Any Rail ticket experts about?

[WaxOnFeckOff]

DS will be travelling to Uni (either Bridge of Allan or Stirling station to Glasgow) from sept. Just trying to work out the most economical way to do this. Young Person's Rail card? Season ticket? Also just seen that he can get a discount with a Young Scot card until he is 19 too. Some fares need to be a minimum price in order to get the discount.

No idea what times he will need to travel and if it will be every day but I'm assuming at the moment that he'll need to be there for 9am but possibly travelling back before 5pm and that he'll need to go most days .

Anyone a bit more compus mentus than me that knows how it all works?

Hi
The young person rail card has a time restriction in the morning, so if he has to be in first thing unfortunately it will be no use.

DS2 travels into Glasgow and uses his Young Scot card to get a half price season ticket. He just bought one ticket to cover the entire term as that worked out the cheapest overall. I don't think there is a time restriction on the season ticket as he had some 9am lectures last year. If you buy daily tickets with your Young Scot you only get 1/3 off and if you want to travel before 10am there is a minimum spend.

Thanks both, it looks like a season ticket with the Young Scot card is the best then, well certainly until he turns 19. I wonder if he could buy a yearly ticket before he turns 19 and therefore get another year at 50% off?

They let you go 4 months maximum beyond your 19th birthday. I looked it up. No good for my DS2 who is a May birthday and works locally during the summer but might be worth it for your DS.

Thanks Clerk, he is July so not great either. Was hoping I could get a yearly ticket just before his birthday to stretch it up to nearly 20.

New to commenting - usually lurk on here. My dd off to Stirling to but she'll be staying in halls. Surely young persons railcard makes rail fares a lot cheaper (a third off) granted this is not a better offer than using Young Scot card for Scottish travel...Santander currently have an offer that you can get a railcard for 4 years if you open a current account with them. You have to be 18 to do so and have to open it in the Uni branch.

www.16-25railcard.co.uk/help/faqs/8/

Welcome to not lurking! :o

Unfortunately the rail card has restrictions on it that don't really help for commuting, e.g. if they travel peak time then the minimum fare is £12 so not much less than an normal day ticket of £13 something. It also can't be used to get a discount on a season ticket :( It's great for those doing occasional journeys like coming home from Uni for the weekend or holidays though.

Hope your DD enjoys Stirling.