Can someone who is NOT a UK resident buy a Senior Rail Card (which provides a substantial discount) for trains in England? Specifically, can these cards be purchased on arrival at Southampton using an American passport to establish age of 60+ ?
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17562 posts
Are you talking about this Senior Railcard?
https://www.senior-railcard.co.uk/
There are no restrictions on residency or citizenship on buying the card. We bought them once for our visit, before discovering the Two Together Railcard, which is lest expensive because you only need one £30 card for two people—-but they must travel together.
https://www.twotogether-railcard.co.uk/
Note that this one if for off-peak travel M-F, but good all day on weekends and bank holidays. We have never found this restriction to be a problem.
Posted by
Duluth 🛶
8159 posts
Yes, you can purchase one at the station or online ahead of time at https://www.senior-railcard.co.uk/. If you buy it online, they will give you a digital card that you keep on the app. I have a Disability Railcard (for hearing loss) and am in the UK right now. I have never been asked for the card, but if someone wants to see it, I just show it on my phone.
If you purchase your tickets online, there will be a drop down menu for you to list the kind of railcard you have, and the discount will be applied.
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
8913 posts
One important detail. You can purchase your rail tickets using the senior rail card prior to actually purchasing the rail card. You must, however, have the railcard before you use those tickets.
Make sure you go to National Rail and look at the different types of rail cards that are offered to make sure you are making the best choice for your situation.
Posted by
Southern California
443 posts
You can buy the pass at Southampton, and use your passport to prove your age, but you will also have to bring a passport-type photo to use on the pass if you're getting a physical card. As Mardee mentioned, you can also apply for the pass online, and this allows you to use a digital photo--which you can take on your own phone. We did this before our trip last summer and it was pretty simple. We each had a copy of the pass on our phones and didn't need to keep track of a separate railcard.
EDIT--sorry, assumed this was a Two Together railcard, not Senior railcard, but I believe the same principles apply as far as supplying a photo for a physical card vs. doing it online and having a digital card when you arrive.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33994 posts
if there are two of you, and you can travel after the morning rush hour, you may decide that the Two Together Railcard is a better fit if the two will travel together - not valid for just one of the pair.
Two £30 Senior Railcards (total £60) is more expensive than one £30 Two Together Railcard if you can live with the restrictions.