Senior travel concessions
The cost of travel is often a worry for senior citizens, but savings can be made. Here’s some advice:
Bus Pass
Most of us know that once you reach state pensionable age in England you are entitled to a free bus pass. Everyone over state pension age and eligible disabled people, are entitled to free off-peak local bus travel anywhere in England. Local authorities can offer further benefits to their residents. Off-peak travel is when you travel any time between 9.30am and 11pm Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays. Some local authorities also allow travel in the morning rush hour and in some areas passes can also be used on trams, trains or taxis.
Senior Railcard
Getting older does have some benefits and getting cheaper rail travel is one of them. If you are over 60 you can buy a Senior Railcard, which gives you one third off Standard and First Class Anytime, Off-Peak and Advance fares. Use the journey planner on the Senior Railcard website to see what savings you can make. It means you can save money on visits to the grandchildren, trips into town to catch a show, or weekends by the seaside – as many times as you like. Here’s what you need to know: The Railcard costs just £30. So after a couple of trips, the card will have paid for itself. And over a year, usage statistics show that the average person saves an average of £114. Your Senior Rail-card will save you one third off a wide range of tickets.
Your Railcard doesn’t just save you money on travel, it saves you money with your partners too- on days out, museums, hotels and more. Visit the Offers and Rewards website page regularly to keep up to date on the deals available. If you plan to be doing a lot of travelling over the next 3 years, why not buy a 3-year Railcard instead? It costs just £70, saving you £20 on the price of three one year Railcards instantly. Then you can get out there and save while you explore.
With your Railcard you can get one third off a London Zones 1-6 Off-Peak Day Travelcard (subject to a minimum fare which is currently £5.30) and an Anytime Day Travelcard when bought as part of your journey to London from outside London Zones 1-9 (subject to a minimum fare which is currently £15.00).
At www.senior-railcard.co.uk you will be able to see all the special offers available to card holders which range from theatre ticket discounts to hotel accommodation as well as discounted entry into selected visitor attractions. For more information or to buy your card go to www.nationalrail.co.uk or telephone the contact centre on: 08457 484950
National Express Coachcard
You’ll save a guaranteed one third on standard fares throughout the UK for 12 months. With the Coachcard, there are no restrictions on peak and off peak travel times, so you can travel when it suits you and your plans. This includes public holidays, bank holidays and weekends. Purchasing your Senior Coachcard is quick and easy, complete your details and your Coachcard will be posted to your home address (£2 p&p will be added to your purchase). Or you can get:
• e-Ticket– Book online and print your ticket at home for free
• m-Ticket– Have your ticket sent direct to your mobile (50p charge)
• Collect your ticket– From one of the collection points in selected stations (50p collection fee)
For new bookings, timetables and general enquiries call the Customer Contact Centre on: 0871 781 8181 (calls cost 10p/min plus network extras from mobiles). Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Tuesday specials
Tuesday is a great day to travel. With the £15 day return you can travel anywhere in the UK (excluding airports) when you book at least 3 days in advance. Plus Tuesday’s a much quieter day, so you can explore the UK at your own pace. The Senior Coachcard is just £10 (plus £2 p&p) a year – that’s less than 84p a month (and £20 cheaper than a railcard).
(Article source: Mature Times)
