A new railcard for 16 and 17-year-olds will be available from next week, the Department for Transport has confirmed.
The special 16-17 saver railcard will offer teenagers aged 16 and 17 a whopping 50% off rail fares, and will halve the cost of many tickets in England and Wales, and some in Scotland.
Unlike other railcards the 16-17 saver will cover season tickets, so it could save students a considerable amount on their daily commute.
According to the Department for Transport, 1.2 million youngsters will be eligible to apply for the railcard, which costs £30 for a year.
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The DfT also claims that if used correctly, the railcard could offer young people “average savings of £186 every year.”
Teenagers aged 16 and above are currently able to purchase a 16-25 railcard, however, this only offers a third off fares, and does not cover season tickets.
Teens who already own one of these will not be able to exchange it for one of the new 16-17 saver cards, and will be required to spend a further £25 to be eligible for half price train tickets.
Speaking about the new railcard, Chris Heaton-Harris, rail minister at the Department for Transport, said: “The brand-new Saver means that a generation of rail passengers can now benefit from cheaper fares, keeping money in their pocket and helping them get to school, college and work.”
The 16-17 Saver card will go on sale on August 20, at 09.00 BST, and can be bought online via a dedicated website .
Teens will be able to start using the railcard for journeys made on September 2 onwards.
The railcard will be available in both digital format (on your phone) or as a physical card.
However, despite the railcard being aimed to support teens in higher education, it has faced some criticism for being unavailable to students aged 18.
Independent transport watchdog, Transport Focus said: "It would be better if this card also covered the entire sixth form period.
“As it stands students turning 18 early in their second year of studies will lose this valuable discount."
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