, Familyandfriends-railcard.co.uk ).

By doing this, you and the other cardholder can use the railcard to travel with up to four adults and up to four children.

This will grant you a third off travel for the adults and 60 per cent off for the kids.

You and the other adult don’t need to travel together, but you do need to have at least one child with you.

4.

About to turn 31?

Buy a new railcard just before your birthday
Anyone between the age of 16 and 30 can get a railcard.

You can continue to use most railcards until they expire, even if you are no longer part of the age group the railcard is for (such as 26-30).

So if you’re about to turn 31, it might be worth buying a new 26-30 railcard at the last moment, so you can continue to get discounted travel for the longest possible time.

5.

Get 50 per cent off train journeys with a 16-17 railcard
When you’re either 16 or 17, there are two railcard options available: a 16-17 railcard or a 16-25 railcard.

But the difference is important, as a 16-17 railcard gets you 50 per cent off train travel rather than the usual third, so it makes the most financial sense to buy one before you age out of it.

Unlike most other age-based railcards, you can’t use your 16-17 railcard once you turn 18 – regardless of when you buy the railcard, it will only be valid up until the day you turn 18.

6.

Students can get a railcard for free with a Santander account
Once you’ve opened the account and registered for online banking, you’ll receive a railcard code within five days, which you can use to get a four-year 16-25 railcard for free.

You must use this code within 60 days – it won’t be reissued if it expires.

You’ll need to pay in at least £500 into your Santander Edge Student account every four months to stay eligible.

7.

Get cashback on your railcard purchase
TopCashback is a website that essentially pays you to shop through them, as they earn a fee for directing you to the retailer.

If you’ve never bought a railcard from Trainline before, you can earn up to 20 per cent cashback by getting one through TopCashback , which will usually mean £7 in your pocket when you buy an annual railcard or £16 for a three-year railcard.

Existing customers who have had a Trainline railcard will earn 7 per cent in cashback.

Once you’ve made your purchase, the cashback should be credited to your TopCashback account within seven days.

You can then withdraw your cashback to receive it straight to your bank account, which will usually go through by the end of the next working day.

8.

Live or work in London?

Add your railcard to your Oyster card
This is well worth doing if you live or work in the capital, as you’ll get a third off your fares on the Tube, Elizabeth Line, Overground and National Rail in London during off-peak times.

If you have a disabled persons railcard, you’ll get the discount during peak times, too.

I’ll be honest, getting this discount is a bit of a faff.

You’ll need to order an Oyster card or register yours online if you already have one.

Then, take it to a Tube, Overground or Elizabeth Line station along with your railcard and ask a member of staff to connect your railcard to your Oyster account.

Note that you can only add the following railcards to an Oyster account: 16-25 railcard, 26-30 railcard, senior railcard, HM Forces railcard, veterans railcard and disabled persons railcard.

The discount will only work when you use your Oyster card – unfortunately, you can’t add a railcard to your contactless payments.

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