Lots of commuters have railcards.
They're cost effective, beneficial and easy to use when you use trains often. But apparently using them at a certain time without caution could land you with a fine.
A post has gone viral online after someone shared a screenshot of a TikTok video on Reddit. In the post, a woman is seen explaining an alleged rule about the use of her railcard.
Over the top of the clip, it says: "Me when I was literally having the worst month of my life and I started sobbing in front of a train ticket inspector when she fined me £100 because I used my railcard before 9.30am."
It's got a lot of people talking online – as many seem to be learning something new about railcard use. In the clip, the woman said she uses a 16-25 railcard, so it's worth noting the rule probably applies to this particular card.
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Nonetheless, it hasn't stopped people from sharing some of their own commuting conundrums, and offering reasons as to why she may have been fined.
A lot of people have been talking about the situation (Getty Images/iStockphoto)One person said: "I think based on doing a lot of travel with a Railcard during peak times in the past. That she has probably actually done here is travel with an off peak ticket in the morning – as normally if you try to use a Railcard on a fare where it cannot be used it will just not apply the discount. I haven’t seen the original TikTok - so I might be wrong, but I would explain the £100 penalty fare."
Another added: "Most ticket inspectors won't really care, but there's a minimum fare of £12 to travel before 0930 with a 16-25 railcard. This essentially means that if your total ticket cost less than £11.99 with discount, then it is an invalid ticket before 0930. I have never seen this enforced in practice, but it is a rule. I'd argue that the TOC should offer a fare excess to £12, as this is what a e-ticket would be sold at."
A third also replied: "I am a uni student who travels at 7am sometimes and I’ve never been questioned about travelling with a railcard at that time. Now I am scared because I’ve just seen this on TikTok. Is it true? If it is true why is it never enforced on me?"
To this, another responded: "You can still use your 16-25 railcard on peak services, just that a £12 minimum fare applies during the peak times. More than likely they used the railcard and purchased an off-peak ticket, and then tried to use it on a peak service or an advanced ticket for the wrong service."
According to the railcard website, the 16-25 railcard carries a minimum fare that applies from 04.30 to 10.00 between Monday and Friday. During this time, the discount applies to fares above the minimum fare.
It points out the minimum fare does not apply to advance tickets, journeys on public holidays or journeys during July and August. The minimum fare is said to be £12, and is subject to change during the validity of your railcard.
This clears the matter up for those confused, and one person pointed out the importance of reading up on the terms and conditions of travel, writing: "Read the terms and conditions and understand them. In regard to national railcards you can buy peak tickets, but there is a minimum spend."
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