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Buying Online

  1. How do I buy or renew my Railcard online?
  2. What cards are accepted when buying online?
  3. How long do I have to wait for my Railcard to arrive?
  4. Can I buy tickets at a discounted rate before my Family & Friends Railcard arrives?
  5. My Family & Friends Railcard has not arrived in the post - what can I do?
  6. Can visitors to Great Britain buy online?
  7. How do I redeem my free YHA membership (worth £22.95) when I buy online?


1. How do I buy or renew my Railcard online?

You will need to complete the online application process.

Simply register as a new user on the Railcard website with a valid email address and a password (only one Railcard purchase per email address – your email address is your unique reference).

Once payment has been made online you will receive an email confirmation and acknowledgement of your application number.

Your new Railcard will be dispatched by First Class post (free of charge) within one working day of purchase and cannot be collected from a train station. You will require your Railcard for travel with discounted tickets. No online refunds are available.

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2. What cards are accepted when buying online?

MasterCard, Visa Electron and Visa are the accepted cards for buying a Railcard online.

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3. How long do I have to wait for my Railcard to arrive?

If you are buying your Railcard online it will be dispatched within one working day, and will be sent by First Class post (free of charge). You cannot collect your Railcard from a train station.

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4. Can I buy tickets at a discounted rate before my Family & Friends Railcard arrives?

Please be aware that you must carry your Family & Friends Railcard with you on any journey where you have purchased discounted tickets with the Railcard. Therefore, if you purchase discounted Railcard tickets before you receive your Railcard, you do this at your own risk. Railcards Online cannot be held responsible for Railcards lost in the post.

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5. My Family & Friends Railcard has not arrived in the post - what can I do?

You will need to wait 10 days and then log back in to your Railcards online account. From there, you can apply for a replacement Family & Friends Railcard. Please remember you need to have your Family & Friends Railcard with you to travel on discounted Railcard tickets.

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6. Can visitors to Great Britain buy online?

You can only buy online using an address in Great Britain - and not with an international address. Alternatively, visitors to Great Britain can purchase a Family & Friends Railcard at a staffed station ticket office in England, Scotland, or Wales or a National Rail licensed Travel Agent when they arrive. The Railcard can also be purchased at Gatwick Airport, Stansted Airport rail stations, Luton Airport Parkway and Manchester Airport. Purchase is not available at London Heathrow Airport.

You will be required to complete an application form and provide payment. The Railcard will be issued for use straightaway and is normally valid for 12 months.

Your Railcard will be accepted by all of the Train Companies who operate Passenger Railway Services in Great Britain except Eurostar. Special excursions and charters are also excluded. However you should also consider the BritRail Pass if making a visit to this country. For details about BritRail see www.raileurope.com

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7.How do I redeem my free YHA membership (worth £22.95) when I buy online?

When you've completed your purchase online, you'll be given details of how to redeem your free YHA membership on the 'Payment Successful' page.