More people are now eligible to get a Disabled Person's Railcard – check if you qualify

With a Disabled Person's Railcard, the holder and an adult companion can get one-third off most train fares in England, Scotland and Wales. See below for full info on how it works.

This March, the scheme was expanded to include those with a blue badge, disabled person's bus pass and more. This latest expansion is a little more complex as there's no set list of specific benefits or diagnoses that automatically qualifies someone for the railcard. Instead, the new eligibility criteria is based on how a person's ability to use trains is impacted. This change does not affect the scheme's existing eligibility criteria.

If you're not eligible for a Disabled Person's Railcard, you may be able to get one of the other different types available. For more details, see our Cheap train tickets guide. For more ways to cut costs if you're disabled, see our 30+ MoneySaving tips for disabled people.

Those with a "long-term impairment, health condition or neurodivergence" may now qualify

From Wednesday 30 September, eligibility for the Disabled Person'a Railcard was expanded again to cover people who have a "long-term impairment, health condition or neurodivergence that has lasted or is expected to last at least 12 months and significantly affects their ability to use rail services".

The aim is to include those whose needs may not have been covered by the previous criteria. Rail Delivery Group, the firm in charge of railcards, told us it encourages anyone with a condition they believe significantly affects their ability to travel by train to consider applying.

You'll need to provide evidence to apply under the new criteria

You'll need to provide one of the following:

• A letter or report from a health professional that explains how your condition affects your ability to travel by train. This could be from a GP, consultant, nurse, psychologist or occupational therapist, for example, and must be on official headed paper, signed, stamped and dated within the last two years.

• A completed 'impact declaration form' signed by a qualified and regulated health or social care professional. If you want to take one to be completed by a relevant professional, you can download the form as a PDF from the Railcard website.

If you apply under the expanded criteria, your application will be independently assessed to decide if you face "significant disability-related barriers" to travelling by train. These will be carried out by an independent third-party decision-making service. How long an assessment takes depends on the evidence submitted and the number of applications received.

Application rejected? You'll be automatically be refunded the upfront cost paid within five to seven working days. You'll also be given the opportunity to appeal the decision, with details of the appeals process provided.

Since March, blue badge holders and others also qualify

Eligibility was first expanded to cover a wider range of both visible and non-visible disabilities on 1 March 2026. Since then, there's been a 39% increase in Disabled Person's Railcard purchases compared to the same time last year, according to Rail Delivery Group. Here's who now qualifies under this expansion – those who:

• Have a blue badge.

• Have a disabled person's bus pass.

• Have a disabled person's Freedom Pass (London only).

• Can't drive on medical grounds.

• Receive Armed Forces Compensation Scheme benefits.

• Receive Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit for 20% degree of disablement or higher.

• Are without speech.

For more info, including how to apply under these criteria, see Blue badge holders and others can now get a Disabled Person's Railcard.

You can still get a railcard if you claim certain benefits or have certain conditions

The eligibility criteria for the Disabled Person's Railcard that applied before this year's two expansions haven't changed. You can still qualify if you:

• Receive Personal Independence Payments or Adult Disability Payment.

• Receive Disability Living Allowance or Child Disability Payment at either the higher or lower rate for the mobility component, or the higher or middle rate for the care component.

• Have a visual impairment.

• Are registered as deaf or use a hearing aid.

• Have epilepsy and receive drug treatment for it.

• Receive Attendance Allowance, Severe Disablement Allowance or Pension Age Disability Payment.

• Receive war pensioner's mobility supplement.

• Receive war or service disablement pension for 80% or more disability.

• Buy or lease a vehicle through the Motability scheme.

For full info on eligibility and what proof is required, see the Railcard website.

How to apply for a Disabled Person's Railcard

If you're applying online you'll be asked to select your disability from a list of options and then asked to upload your proof of eligibility documentation if relevant.

If you're applying by post, download, print and complete an application form. Then send it together with any proof of eligibility documentation and payment to: National Railcards, PO Box 8626, Swadlincote, DE11 1JA. Cheques and postal orders should be made payable to 'ATOC Ltd Railcard'.

You can also apply by phone on 0345 605 0525 or by Minicom (textphone) on 0345 601 0132. Lines are open 7am to 10pm every day apart from Christmas Day.

The railcard gets you a third off most fares

The Disabled Person's Railcard entitles you and an adult companion to a discount on advance, anytime day, anytime single, anytime return, off-peak and super off-peak (day, single and return) tickets. It applies to both standard and first class for all of these types of tickets.

It costs £20 for a one-year railcard or £54 for a three-year railcard. Rail Delivery Group says there are no plans to increase the cost of the Disabled Person's Railcard as a result of it being made available to more people.

The cardholder can use it to get a third off a Transport for London (TfL) travelcard for zones 1-9 and off-peak Oyster pay-as-you-go travel on the London Underground, London Overground, Elizabeth line, and Docklands Light Railway.

The same discount applies when buying tickets for Gatwick Express, Heathrow Express and Stansted Express. For full info on how it can be used, see the Railcard website (scroll down to 'What travel discounts can I get?').

Rail Delivery Group says that Disabled Person's Railcard holders save an average of £132 a year.

If you use a wheelchair or you're visually impaired, you don't need a railcard to get a discount on train tickets

You and an adult companion can get 34% off anytime single, anytime return and anytime day single tickets and 50% off anytime day return tickets if:

• You use a wheelchair and will remain in it throughout the journey. Children aged five to 15 get 75% off, but a children's ticket may be cheaper. You need to buy these tickets from a staffed station ticket office. Full info on the National Rail website.

• You're registered as blind or visually impaired and travelling with a companion. You can also get one adult season ticket that covers two people so a companion (doesn't have to be the same person) can travel with you at no extra cost. You'll need to provide proof. This can be either a CVI (Certificate of Visual Impairment), BP1 or BD8 certificate, or a document from a recognised body, such as social services, a local authority or Blind Veterans UK. More details on the National Rail website.