Rail travel in the UK is going to get a little more expensive for the people using a Railcard. This month, train operators plan to trim the discount given to holders of the Railcards. Railcards, which give discounts on train fares for groups such as young adults aged 16-30, seniors over 60 years, families travelling with kids, people with disabilities and military veterans would now offer slightly less discount than they had previously done.

The current 34% is to be trimmed to 33.4%, starting from mid-September. The change may sound infinitesimally small, but it has raised one or two eyebrows among passengers who use the trains and those representing them. Changes are part of an agenda that rail operators are doing to raise extra money from ticket sales that have not gone back to levels seen before the pandemic.

What’s the New Discount Rate?
From 15th September, there’s going to be a slight change in the percentage that Railcard users will save when buying a ticket to travel by train. For years, Railcard holders could enjoy a discount of 34% off train fares, but that will be cut back to 33.4%. Which, although there will still be some sizable savings, they just won’t be as munificent as before.

For instance, an off-peak return from London to Manchester, normally £109, will be £72.55 for Railcard holders on Sunday 15th September. It would have been £71.90 on Saturday 14th. The difference looks tiny, but it does mount up over time for the heavy traveller.

Rail Has Taken a Step Backwards, Says Pro-Rail Group
Bruce Williamson from Railfuture, which campaigns for better train services, said this decision was a “step in the wrong direction.” Despite the fare rise being small, he says it might still be worth bothering passengers relying on the savings. “As the slogan goes, every little helps, so why risk irritating passengers for a few pence?”.

This will include young people and seniors, as well as families who travel with children, disabled passengers, and military veterans who use Railcards to make train travel affordable.

A Fairer Deal for All?
Others, like Michael Solomon Williams for the Campaign for Better Transport, believe the rail discounts across the country should be fair. He said that to make it a ‘fair system’, there needs to be a “northern network railcard” introduced to provide people in the north of England similar discounts as many people currently have in the South with their regional rail cards.

Why is this happening?
The rail industry is struggling to recover financially from the pandemic. Fewer people are travelling by train, and money raised from the sale of tickets has failed to reach pre-COVID levels. Regulator Office of Rail and Road reported that revenue from passengers in the year leading up to March stood at £10.3 billion, down from £12.7 billion in 2019-2020.

To try and bridge that gap, train operating companies are seeking ways of gaining higher revenue. One of those ways is a reduction of the Railcard discount in the hope that it can shave off a little from this discount.

Railcard Remains the Same Price
While the discount is getting slightly smaller, there is good news for users of the Railcard: a Railcard, in itself, does not increase in cost. A Railcard spokesperson said, “The price of a Railcard hasn’t gone up in more than a decade, and will still give customers a third off their rail fare for just £30 a year-a price that can be made back in just one or two journeys.”

This means the cost of buying a Railcard would stay at the current price of £30 a year. It is possible to note that with the new discount rate, the savings one will make from train fare could still be quite substantial, especially if one travels quite often.

Some Fare Changes
A selection of how the revised discount rate would change rail fares for Railcard holders includes:

Mixed Feelings among Passengers
The news is most frustrating to many passengers, with Railcard having been one sure method through which savings are made in train travel. As frequent travelers, the difference will be felt in the monthly budget.

Others point out, however, that even at this reduced discount, Railcards remain excellent value for those who use the trains regularly. The rail industry does say, however, that such small changes are necessary to maintain services and operate the network.
Conclusion: A Little Less Savings, But Still Worth It
While this reduction in discount from 34% to 33.4% may not be a big issue, it really has raised eyebrows among train passengers and groups fighting for improved transport services. This slight increase in ticket prices may not be substantial enough to make most rail users stop using their Railcards, but it is just one of those reminders that every penny counts toward the budget for travels.

If you have a Railcard, don’t sweat about it too much-you still get a good deal. Just bear in mind that the next time you buy a ticket, you might save a few pennies less. Happy travels!