National Rail’s new 26-30 railcard will go on sale nationwide before the end of the year
Rail companies have come together to produce a railcard for 26 to 30-year-olds, which will be officially rolled out by the end of the year after a successful trial period.
More than 4m people in the UK fall into that age group, which will now be eligible to purchase a 26-30 railcard.
Just like the 16-25 railcard, the new railcard will give those who buy it a third off their travel for a one-off fee of £30 a year.
The trial, which took place in East Anglia before being expanded nationwide earlier this year, found that those participating took an average of six leisure journeys a month, covering 400 miles, meaning the card would therefore save consumers around £125 a year on average.
It will also be the first ever digital-only railcard. Those using it will be required to download an app on their phone in order to get the discounted price, but it will be available straight away without the need to wait for a plastic version in the post.
To ease concerns around losing access to the card if a phone is lost or simply runs out of battery, the rail industry membership body, the Rail Delivery Group, has allowed the card to be swapped between phones.
Jacqueline Starr, managing director of Rail Delivery Group, said: “Britain’s rail companies are excited to announce that the National Rail 26-30 Railcard will be available across the country before the end of the year.
“It means more young people can explore Britain for less using our trains and benefit from saving a third on rail travel, making it cheaper to get out and enjoy the seaside or visit family and friends.”
More than 4m people already use one of the alternative railcards that are already in place and this latest initiative will allow those who are no longer eligible for the 16-25 railcard to continue saving money on their travel until they turn 30.
It is the latest commitment to making improvements to the rail industry. Last month the introduction of a new app to help disabled people was also announced.
For more information on the 26-30 railcard, visit www.26-30railcard.co.uk.