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The Department for Transport (DfT) has confirmed that, starting later this month, eighteen-year-olds will be eligible to purchase train tickets at half price for the majority of services. This adjustment represents an extension of the current 16-17 Saver railcard, which previously expired once the user reached their eighteenth birthday. From August 17 onwards, the railcard will remain valid for a full year from the purchase date.
This means that individuals aged 17 will be able to buy the railcard up until the day before they turn 18, allowing them to benefit from discounted fares until the day before their nineteenth birthday. Previously, the rules meant that over 70,000 students annually faced an average additional travel cost of £175 compared to peers in the same school year who had not yet turned 18, according to the DfT.
The 16-17 Saver Railcard is priced at £35 per year and offers a 50% discount on most train fares. Rail minister Lord Hendy described this adjustment as a “common sense change” that is “exactly what passengers should expect from the railway.” He added that it would reduce travel costs at a crucial time for teenagers pursuing education, vocational training, or entering the workforce.
Supporting the move, Jacqueline Starr, chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group, noted that it reflects the industry’s dedication to “offering better value fares and delivering a more joined-up railway.” Kaynat Ahmad, vice president for further education at the National Union of Students, emphasized the railcard’s importance for young people depending on trains to commute to college, work, or training. Although eighteen-year-olds could already access a 16-25 Railcard offering a one-third discount, this new change provides a more substantial saving. The announcement follows the government’s plan to lower the cap on most single bus fares in England from £3 to £2 next year
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