The Veterans' Railcard

The Veterans' Railcard benefits more than 830,000 veterans who do not already qualify for existing discounts.

The government has specifically introduced the card to create more opportunities for veterans. As well as enabling users to reconnect with family and friends the discount will help those veterans who retrain, or travel to job interviews.

The card provides a discount of 1/3 off Standard and First Class Anytime, Off-Peak and Advance fares across England, Scotland and Wales.

Eligibility for the card

You are entitled to the card if you've served in the Armed Forces, or as a Merchant Mariner (on defined military operations) for at least one day. As with all railcards you will need to present documentation to prove your eligibility.

If you have received an award from Veterans UK for a War Disablement Pension or Armed Forces Compensation and require proof of this to assist with your application, please email Veterans UK. Your request will be forwarded to the Operational Team who will action this as soon as possible.

If you do not have any verified documentation you will need to ask for documents to be reissued.

Buying the Veterans' Railcard

The quickest way to purchase your card is online. There is the option to buy either a physical card or a digital one to put on your phone. You will need to have proof of your indentity, a good quality digital passport-style photograph, and a debit/credit card.

Digital railcard:

Please be aware that your application can take up to 5 working days to be approved. The Railcard App is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play:

If you choose the digital option you will be sent a code, once your application is approved. Once you upload the code you can start using the card immediately.

Physical railcard:

You will also need to allow up to 5 working days for your card to arrive, once approved. The card is sent out by first class post but you may pay for Special Delivery if you wish.

Where you can use the card

The card is available for use across England, Scotland and Wales, although some operators are excluded. See the full list of travel conditions

If you live in Northern Ireland you will not be able to use the card across NI but you can buy it for use in England, Scotland and Wales. Visit Translink to find about discounted rail travel in Northern Ireland.

Important information

The Veterans' Railcard team have published a list of frequently asked questions. These cover topics including trouble with downloading codes and applying for refunds for individual journeys.

There is also advice for travelling safely during the Covid pandemic.