Yes. Five to 15-year olds that have a disability listed on the application form qualify for a Railcard. This doesn't enable you to save money yourself (the usual child discount of 50% is a much better rate) but it does give a 1/3 off the standard fare to one adult travelling with you.

How do I find out if my epilepsy medication will make me eligible for a Disabled Persons Railcard?

We accept medications that are in line with National Society for Epilepsy (NSE) guidelines. These are listed on the NSE’s website. Because many of these medications have other uses, if you are applying on the grounds of your epilepsy you will also need to send in a copy of the Exemption Certificate that enables you to receive your medication free of charge.

To see the most up-to-date list of anti-epileptic drugs click here.

I have a Blue Badge parking permit - does this make me eligible for a Disabled Persons Railcard?

No. Being a Blue Badge holder does not, in itself, entitle a person to qualify for a Disabled Persons railcard. The Blue Badge scheme is designed to give parking privileges to people with mobility problems who have difficulty using public transport. It is run by local authorities who have the flexibility to use their discretion when issuing badges. So whilst many of the people who have Blue Badges would be candidates for a Railcard, there are many who would not (for example, people with short term illnesses and conditions or parents of children who need to transport bulky medical equipment). So there is often a mismatch between the evidence required to qualify for a Blue Badge and the evidence to qualify for a Disabled Persons Railcard. Therefore we cannot accept the Blue Badge alone as grounds to issue a Railcard.

Where can people get the information here in a different format such as Large Print, Easy Read or Audio?

Here! You can download Word, pdf and audio versions of our leaflet "Rail Travel Made Easy" and our application here. If you require information in a format other than these - such as Braille - please contact the Disabled Persons Railcard Office.

What do I do if my Railcard is lost, stolen or damaged?

You should contact the Disabled Persons Railcard Office. There is currently an administration fee (£5 for a one-year Railcards and £10 for a three-year Railcard) to replace a lost or damaged railcard. To prove your railcard has been stolen you must have a police crime reference number or documentation.

Am I responsible for ensuring that I renew my railcard?

Yes, you must make sure that your railcard is renewed in good time, because a railcard that has expired is not valid for use. We will try to send you a reminder and a renewal form a few weeks before your railcard expires.

Can I claim a refund if I do not use my Railcard?

No. Unfortunately, refunds are not normally given on unused or unwanted Disabled Persons Railcards.

How long an application does a disabled persons railcard normally take to process? Can I claim back for any travel made during the time when the application is being processed?

We endeavour to get your Railcard as quickly as possible. As a guide we recommend that you allow 10 working days for your Railcard to arrive. You must actually be in possession of a Railcard when you purchase your tickets to be eligible for the Railcard discount, so applicants cannot claim back discount on any travel made whilst their application is being processed.

Can I reserve a seat or seats if booking a ticket or tickets in advance?

Yes, many of the train companies allow you to reserve a seat free of charge on long distance journeys. If an accompanying adult is travelling with you, then you will need to reserve two seats.

Does buying a ticket with my Railcard make the train company aware that I will need assistance?

No. If you require assistance to get on or off your train then you must book it. If you are buying a ticket at a station or on the telephone to a train company then the person helping you should be able to help book assistance for you. If you are booking online however, it is likely that you will need to arrange assistance with the train company with whom you are travelling. Our "Travelling by rail" page has the copntact details for each train companies' Assisted Travel Service.

Will I have to pay the full fare if I forget to bring my Railcard when I travel?

Yes. You must show your valid railcard when you are buying your tickets, and if you are buying tickets for an accompanying adult, you must also have your railcard with you when you show your tickets to members of staff when you travel. If you cannot show your valid railcard, then you and any accompanying adult will have to pay the full fare.

Can I use my Railcard for tickets on the London Underground?

Discounted rail tickets (purchased with your Railcard) which involve a cross-London journey are valid for travel on the London Underground.

Disabled Persons Railcard holders can also get 1/3 off London Zones 1-6 Off-Peak Day Travelcards (subject to a minimum fare) that allow you to travel around London by train, Underground, buses, Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and London Tramlink.

Better still, Railcard holders can register their Railcard discount on an Oyster card to get 1/3 off Oyster Off-Peak pay as you go fares on journeys that include travel on National Rail services, and a discount on the Oyster Off-Peak pay as you go daily price cap.

Transport for London use daily price capping to limit what Oyster pay as you go users will be charged each day when they travel on National Rail, Underground, DLR, Tramlink and bus services. The price cap guarantees Oyster pay as you go users are always charged the lowest fare, making Oyster pay as you go even cheaper than using a Travelcard. For more information on Oyster pay as you go daily price capping see the Transport for London website.

To benefit from this great discount, you will need to get an Oyster card, register it in your name and have your Railcard discount concession loaded on it. This can be done at:

• Tube station ticket offices
• London Overground station ticket offices
• Some National Rail station ticket offices

Don't forget that if you are resident within the Greater London area and are disabled or aged 60 or above, you are eligible for a Freedom Pass. This gives you free travel at any time on buses, Underground, DLR, Tramlink and London Overground services and at certain times on most National Rail services within the London Travel Zones. See the Transport for London website for more details.

Can I use my Railcard on Eurostar services?

No. Eurostar does not provide domestic rail services in Great Britain and so (unlike domestic train operating companies) it is not required to accept railcards as part of its franchise to operate services. Eurostar does, however, give discounts to customers who have to remain in a wheelchair for the duration of the journey. For more information see the Eurostar website.

Can I use the Railcard in Northern Ireland or Eire?

The Disabled Persons Railcard can only be used in the area known as Great Britain, that is England, Scotalnd and Wales. It cannot be used on the Irish mainland, neither in Northern Ireland nor Ireland.

Residents of Northern Ireland (being eligible to receive UK benefits) can apply for the Railcard to use when they travel in Scotland, Wales or England.

With regard to concessionary travel schemes on the Irish mainland:

Northern Ireland: see www.nirailways.co.uk

Eire: There is a domestic scheme of free travel for people with disabilities that is only available to Irish citizens who normally reside in the Republic of Ireland. There is also an All Ireland Free Travel Pass and this is available to people over the age of 66. This scheme is operated by the Department of Social and Family Affairs. See www.irishrail.ie for other related information.

Can I use the Disabled Persons Railcard to get discounts on Season tickets?

No. Railcards cannot be used with season tickets. Season tickets are already heavily discounted products, for example most weekly tickets give you seven days worth of travel for the price of five days, and most annual tickets give you 52 weeks of travel for the price of 40 weeks.

How can I get registered as having a visual-impairment?

The RNIB gives good advice on this. Click here to go to its webpage on registration.

I don't live in Great Britain or receive UK disability benefits, can I apply for a Disabled Persons Railcard?

Unfortunately we do not have the resources or expertise to be able to validate documentation from outside the United Kingdom so we can only accept UK-based documentation as proof of eligibility. People from outside the UK are advised to find out about the Britrail Pass which gives excellent savings to visitors to Britain. As proof of age is the only requirement for the 16-25 Railcard and Senior Railcard both of these can be purchased over the counter at most staffed rail stations. Likewise the Family & Friends Railcard can be bought by people travelling with one or more child. If you do not have a railcard and are a wheelchair user or a visually-impaired person travelling with a companion you can get 1/3 off a range of day tickets through the concessionary fares scheme - see the "Travelling by rail" page on this website for more details.