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From 17 August, eligible customers can buy a 16-17 Saver up to the day before their 18th birthday and enjoy a full year of savings.


Find out more about the changes to the 16-17 Saver.

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Get 50% off rail travel

16-17 Saver

  • Perfect for young people aged 16 to 17

  • £35 for a 1-year Railcard

  • No time restrictions or minimum fares

Buy a 16-17 Saver Renew my Railcard
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Get 50% off train tickets
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Discounted tickets every day of the year
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Save around £417 a year*

What is a 16-17 Saver Railcard?


The 16-17 Saver is a 1-year Railcard with massive discounts on train travel. It’s the easiest way to get the cheapest train tickets – every day.

Get 50% off Standard Anytime, Off-Peak, Advance and Season tickets across Great Britain. That’s money saved on day trips into town, travel to college and big weekend festivals.

*Annual saving is based on the average savings made by combined Railcard holders between April 2025 and March 2026, excluding price of Railcard.

Am I eligible for a 16-17 Saver Railcard?


You can get a 16-17 Saver if you’re aged 16 or 17.

The rules around the validity of the 16-17 Saver are changing on 17 August 2026.


  • If your 16-17 Saver is purchased before 17 August 2026

It is valid for up to 1 year but expires on your 18th birthday – no matter when you buy it. For example, if you buy a 16-17 Saver on your 17th birthday, you will get a full year of use. But if you buy it when you are 17 and a half, you would only get to use it for 6 months.

After your 18th birthday, you can keep the savings going with a 16-25 Railcard and get 1/3 off your train travel.


  • If your 16-17 Saver is purchased after 17 August 2026

Eligible customers can buy a 16-17 Saver up to the day before their 18th birthday and enjoy a full year of savings. 

Find out more about the changes to the 16-17 Saver.


Good to know

  • If you bought a Season ticket with your 16-17 Saver, you can keep using it for up 4 months, even after your Railcard expires.

  • You can use an active 16-17 Saver Railcard to validate your digital Season ticket with rail staff. If you have a physical Season ticket, you’ll need to use another form of photo ID.

What travel discounts can I get with a 16-17 Saver?

  • No time restrictions

  • No minimum fares

  • Discounted tickets every day of the year

  • Ticket types included:

    • Standard Anytime (Day, Single, or Return)

    • Standard Off-Peak (Day, Single, or Return)

    • Standard Super Off-Peak (Day, Single, or Return)

    • Standard Advance

    • Season tickets (weekly, monthly and annual)

  • In and around London

    • Anytime Day Travelcards when bought as part of your ticket from outside London Zones 1 to 9 (subject to minimum fare of £23.60)

    • Gatwick Express, Stansted Express and Heathrow Express

  • PlusBus day tickets

  • Rover tickets and Ranger tickets

View full terms and conditions

How to buy your 16-17 Saver Railcard

You will need to provide ID to prove your age and eligibility, along with a passport-style photo.


Accepted forms of ID


• Passport

• UK driving licence (excluding Northern Ireland)

• EEA national identity card

• Birth certificate

• Government-approved PASS card

To buy online, visit the 16-17 Saver sales page and follow the instructions on screen. You will need to provide your proof of ID and a passport-style photo.


Once you have completed your purchase and your age evidence has been approved, a download code will be sent to your registered email address, along with instructions on how to download your 16-17 Saver.  


If you have bought the 16-17 Saver on behalf of someone else, the download code email will be sent to the person you have bought the Railcard for.

To buy by phone, please call our customer support team on 0345 301 1656. They are open from 7:00 to 22:00 every day except Christmas Day.


You will need to provide your proof of ID and a passport-style photo.


How to use your Railcard

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1

Buy your Railcard

Buy a digital or physical Railcard online, or you can buy a physical Railcard at a staffed station.

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2

Book your tickets

Use your Railcard when buying tickets to save instantly.

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3

Carry your Railcard

Keep your digital or physical Railcard on you when travelling.

Why people choose a Railcard

" Absolutely love my Railcard! It’s saved me so much going to college – and gigs, even. Like, it’s 50% off. Really can’t complain. The fact that it’s digital makes it so much easier...I don’t have to think about it; it’s just in the app."

Chris

Need a helping hand?

If you need support with your Railcard or your account, we can help.

Get help with my Railcard

No. It is valid for up to 1 year but expires on your 18th birthday – no matter when you buy it. For example, if you buy a 16-17 Saver on your 17th birthday, you will get a full year of use. But if you buy it when you are 17 and a half, you would only get to use it for 6 months.


However, if you buy a discounted Season ticket before your 16-17 Saver expires, you can continue to use your discounted Season ticket for up to 4 months after the expiry of your 16-17 Saver, as long as your Season ticket is still valid.


The 16-17 Saver will have 2 dates shown on it:


  1. “Valid until” – the expiry date up to which you can purchase and use new tickets.


  1. “Season Ticket valid until” – the last date that you can continue to use any valid discounted Season ticket for travel. This is 4 months after the expiry date of the card.


From 17 August, eligible customers can buy a 16-17 Saver up to the day before their 18th birthday and enjoy a full year of savings. 


Find out more about the changes to the 16-17 Saver.

The 16-17 Saver gives you 50% off Standard Anytime, Standard Off-Peak, Standard Advance and Season tickets – with zero time restrictions.

The 16‐25 Railcard gives you 1/3 off Standard Anytime and Standard Off-Peak train tickets, plus Standard and First Class Advance tickets. The 16-25 Railcard has a minimum fare of £12 for journeys between 4:30am and 10am, Monday to Friday. Season tickets are not included with the 16-25 Railcard.

Yes! Your 16-17 Saver Railcard can be used for travel on the London Underground if you’re travelling into London from outside London Zones 1 to 9.


You can also buy a Travelcard, which includes travel on National Rail, London Underground, Docklands Light Railway, and London buses.


If you are buying a National Rail ticket that includes travel across London, then you will be able to use your National Rail ticket on London Underground to transfer between National Rail stations.


If you travel a lot within London Zones 1 to 9, you may want to consider the 16+ Zip Oyster Card.


London travel discounts not included with the 16-17 Saver


• Oyster Pay As You Go Daily Price Cap and Oyster pay as you go single fares (National Rail, London Underground and Docklands Light Railway)

• London Day Travelcards and Travelcard Season tickets within Zones 1 to 9

• Tickets exclusively for travel on London Underground and Docklands Light Railway

Your 16-17 Saver is valid for up to 1 year or until your 18th birthday, whichever comes first.


From 17 August, eligible customers can buy a 16-17 Saver up to the day before their 18th birthday and enjoy a full year of savings. 


Find out more about the changes to the 16-17 Saver.

Enjoy fantastic deals on days out when you travel by train

Find things to do, 2FOR1 deals, 1/3 OFF savings and many other great discounts at top attractions across Great Britain, with National Rail’s Days Out Guide.

Visit Days Out Guide
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Start using your Railcard today

Download the Railcard app and add your Railcard to your phone. It’s so simple – just use the activation link in your confirmation email.

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Need assistance for your train journey?

If you are a disabled or less mobile passenger, you can: