Generally, all Railcards can be used for discounted train fares during Off-Peak times, weekends, and public holidays. Some, like the age-related Railcards, can be used during Peak times with a minimum fare, and the Disabled Persons Railcard can be used at any time.
Some Railcards have specific restrictions on the times you can travel.
Others can only be used on fares that’re above a certain price, at a certain time.
For example, if you’re travelling between 04:30 am and 10:00 am, some Railcards can only be used on fares that cost £12 or more.
This is especially important when you buy Anytime tickets or other flexible tickets. If you travel on a train before 10:00 and have used your Railcard to buy your ticket, make sure you didn’t pay less than £12. Your ticket won’t be valid before 10:00 am – even though it’s an Anytime ticket. When you search for tickets with a Railcard applied, it’s best to travel on the train you searched for. If you end up travelling on an earlier train, make sure to double-check any restrictions.
- The full railcard terms and conditions can be found on the Railcard website here