Seniors Rail Travel

[DuzyEverwork]

Hi, please could anyone over 60 and in the know tell me which is the better bet to buy for days out by train, A Two Together Railcard or 2 x Senior Railcards? Many thanks

[smurfchops]

Whereabouts do you live, where will you be going?  I have discovered that travelling from Hampton Court to Waterloo, then the London Underground, it is cheaper to use a credit card than get a day's Travel Card.  

[New Judge]

A Two Together Railcard and a Senior Railcard are the same price (£30). If you will always travel together, then obviously a Two Together card is cheaper as you only have to buy one. But neither of you can then travel alone and get discount (which is usually one third off).

You can buy either with £15 worth of Tesco Clubcard points.

[Fitzer]

No idea if the two together is the same but you can get three years of the senior railcard for £70 )as opposed to 90)

[Buenchico]

As NJ has pointed out, a Two Together Railcard won't be valid if only one of you is travelling.

Further, the time of day that you travel might be relevant too.  A Two Together Railcard only becomes valid from 0930 onwards on Monday to Fridays (throughout the country). 

Senior Railcards are valid at any time of the day except for journeys between any two stations in the pink-shaded area on this map:
https://www.network-railcard.co.uk/clientfiles/files/Map.pdf

A Two Together Railcard costs £30 for one year (with no option to buy a three year one).  A Senior Railcard also costs £30 for one year but with an option to pay £70 for three years when applied for online.

[douglas9401]

If you're visiting the soggy, sometimes frozen, North our rail fares have been rationalised for a trial period.

No more peak/off peak for a while, same prices all day.

Hope this is of interest.

[Toorak]

...but on some routes the off peak fare has been increased (presumably to offset the lower income from the busier routes) 🤨

[douglas9401]

Okay, maybe 'simplified' instead of rationalised.

[Buenchico]

Just to clarify my 3rd paragraph, above . . .

Senior Railcards aren't valid during the weekday morning peak period between any two stations in the pink-shaded area on the map that I linked to.  The definition of 'morning peak' varies across different lines but using the journey planner at 
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ 
will show you which trains you can't use them on.  (Two Together Railcards are never valid before 0930 on a weekday, except on bank holidays).