Published on: Monday, 4 December 2017
Last updated: Monday, 4 December 2017
“Millennials” in East Anglia can take advantage of cheaper train travel from this week, as the highly anticipated 26-30 Railcard is launched by Greater Anglia.
Greater Anglia has been selected to trial the new initiative from Wednesday 6 December, following on from Philip Hammond’s Budget announcement that a 26-30 Railcard is set to be launched in 2018.
It comes just a short while after the successful launch of Greater Anglia’s Club 50 Railcard, as the operator looks to provide great value fares for all its customers.
The digital 26-30 Railcard will give customers a third off most rail fares in Great Britain and can be used across the country by customers.
In addition to fantastic deals on rail travel, customers will also benefit from discounts on attractions and events, meaning they can experience what their local area has to offer at great prices.
The Railcard will be available to purchase for limited time only initially, but can be used by those customers right across the country for a year. They will also benefit from fantastic discounts on attractions and events, allowing them to make the most of the local areas they are traveling to.
Launching as a digital Railcard, 10,000 people living within the Greater Anglia network will be able to purchase it from www.26-30railcard.co.uk and download it to the Railcard app on a smart phone and use it for travel instantly from Wednesday 6 December.
This comes as Greater Anglia looks to get more of its season ticket purchasers to make the switch to its Smart Cards.
Andy Camp, Greater Anglia Commercial Director, said: "There’s been a lot of interest in this new card already and we know that many customers are eager to download it and start using it.
“We’re seeing increasing numbers of customers choosing to buy tickets online. A digital railcard is the next step forward and perfect for this generation. We are very excited to be leading the way with this innovation.
“The 26-30 Railcard joins our large range of great value fares and is another way for customers to enjoy rail travel for less. Reducing the cost of travel will enable young people to cast their net wider as they look for education, training and jobs.”
The move is a further part of the rail industry's long-term plan to change and improve services, published in October.
The Government also said in its rail strategy, published last week, that it would ensure those aged 16 to 30 can access appropriate concessions.
As part of the industry’s plan, rail companies have committed to working together to boost local communities by enabling more people to take advantage of the opportunities travelling by train opens up.
It is not the first time that Greater Anglia has gone the extra mile for its customers in recent times. Only last month, it launched The Club 50 Railcard initiative, available to customers over 50, also known as Generation X, across the network meaning savvy passengers who sign up can save hundreds of pounds on rail travel.
For an annual joining fee of just £20, Club 50 members will immediately benefit from a 20% saving on all off-peak including Advance rail fares online, and a 10% saving on off-peak rail fares purchased at Greater Anglia stations.
The decision to launch the scheme follows the success of Club 50 for passengers using Greater Anglia’s sister operator Scotrail.
More than four million existing Railcard customers save almost £600 million a year on rail travel. Railcards enable customers to explore more of Great Britain for fun, in an ultra-convenient and cost-effective way.
For more information about the 26-30 Railcard visit www.26-30railcard.co.uk from Wednesday 6 December.