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Original poster

How do train season tickets work?

9 replies

Titsywoo · 30/08/2021 22:20

I'm looking at buying a season ticket for DD for travel to sixth form college but I'm not really sure how they work and can't figure it out on the National Rail website. If you buy a months ticket is that just dated from say 1st to 31st of that month (or whatever) or is it a certain amount of journeys? So in October when there is half term would we be wasting money on a season ticket? Sorry I probably sound incredibly stupid but I have no clue!

OP posts:

BunnytheFriendlyDragon · 30/08/2021 22:23

You can but a week, month, year and maybe 3 month. It runs for eg one month from when you buy it

Try this calculator

www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/Season-Calculator.aspx

MustDust · 30/08/2021 22:26

They are based on dates, so a month's ticket would be a month from the date you requested it to be from. The longer the period the better the discount IME - eg I have bought DC a whole year in advance as I know I'll need it, weigh up the daily/weekly/monthly cost to see what's best for you. IHave you bought a 16-17 railcard as this reduces the price to (I think) in line with a child's ticket?

RockNRollNerd · 30/08/2021 22:32

Check as well if there are special school tickets available for your train company. These can be cheaper than using the railcard or there might be a special railcard for sixth formers. It varies massively by region/rail company though. They definitely don’t make it easy. We are now in year 6 of buying train tickets for school and I swear each year. Generally though scholar tickets will run for an academic year (sept to July) and will be cheaper than any other option using railcards (or at least in my experience)

Original poster

Titsywoo · 30/08/2021 22:47

Yes she has the 16-17 saver but it still works out at £4.55 a day and the season ticket brings it down to £3.50 a day. Looks like we will just have to buy one week at a time. There is a special school ticket but we live in the next county and the ticket is only valid if you are travelling in the same county as the college unfortunately!

OP posts:

Tooembarrassingtomention · 30/08/2021 23:03

@Titsywoo

So can she have 1 ticket get her into the same county and then use the special school ticket?

Original poster

Titsywoo · 30/08/2021 23:07

Hmm possibly but I'm not sure that will work out much cheaper but I'll look into it!

OP posts:

Original poster

Titsywoo · 30/08/2021 23:07

I guess for the first month I can do a season ticket then weeklies up to half term

OP posts:

Fifthtimelucky · 30/08/2021 23:59

I used to buy season tickets for my children that covered the exact dates I wanted. They didn't have to be for a set period like a month or week.

I assume they are still available like that but haven't had to buy one for a few years.

happymummy2010 · 31/08/2021 07:15

I would wait until she gets her timetable from college as you may find she doesn’t have to go in every day and sometimes not until later in the morning. Last year it worked out cheaper for my DS rather than buying a season ticket o buy a return ticket on the days he went into college with his 16-17 saver card, taking advantage of off peak fares when he could.

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