16-25 Railcard

1/3 off train tickets for anyone aged 16-25

16-25
Railcard

For ages 16-25

Great for:
Teenagers, students, graduates, and young professionals

1- or 3-year validity available
Save £20 with a 3-year Railcard

Digital only
Railcards live in your account in the Trainline app so you can use them on any of your compatible devices. No download codes are needed!

You must be aged 16-23 to buy the 3-year Railcard

How to buy a digital 16-25 Railcard online with us

We're here to help make your next digital 16-25 Railcard purchase as easy as possible.

 

Save 1/3 with your digital 16-25 Railcard

Official retailer of Railcards by National Rail. Buy a digital 16-25 Railcard online with us – it's stored directly in the Trainline app, so you can use it right away to get 1/3 off eligible journeys for a whole year.

Buy a 16-25 Railcard

What our customers say about digital 16-25 Railcards

Read what our customers have been saying on Trustpilot about digital 16-25 Railcards. Got something to say? Leave your feedback on Trustpilot. To find out more about how we collect reviews please visit our customer support page.

What are the benefits of a 16-25 Railcard?

Save 1/3 off train travel all year round

Use at Peak travel times

(£12 minimum applies)

Travel First Class for less

What is a 16-25 Railcard?

The 16-25 Railcard (also known as the Student Railcard or Young Persons Railcard) is a discount card that allows you to get 1/3 off eligible train tickets in Great Britain. Students and young adults can use the 16-25 Railcard on Standard AnytimeOff-Peak, Super Off-Peak Single and Return tickets, as well as Standard Class and First Class Advance tickets. You can also link your 16-25 Railcard with an Oyster Card to get 1/3 off Off-Peak travel around London.

 

How much is a 16-25 Railcard?

A 16-25 Railcard costs £30 for one year or £70 for three years. It's one of the only Railcards that can be used at Peak times, meaning you have endless rail travel savings ahead of you.

Who can use a 16-25 Railcard?

Eligibility for this one is simple. Anyone aged 16-25 can use a 16-25 Railcard. It's a particularly popular Railcard to buy cheap student train tickets with. 

Get 1/3 off train travel for longer. Did you know...
  • You can buy a 3-year 16-25 Railcard up to the day before your 24th birthday to use for 3 years.
  • You can buy a 1-year 16-25 Railcard up to the day before your 26th birthday to use for the whole year.

When can I use a 16-25 Railcard?

A 16-25 Railcard can be used at any time for Peak and Off-Peak travel. For journeys made between 04:30 and 10:00 Monday to Friday, a minimum fare of £12 is payable. There is no minimum fare when you travel at weekends, on Public Holidays, or during July and August. You can't use the 16-25 Railcard on Season Tickets. To see the full list of tickets a 16-25 Railcard discount is valid for, visit our Railcards terms of use guide.

How to buy and use your digital 16-25 Railcard

You'll need to have iOS 15.0 and above or Lollipop on Android to get your digital 16-25 Railcard on your phone. Don’t have our app yet? Download it now and follow these easy steps to buy your 16-25 Railcard today with us.

1

Tap 'Buy 1-year for £30' or 'Buy 3-year for £70' (if applicable) to get the Railcard you want on your phone

2

Enter your first and last name (and date of birth if you need to prove your age)

3

Upload a digital passport-style photo for your Railcard from your phone

4

Sign in to your Trainline account on the app and buy your digital Railcard

5

You’ll find your new Railcard under 'Railcards' in the Account tab of the app. Please make sure you're signed into the app with the same account you used to buy your Railcard

6

Enter your departure and arrival station, select the start date of your ticket and the number of people travelling, then select your new Railcard from the drop-down menu – the 1/3 savings will be applied automatically to your booking.

Digital Railcards live on our app

Digital Railcards are added to your Trainline account, so you can access them on any compatible device you travel with. Please be aware that the minimum Operating System (OS) your Railcard would be available on is iOS 15.0 and above or Lollipop on Android. There are no device limits or download codes needed.

 

3-year 16-25 Railcards

You can enjoy even better savings if you opt for a 3-year 16-25 Railcard (the perfect option if you're just starting Uni and you know you'll need a definite 3 years' worth of travel discounts). The 3-year option costs just £70, meaning you save £20 on the cost of three individual Railcards.

One great thing about the 3-year Railcard is that you can buy it right up until the day before your 24th birthday, meaning you won't have to worry about renewing to a 26-30 Railcard. You can also do the same thing and buy a 1-year Railcard just before your 26th birthday.

Mature students and the 16-25 Railcard

Did you know if you're over 25 and you're in full-time study, you can still qualify for a 16-25 Railcard? If you're studying at university or college for 15 hours or more a week for at least 20 weeks a year, you're eligible to apply. 

You'll need to fill out a Mature Student application form, and get it signed by either a tutor, head of department or administration staff at your place of full-time education. You'll also need either an NUS card or a university/college photo ID card to prove you're in the current academic year of study. 

Unfortunately, mature students can't apply for the 16-25 Railcard with Trainline at this time.

Can I have more than one Railcard?

Absolutely. In fact, having more than one Railcard can help you save even more. You can store and manage multiple Railcards easily in our app.

The 16-25 Railcard goes well with a Two Together Railcard

16-25
Railcard

For ages 16-25
Get 1/3 off train travel across Great Britain. Minimum fare applies

Great for:
Teenagers, students, graduates, and young professionals

1- or 3-year validity available
Save £20 with a 3-year Railcard

Digital only
Railcards live in your account in the Trainline app so you can use on any of your compatible devices. No download codes needed!

You must be aged 16-23 to buy the 3-year Railcard

Two Together
Railcard

Must travel together
1/3 off train travel for you and a friend/companion when travelling together. Conditions apply

For ages 16+

Great for:
Friends, couples, flatmates, or colleagues who regularly travel together

Digital only
Railcards live in your account in the Trainline app so you can use them on any of your compatible devices. No download codes are needed!

Frequently asked questions

Buying a 16-25 Railcard

Using a 16-25 Railcard

Save money on your train fare with a 16-25 Railcard

As a young professional living outside of London, I commute into the city centre every day. I was looking into how I could save some money and stumbled across the 16-25 Railcard. I can’t believe I didn’t know about it before!

I used to pay up to £50 to get to the office each day. But with my new 16-25 Railcard, I now save over £16 on each fare. Also, I don’t just use my railcard for commuting – I use it at the weekend to visit friends and family in Birmingham, Brighton and Edinburgh too.

It’s really simple to buy a railcard with Trainline – I did it all on my phone. All you have to do is input some details, upload a photo, download the pass and start saving money!

If you’re commuting to work, school or university – the 16-25 Railcard is essential!

About Charlie

Charlie is one of our trusted, hand-picked travel writers. The information for this article was recorded first-hand, based on his own genuine experience of the journey.

Where will your 16-25 Railcard discount take you?

A Student Railcard isn’t just handy for travelling to and from uni, school or work. Take full advantage of getting 1/3 off train travel and use it for exploring the UK as well! Our travel hub is full of inspirational days out you can take by train using your 16-25 Railcard.

‡Applies to selected train fares. See Trainline's Railcard terms for full details of each railcard, eligible tickets and travel times.