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Original poster

To not understand how a railcard works

35 replies

Ohioatdawn · 15/04/2025 09:00

Go easy on me because I sometimes have difficulty understanding things properly.
I'm trying to find a cheaper way to travel by train for our family of 4 so I'm looking in to buying a family and friends railcard.
We are 2 adults + 2 DC both school age.
Railcard says it gives a 60% discount to kids fares, and 1/3 off of adult fares.
So I've just gone online to National Rail and done a search for cost of tickets without a railcard compared to the cost with railcard.
The journey I have put in for 2 adults + 2 kids on the date selected is £78 with no railcard.
The same journey/same date is £61 with a family & friends railcard (there is an option for clicking 'add railcard').
£17 cheaper with the family railcard.
£17 discount is alright I suppose, but to my mind that is not 1/3 off of 2 adult tickets plus 60% off of the 2 DC tickets.
Please help if anyone is experienced with this - why is the website saying 1/3 off of adult fares and 60% off of kids fares with a family railcard but then only deducting £17 for all 4 of us?
Non peak time travel, I should add.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
MinnieGirl · 15/04/2025 13:16

Needmorelego · 15/04/2025 11:23

Not on weekends.
Time restrictions don't exist on weekends.

Show quote history

Ah sorry didn’t realise it was a weekend ticket

DOUBLEBLUE · 15/04/2025 12:30

Having a railcard gives you all sorts of discounts to tourist attractions etc (not restaurants unfortunately) but saving on entrance fees might free up funds for eating🙂. Last time I went to London we got 2 for the price of 1 tickets on the London Eye, river cruise etc. You can book in advance via this site
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/days-out-guide/2for1-london/

Days Out Guide 2FOR1 London | National Rail

Travel by train and get 2FOR1 on top attractions in London, including Madame Tussauds, the London Eye, SEA LIFE London Aquarium, The London Dungeon, Tower Bridge, St Paul's Cathedral, Kew Gardens and Big Bus Tours

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/days-out-guide/2for1-london/

twilightcafe · 15/04/2025 12:14

Also worth asking at your local train ticket office. The staff may be able to find a cheaper fare than going online.

Needmorelego · 15/04/2025 12:10

@Ohioatdawn this Sunday is Easter Sunday though.
Most places might be closed.

Needmorelego · 15/04/2025 12:09

@Ohioatdawn enjoy your trip 🙂
I generally use the website for the train company that uses the route I need (so for Lewes that's Southern Rail).
I find that's usually the best way.

Original poster
Ohioatdawn · 15/04/2025 11:39

This thread has opened up a whole new world to me!
I didn't know you could go on to different train websites and get different prices on each of them for the same trip!
I have now found out that I can get to London for a cheaper rail fare using some sites rather than others. I did not know this!
I have only ever used the National Rail site before!
I've been playing around with different sites, Southern Rail, Midland Mainline, Trainline, etc. and it looks like the railcard deducts different amounts depending on which website it is. I've now managed to find a fare for £45 for the 4 of us for this Sunday, compared to £78 when I started looking earlier this morning!
@Whoarethoseguys I can't manage to find the £17 deal you have found, that really would be amazing!
So my trip is Lewes to London Victoria depart Lewes 9am and depart Victoria 7pm this Sunday.
I also didn't know I could buy a railcard using Tesco clubcard points, so thank you for that too @AlleeBee and @amusedbush !
We have to budget for everything as we are not a high income family but I don't want that to be a barrier to showing my DC the wonderful culture and history that London offers.
Thank you everyone who has helped me with this!🙏
Next up - any tips for a cheap family meal whilst in central London?! Or is that asking too much!😂

OP posts:
amusedbush · 15/04/2025 11:26

AlleeBee · 15/04/2025 09:40

You can get a one year Family and Friends Railcard for £8 of Clubcard points 😊

Show quote history

Came here to say this!

I have a Disabled Railcard and I set aside a chunk of my Clubcard points every year for it.

Needmorelego · 15/04/2025 11:23

MinnieGirl · 15/04/2025 11:06

Most discounts won’t apply before 9.30 in the morning. You do have to jiggle about with times…

Not on weekends.
Time restrictions don't exist on weekends.

