Senior Rail Pass and Advance Tickets

question 1 - anybody who qualifies

question 2 - yes.

Everything you need to know is on the official website https://www.senior-railcard.co.uk/

Anything you don't understand - come back and ask.

Do be sure to understand the time restrictions.

Is there just the one of you? If you are two there is a better option.

Here is a little more detailed answer.

First of all, you can buy advance tickets without having the rail pass in hand. Simply select senior rail pass as you purchase your tickets online to get the discount on the advance tickets.

When you arrive at your first train station in Britain, go to the manned ticket booth and purchase your senior rail pass there. Bring along a passport sized photo . They will sell you your pass and print out all of your advanced purchase tickets for you.

Have fun!

^^What Carol said.

I researched this for my recent trip to London, but didn't buy the pass because my final itinerary wouldn't have benefited from it. When you go to the railcard website you'll see an option to buy a digital railcard. While I was still planning my trip, I emailed railcard customer service and asked if one could buy the digital senior railcard from the US. I got a nice prompt (!) personal reply:

Thank you for your email about purchasing a Digital Railcard. This is
available overseas however this can only be done over the phone as the
website doesn't allow you to change the country of the billing
address. We would need you to call us and create an account and then
send us in a photograph. Once that has been uploaded we will get in
contact with you to complete the Railcard application. Our Customer
Support Team number is 03453 000 250 (open from 7am – 10pm, seven days
a week). Alternatively, you can purchase a one year Railcard at any
manned station once you arrive into the UK.

As I said, as it turned out I didn't buy the card at all. I suppose for most people, just buying the card in person once you're in the UK would work just fine vs. getting the digital card before arrival.

BTW, there are slight differences in the sizes of US and UK passport photo sizes, but probably not significant enough to be a problem. If you don't arrive in the UK with the photos, there are photo booths in at least the major rail stations which cost I think £5 to produce the required photos for the railcard. So if you don't have time to get the passport photos before leaving home, no worries, just find a photo booth and you're all set.

No one can go wrong with the information from Nigel regarding the train system in the UK, he retired from the train system.

No photo needed for a Senior Railcard.

Photos are needed for a Two Together Railcard , a Network Railcard, a 26-30 Railcard (if you can ever find one), a 16-25 Railcard, and for a Season Ticket. Not for a Senior Railcard.

You do need your passport because out of the three proofs of age it is the only one you are likely to have.

From the page I linked to earlier, here's what you need.

If you're applying at a station for the first time you'll need to
complete an application form which is also available here and you’ll
need to bring one of the following:

Your birth certificate
Passport (all nationalities accepted)
UK driving licence

I do have first hand knowledge of these railcards having had the responsibility of working with them for many years.

Haven't heard back from the original poster so don't know if this is indeed the best solution.

DO NOT buy a through ticket from Salisbury to Durham as it will cost you about £117 - no matter how soon you book. I have just done a test for mid February and suggest you do this:> SAL > KGX (London King’s Cross - which does include the underground transfer from Waterloo = £11.50. KGX > Durham = £13.85. (These prices include the Senior Railcard discount). That’s a whopping £92 that I have saved you!

So, about 11 weeks ahead of your trip, go to www.nationalrail.co.uk and put in for the above journeys - with the Senior Railcard discount applied from the drop down panel. Note the time that your first journey should get you to Kings Cross. Allow some time over and then look at the prices for the trains to Durham. Pre-book the specific trains.

Other routes exist that avoid going via London - but these are more expensive. (One is to go from Salisbury to Bristol (Temple Meads) and then change for a train to Durham. If going this way, try splitting the ticket at Bristol.

Thank you so much for all your advice which is much appreciated. You have answered all my questions. And thanks very much for the tip about splitting my long journey which I will definitely take advantage of.