To think they should just do a railcard for everyone?

[Itsgonnabeacoldone]

Like other countries do. There's lots of people in their 30s, 40s and 50s struggling. I know there is the two together card and network card but obviously they have limitations.

Great idea in principle but, who picks up the tab for the massive subsidy?

Why though? I thought railcards were to do with if you were unemployed, under a certain age, a student etc?
What's the point in subsidising it for everyone?

And may I ask which countries have subsidised railcards (or similar) for everybody? Certainly none I've been to in recent years (and I travel a lot).

I used to piss me off when I was a student. I was told so many times that students can get a rail card.

Except I was 27, so I couldn't ☹

It would probably not cost anything, the money saved would be spent in other things in the economy and multiply.

Some people know the cost of everything but not the benefit.

Off peak trains are often emoty, they could make more money with this.

Under 25s don't get paid as much as over 25s but their bills are the same. I can't begrudge them a railcard.

Full time students are entitled to a railcard even if over 25.

People on minimum wage get paid the same regardless of 24 or 25

Misswilmot you’d have been eligible for a railcard if doing the right amount of hours

misswilmot this sounds like it comes a bit late for you, so sorry to add to your annoyance - but mature students can have 16-25 railcards, there's a special form your university or college has to fill in.

www.16-25railcard.co.uk/help/faqs/mature-student/

Sorry, x-post nerr!

Off peak trains are often emoty, they could make more money with this.

But the big advantage of the 16-25 over the network rail (which anyone can buy) is that it works all day (with a minimum fare before 10am, but that can still be a big discount). Network rail exists, only works after 10am, and hasn't filled those empty trains because most people have reasons not to go that late!

I think they should give up railcards altogether and just subsidise rail fares more, especially off-peak and long distance.

A while ago, there was a programme on the radio about rail fares. They spoke to some guy whose company had had to get 4 directors from Blackpool to Brighton to sign some important contracts. It worked out cheaper for them to charter a private plane and fly to Shoreham airport and take a taxi than for them all to get the train. That's just bonkers.

We only live 50 miles from central London. If we go up to town, it is loads cheaper to drive to the outskirts of Croydon, get the tram to East Croydon and train from there, and unless it's peak time, it doesn't take much longer.

There's a sign on a main road in Sussex that tells you it's only 12 minutes by train to Eastbourne. It omits to mention that it costs over £12 return to do a 17 mile journey, so the round trip doesn't even use a gallon of fuel for most cars.

We'll never get people to use public transport rather than drive unless fares some down a lot. I know you can get bargain tickets if you book well in advance, but a lot of journeys are made at short notice. I think rail fares are a big factor in traffic congestion.

Margaret I don't understand what you are getting at? The new card is for 25-30.

Why is it not a good idea to encourage people to use trains that are vastly under capacity? It would help get cars off the road and save pollution.

Yes other countries do have rail cards for everyone. We bought one to travel in Germany, I can't remember what the discount was but it was significant.

I think rail prices are too expensive across the board though.

When the two together cards came out I was chatting with the man on bought ours off. "isn't it nice that we can have a railcard too now, it'll save so much money," I said to him.

He replied "it'd save you a lot more money if they abolished first class and had single fairly priced on or off peak tickets, without all this pay in advance rubbish".

He had a point - all this railcard bollocks is bread and circuses to stop us noticing the fundamental shiteness of how our railways are run and priced. You shouldn't need to have a special card to get age or ability related discounts.

People would fill off peak trains if you didn't have to book seven years in advance to get a cheap ticket on one. If I'm going somewhere at less than two weeks notice I need fairs to be a lot lower than they are to stop me just driving, and I love trains.

People under 40 generally get paid the same as the under 25's though but have more responsibilities and kids and outgoings. So the age range makes no fucking sense. Why are us in our 30's the ones that are fucking screwed over and missed out again? It's our bloody wages that haven't increased in over a decade! Not theirs!

People on minimum wage get paid the same regardless of 24 or 25 confused.

No they don't. Once you're 25 you earn the 'living wage' prior to that there's a sliding scale

itsgone actually minimum wage for under 25s is 45p less and hour than those who are 25 and over

and that only for those aged over 21, 18-21 year olds get paid £1.90 less and hour and under 18s £3.45 less

Why dpnt they just decrease rail fares? It would be less admin than issuing cards to everyone

Ok sorry didn't know the min wage went up at 25, still doesn't help in this case as the card is up to 30.

30 and 31 year olds get paid the same.

The worst thing about train fares is the ridiculous pricing system. For example, my sister lives in Brighton and I live in Ipswich.

Average journey time Brighton to London is 1 hr 6 mins. Average journey time Ipswich to London is 1 hr 15 mins. So you would expect fare from Ipswich to be a bit more expensive.

But the cheapest day return fare from Brighton (without railcards or advance booking) is £18.20 (super off peak day return), while the cheapest day return fare from Ipswich (without railcards or advance booking) is £40.80 (off peak return).

There isn't even an option for a "day return" from Ipswich to London. And my sister wonders why I rarely go to London for the day, despite the fact we live similar distances from London!

Oh, and if my sister uses her Network Card (something I can't get in Ipswich because we are outside the zone), she can buy that ticket for £13. It makes no sense!