UK introduce new Veterans Railcard

The new Veterans Railcard will be released on 5 November 2020, supporting UK Veterans and their families with savings on rail travel.

What is the UK Veterans Railcard?

The new Veterans Railcard is now on sale supporting UK Veterans and their families with savings on rail travel. The discounted rail fares will be valid for travel from 5 November 2020.

The new Veterans Railcard will:

offer eligible ex-military personnel a third off their train fares
cost £21 for a limited period, before rising to £30
a 3-year Railcard is also available for £61 if purchased before 31 March 2021, instead of the normal price of £70

The Veterans Railcard gets you 1/3 off Standard and First Class Anytime, Off-Peak and Advance fares across Great Britain. There are conditions on tickets types, time restrictions and minimum fares. You can find out more on the Veterans Railcard website.

Who is eligible for the Veterans Railcard?

You’ll be eligible for a Veterans Railcard providing you have served for at least one day or more in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces (Regular or Reserve) or Merchant Mariners and have seen duty on legally defined military operations.

You will need to provide one of the below as evidence of your eligibility with your application:

If you:	You will need to provide:
Have an identification card or certificate	A copy of either your military identification card (MOD Form 90), Veterans Recognition (ID) Card, Veterans UK Status card , Certificate of Service or Certificate of Discharge
Have a notification or letter regarding a claim for injury under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme	A copy of either your Armed Forces Compensation Scheme notification of Guaranteed Income Payment (ongoing compensation payments), Armed Forces Compensation Scheme notification of lump sum payment (one-off compensation payment), award letter for Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP) or a disallowance letter for Armed Forces Compensation Scheme benefits
Receive ongoing award under Armed Forces Compensation Scheme	A copy of your annual payment advice slip
Have a notification or letter regarding a claim for injury under the War Pension Scheme	A copy of either your War Pension Scheme award notification (ongoing compensation payments), War Pension Scheme award notification gratuity (a one-off pension gratuity), War Pension Scheme award notification for supplementary allowances, or a disallowance letter for War Pension Scheme entitlement
Receive ongoing award under War Pension Scheme	A copy of your annual uprating letter
Receive Armed Forces Pension	A copy of either your annual payment advice slip or Gross Annual Income Statement for an Armed Forces Pension (G281ST)
Have served as a Merchant Mariner and seen duty on legally defined military operations	A copy of the personal details page from your Discharge Book, along with the vessel name on which you served and the operation name and date

Where can I get a Veterans Railcard?

The Veterans Railcard is available to buy now, either online and by post. Discounted travel with the Railcard will be valid from 5 November 2020.

Online

You can save yourself time by buying your Veterans Railcard online. The only things you’ll need are:

evidence of your eligibility as a veteran
a good quality digital passport-style photo ready to upload
a debit or credit card

By post

To apply by post, download the application form and post it with a copy of your evidence of eligibility, passport style photo of yourself and your named companion (if applicable) and payment to:

National Railcards

PO Box 10776

Ashby-de-la-Zouch

LE65 9FA

Please make cheques and postal orders payable to 'ATOC Ltd Railcard' and allow 15 working days* for your Railcard to be delivered.

What is the veterans ID card and who will receive one?

The announcement of the Veterans Railcard follows the news that a new veterans ID card will be given to service leavers to mark their time in the armed forces.

According to the MOD, any personnel who have left the military since December 2018 will automatically be given an ID card, allowing them to maintain a tangible link to their career in the forces. All other veterans who left the armed forces before December 2018 will be able to apply for a new ID card by the end of 2020.

The new ID card allows veterans in the UK to easily verify their service to the NHS, their local authority, and charities, helping them to access support and services where needed. Veterans UK - which manages pensions and compensation payments for the armed forces - will also benefit from the change.

The history of Armistice Day

Find out more

Veterans Railcard

Office for Veterans' Affairs (GOV.UK)

Veterans’ Gateway

Defence Discount Service

Publication date: 22 January 2020