Eed help with Senior Railcard application
 

I am trying to complete my form for a senior Railcard. I put in my US address with my 5 digit zip code & it sends it back saying "invalid post code" I tried the contact us page, but can't submit if you don't have a post code! Can anyone please help me?

What rail card? Please give a link since your question is so vague.

Why not just make up an appropriate postal code.

As a US citizen (assuming you are) are you eligible to buy this rail card?

I am using senior-Railcard.co.uk. It says a valid passport or uk drivers license is need for eligibility plus 60 yrs. or older.

fluff - I assume you mean the Senior railcar in the UK - right?

If so, you don't apply on line. You cannot do it on line w/o a UK address. But no need to. Just print off the form and fill out the hard copy. Take that w/ you to a ticket window at a train station in the UK and hand it in there.

oops our posts crossed . . .

meant to say -- print the pdf file at home

Yes, that is the site. The FAQ page says you can buy online if you use a UK address for delivery. Doesn't say how to put in a US address & post code.

I gues I solved my problem by using my son's London address & not putting in my US info. I provided my passport info & it went through!

>>The FAQ page says you can buy online if you use a UK address for delivery. Doesn't say how to put in a US address & post code.<<

Doesn't matter now -- but as I said -- you just print out the form and take it w/ you to the train station (where you'd need to collect your tickets in any case). Not complicated at all.

(For others who don't have a child w/ a handy UK address)

Well, maybe not. When I got to the billing section I put in my credit card & my billing address. It wasn't accepted. I didn't try mybson's addreses in London since it wouldn't match the address on the credit card. Guess I might have to wait until we get to the train station as you suggested.

Try again using your son's address as the billing address. It may work, and it may not, but no harm trying. I had the same problem when renewing my TV license recently, using a credit card with a US billing address. I put in my UK home address as the billing address, and it went through without any problem.

From the US, I have an annual UK Senior Railcard that I bought and renew at whatever handy station I find myself in after arrival that has a ticket office. I buy tickets in advance online, always with the Senior Railcard discount, and make sure the railcard is renewed if necessary before boarding any train with tickets bought at the discounted price. It works very well and makes a huge difference in what I pay for rail travel even with the railcard fee taken into account.

I should add, the point is you don't need to enter a railcard number or identify yourself in any way as eligible for the discount in order to be able to take advantage of the discount when you buy the tickets online. You just need to have a valid card when traveling with the tickets as they do check, you must show your railcard to the conductor. So no need to buy the railcard in advance of actual travel.

Just buy your senior railcard in person at a staffed ticket office in UK before you travel with senior discount. You can still book cheap tickets on line with senior discount and collect from fast ticket machine before travelling, using the payment card used. Since they won't mail the card outside UK, there is no point in online purchase.

You can also have the person at the ticket office give you any tickets you've bought in advance online while you're there to buy the railcard. Using the machines is not mandatory, the agent will print them for you.

Should have thought of that. I'd be surprised if you can use your son's address . . . unless you use his credit card too. The address has to match or the cc will decline the transaction.

So -- just print out the form and take it with you. As I think I explained on your other thread, <U>there is no reason you need the senior card before buying the discounted tickets</U>. You just need it when you collect the tickets at the station - you can pay for the senior rail cards and then at the very same window, talking to the very same agent, collect your pre-purchased tickets.

was posting the same time as MmeP.

Well go figure, it worked using my son's UK address. Now just hope that I do get it there!

>>The FAQ page says you can buy online if you use a UK address for delivery. Doesn't say how to put in a US address & post code.<<

Because UK postcodes aren't in the same format as US zipcodes - since the primary market is people in the UK.