Do you know whether there is likely to be a partial refund or time extension for senior railcard holders due to the travel restrictions in place as a result of coronavirus? I have searched for information, including the senior railcard web page, but had no luck.
I, like many other senior citizens, have had to self-isolate regardless of the general restrictions on unnecessary travel, and am likely to be doing so for the foreseeable future. Therefore, railcard holders such as myself are likely to lose out for at least three months, and possibly much longer.
IR, Sheffield
There are an estimated 5.3m railcards in circulation, typically triggering discounts of about a third on ticket prices, and valid for a year.
Restrictions brought in to contain the coronavirus mean that train services have been cut and only essential journeys should be made, so it is unlikely many of those railcards are being used at the moment.
The Rail Delivery Group, which runs the railcard scheme, says: “Railcards provide great value for customers, as the cost of a railcard can often be covered by the savings they offer in a single journey, which is why they are normally non-refundable and cannot be extended. We recognise these are exceptional times, which is why we have offered fee-free refunds on almost all kinds of tickets, have extended the time to claim a ticket refund, and are refunding tickets remotely without people having to travel to a ticket office.”
The passenger group Transport Focus is calling for either an extension or a discount on renewal to be offered to railcard holders. But the government has temporarily taken responsibility for fares and the industry’s finances, so any changes to policy would be determined by the Department for Transport.
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