Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Uni train travel

27 replies

MariaWaria · 16/09/2017 06:52

I realise that me and DD have been UR in not properly checking out the cost of her train travel to uni. She‘s living at home so somehow it didn’t seem important.

However we now discover it’s going to cost £11 a day. No other transport method available.

AIBU to think that there is no way to reduce this cost as the student railcard seems to have a minimum spend, she’ll be travelling mostly at peak times and at 21 she doesn’t seem to qualify for any reductions.

OP posts:
MonkeyJumping · 16/09/2017 06:56

Is that £11 a day with the season ticket? Or is it not worth paying for that?

EduCated · 16/09/2017 06:58

If she's a full time student she's eligible for the 16-25 railcard regardless of age. I'm not aware of it having a minimum spend unless anything has changed in the past couple of years - I used to use it on a £3 trip.

Blankiefan · 16/09/2017 06:58

Could she look at car/lift sharing? She could advertise at uni or use one of the various websites that kink people.

EduCated · 16/09/2017 06:59

If she's a full time student she's eligible for the 16-25 railcard regardless of age. I'm not aware of it having a minimum spend unless anything has changed in the past couple of years - I used to use it on a £3 trip.

NerrSnerr · 16/09/2017 07:01

She's 21 years old. She should have checked, not you. Has she looked into getting a season ticket?

hippyhippyshake · 16/09/2017 07:02

There's a minimum spend during peak am commuter hours. Can't remember how much but more than £10

CasperGutman · 16/09/2017 07:06

From the railcard site:

A £12 minimum fare applies on all journeys made between 04:30 and 10:00 Monday to Friday.

If you travel regularly between 04:30 and 10:00 Monday to Friday, to work or your place of study for instance, a weekly or monthly season ticket could be the best way for you to save money. Railcards do not give discounts on season tickets.

www.16-25railcard.co.uk/using-your-railcard/travel-times-tickets/

kuniloofdooksa · 16/09/2017 07:13

The 18-25 railcard t&cs must have changed since you and I were young EduCated - they now say between 04:30 and 09:59 Monday to Friday (except during July and August) a minimum fare of £12 will apply

How many days a week will your DD need to be on campus in the morning? Could she leave after 10;00 occasionally?

I think she is just going to need to swallow the cost. Even £55 per week travel costs is cheaper than renting in many university cities. She can earn that with 8.5 hrs work per week at £6.5ph.

JustMumNowNotMe · 16/09/2017 07:15

She's 21 years old. She should have checked, not you

This with bells on! Let her get on with sorting it out!

kuniloofdooksa · 16/09/2017 07:26

Xpost Casper

Depending on the exact journey a 1 month season ticket would be about £190. If she's needing to go in peak time 5 days a week that's £9.50 a day.

Original poster
MariaWaria · 16/09/2017 07:33

She's 21 years old. She should have checked, not you

I know, I know Grin

She will be in uni 4 days pw and mostly will need ot travel at peak times.

Car sharing unlikely to be an option due to our location.

OP posts:
PoppyH56 · 16/09/2017 07:34

I use my railcard at peak times, I just use the machines to get my ticket not at the counter and it still lets me use it and qualify for my discount. So far, haven't been stopped or checked.

PoppyH56 · 16/09/2017 07:34

I have the 16-25 railcard

coffeekittens · 16/09/2017 07:37

How much is a season ticket? Could be worth looking into that.

Also does she have a drivers license or any plans to get one?

LineysRunner · 16/09/2017 07:41

£44 is cheaper than running a car or city renting, though.

LineysRunner · 16/09/2017 07:42

£44 a week

LIZS · 16/09/2017 07:42

Is she taking out a maintenance loan? Could she work pt on not uni days or at uni?

Glumglowworm · 16/09/2017 07:44

agree that at 21 she should have checked and that this is her problem not yours!

A season ticket may be the best option, but she needs to do the maths and work out if a weekly or monthly is better given that she will only be travelling in term time. She could always mix and match monthly and weekly.

proplapsingallover · 16/09/2017 07:59

My son cant use a railcard - his fare is £9 a day. It is frustrating.

IlonaRN · 16/09/2017 09:01

Is she eligible for a Disabled Person's Railcars? That is valid on all journeys.

5rivers7hills · 16/09/2017 09:04

Is bus or coach travel an option?

Can she drive to a cheaper station? Driveto uni?

Travel oitside of peak times?

flumpybear · 16/09/2017 09:16

Hell of a lot cheaper than halls though

hippyhippyshake · 16/09/2017 10:43

Go to your local station and give them the term dates or any dates where she doesn't have a break in the middle. They might be able to work out a season ticket price. My dds used to get what the clerk called a 'half-term special' which was about 25% cheaper than dailys

Crumbs1 · 16/09/2017 10:47

Well how often do s she need to be in early and have to use the peak time trains? Most courses aren't exactly overburdened with contact time so it probably won't be every day that she has an early start unless she's doing a vocational course when there is often help with travel costs. Could she learn to drive?

PinkSquash · 16/09/2017 10:50

Season ticket is the way to go here. Railcards aren't valid at peak times so its the only option to reduce the fares, if she gets a loan/grant she can buy the longest one possible for the best fare