MinnieGirl · 15/04/2025 11:06

Most discounts won’t apply before 9.30 in the morning. You do have to jiggle about with times…

CatsLikeBoxes · 15/04/2025 10:00

On Trainline it came up as around £54 day return this Saturday or £40ish with a Railcard.

It's actually ridiculous how fares vary depending on where / how you buy them

UnaOfStormhold · 15/04/2025 09:52

Sometimes there's a minimum amount the ticket cost is reduced to e.g. a network Railcard ticket is never less than £13 in the week. Not sure what restrictions apply in your case.

Needmorelego · 15/04/2025 09:51

@Ohioatdawn so a £27.50 saving.

Needmorelego · 15/04/2025 09:50

@Ohioatdawn this is what I got on the Southern Rail website.
I put in Saturday 26th Day Returns.
(pictures might take a minute to show up)

To not understand how a railcard works
To not understand how a railcard works
Wisterical · 15/04/2025 09:48

Your £61 quote works if a discount has only been applied to the adult fares, so are you sure you clicked on the correct railcard, eg you haven't applied a 'two together' one rather than family?

socialdilemmawhattodo · 15/04/2025 09:46

sparepantsandtoothbrush · 15/04/2025 09:32

No idea about the railcard but download the train pal app. No idea why or how but it's cheaper to do it through there

Trainpal have just ripped me off over a Eurostar fare so take care using this app. Their customer service agents are fast to reply but they just repeat chunks of text from their t&cs without understanding the issue.

Whoarethoseguys · 15/04/2025 09:45

OP I have just searched Lewes to London and on Midland Mainline there are tickets with a family and friends Railcard for £17 for two adults and two children so it's definitely worth looking again

Wisterical · 15/04/2025 09:43

If you tell us the individual ticket prices we could maybe help.

I think £78 for two adults and two kids breaks down as £26 for and adult ticket and £13 for child.

So with your railcard reductions of a third off adult fares and 60% off kids the new total should be close to £45.

Needmorelego · 15/04/2025 09:40

@Ohioatdawn I got it as £44.50 for 2 adults, 2 children day returns on the Southern website.
One of the child tickets was £2 so I assume that's a "kid for a quid" offer.

AlleeBee · 15/04/2025 09:40

Ohioatdawn · 15/04/2025 09:29

Yes I know. It's £28 ATM.

Show quote history

You can get a one year Family and Friends Railcard for £8 of Clubcard points 😊

MiddleAgedDread · 15/04/2025 09:37

Not all fares are eligible for a railcard discount as far as I could tell from playing around with options - this was also on a route in/out of a London terminus.

Whoarethoseguys · 15/04/2025 09:37

I think it depends where you are going and what time and which train booking site you use. Also have you double checked to make sure the site has actually taken into account the rail card .
Railcards are usually definitely worth the money if you make more than one journey a year or if you are going on a long expensive journey. I have saved a lot of money on mine.
It might be worth checking in a different site or changing the time.you are goimg

frozendaisy · 15/04/2025 09:34

It might be the child tickets are on offer so are less than a 1/4 price of the dare to start with

what are two adult tickets full fare?

We have a F&F card and decided to go to London unplanned, so went to a manned counter, it was cheaper as a group travel that day without the railcard.

There is no fixed pattern! Basically

You can use Tesco vouchers to get railcards, it’s double your points, so I always use those, and get one yearly. Usually save the amount in vouchers on one journey so anything after is a bonus.

sparepantsandtoothbrush · 15/04/2025 09:32

No idea about the railcard but download the train pal app. No idea why or how but it's cheaper to do it through there

Original poster
Ohioatdawn · 15/04/2025 09:29

MilesOfMotivation · 15/04/2025 09:06

Plus you have to pay for the Railcard in the first place, so need to factor that cost in.

Yes I know. It's £28 ATM.

OP posts:
Wilma55 · 15/04/2025 09:27

Is it because weekend is already cheaper? Try same journey on weekday to see.