Make huge savings on your travel to college or university with railcards and discounts
Calling all students - take advantage of the range of discount options available, to help with as many journeys as you like. With railcards for ages 16 and upwards, students can benefit from up to 50% off tickets. So whether it is for your daily commutes, weekly city hopping or weekend trips to the coast, start saving throughout the whole year.
Railcards for students
16-17 Saver
The 16-17 Saver Railcard is perfect for year-round savings for those in college, offering 50% off Anytime, Off-Peak, Advance and Season tickets.
Designed to help you keep the same discount benefits you had before you were 16, it costs just £30 and is valid for one year or until your 18th birthday (whichever comes first). It is easy to purchase the railcard online, all you need is proof of age and a passport-sized photo to start making major savings today.
16-25 Railcard
Hop on board with the 16-25 Railcard and benefit from a 1/3 off train tickets.
The Railcard costs £30 for a year, so after just 3 or 4 trips it will have paid for itself. If looking over a year period, students have saved an average of £192*.
Anyone between the age of 16-25 is eligible for the Railcard, and mature students in full time study can also apply using a mature student application form.
But the benefits don’t stop at student discounts on train tickets. The 16-25 Railcard saves money with our partners too, with discounts on restaurants, hotels, days out and more.
*Average saving is based on the average saving made by 16-25 Railcard holders in 2016/17.
Save further with a 3-year Railcard
For those wanting to save even further on cheap train tickets for students, purchase a 3-year railcard for just £70, which is £20 less than the price of three 1-year Railcards.
You can purchase this right up until the day before your 24th birthday, and is perfect for those who know they will be travelling frequently over the following years.
26-30 Railcards
The 26-30 Railcard is another great option for mature students, as well as postgraduates to keep their 1/3 off rail fare.
Priced at just £30 a year, an average of £218 per year** was saved by those using the railcard.
** Average saving is based on the average savings made by 26-30 Railcard holders between April 2021 and March 2022, excluding the price of the Railcard.
For more information visit the official retailer website of Railcard by National Rail.
More ways to save
Alongside Railcard benefits, there are plenty of other ways to save big on travel as a student.
Termly Student Season tickets
If you travel to college or university by train, our termly Student Season Ticket allows up to a 50% discount on the usual season ticket price.
- Students aged 15 or under – 25% discount on the usual child season ticket price
- Students aged 16 or over – 50% discount on the usual adult season ticket price
Find out more about Termly Student Season tickets .
Evening Return train tickets
Save money to spend on evenings out and trips, with £2.60 evening return tickets in the West Midlands.
Travel must be between any two stations in the West Midlands rail zones 1-5, from 6:30pm onwards. This is perfect for those wanting to enjoy nights out or sporting games and events after their studies, with return trips from Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton and many more available at a huge discount.
Find out more about Evening Return tickets .
Book in advance
Booking as early as possible is a great way to make huge savings - especially on Advance train tickets for longer distance routes. You will find Advance tickets released weekly, up to 12 weeks in advance. Plan ahead, save money.
GroupSave
When travelling in a group of 3-9 people, you can save 1/3 on your rail fares with GroupSave . Save together on your commute, day out or trips away.
Travel off-peak
Avoid travelling during peak times - this is usually between 6:30am - 9:30pm and 3:30pm - 6:30pm, where ticket prices are normally higher.
Buy directly through us
Booking through our website or app requires no booking fee, which is another good way to save on your train fare.
Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) – bus, train and metro discount
For travel within the West Midlands, there are further discounts to be taken advantage of. Find out more on how you can save on travel via rail, bus and metro services on the Transport for West Midlands website .
Frequently Asked Questions:
No, for regular train tickets bought by over 16s an adult price will be charged. However, there are a number of ways to get cheap student train tickets, through railcards and termly season train tickets.
There are two types of student railcards available, which have different criteria and requirements for eligibility:
The 16-17 Saver Railcard is available for anyone aged between 16 and 17.
For 16-25 Railcard: anyone aged between 16-25, as well as mature students (must be attending a recognised college or university, for over 15 hours a week, at least 20 weeks a year).
To purchase a 16-17 Saver Railcard online, you will need:
- Valid debit or credit card for payment
- Evidence of age: a valid UK driving licence, passport or national ID card
- A digital passport-style photo of yourself
If you don't have any of the above forms of ID, you can upload a scan of your birth certificate or a Government-approved PASS card instead, such as a CitizenCard. Please note that applications using these forms of ID will take a little longer to process.
To purchase a 16-25 Railcard online, you will need:
- Valid debit or credit card for payment
- Evidence of age: a valid UK driving licence, passport or national ID card
- A digital passport-style photo of yourself
For mature students:
- Have an NUS card or College/University photocard as proof of identity
- A completed mature student section of the 16-25 Railcard application form completed by your College or University.
- A digital passport-style photo of yourself
For more information visit the official retailer of Railcard by National Rail.
If ordering a plastic 16-25 Railcard, allow up to 5 working days for delivery.
If you have paid for ‘Special Delivery’, and placed your order before 15:45pm, your Railcard will be delivered within two days (Monday to Thursday) or three days (Friday to Sunday).
Digital railcards are available to use straight away, as a download code will be sent to your email address, along with instructions on how to download the Railcard.