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Your Railcard also gets you the ⅓ discount on Tube fares.
Photo: Benjamin Schnirman and Joy Fraser Cooper
- 16-25 Railcard
There are plenty of discounts for students at local shops and restaurants, but did you know that all of Britain’s rail services offer student discounts too? The 16-25 Railcard costs just £30 for one year, and saves you ⅓ on off-peak fares on all rail services in Great Britain–a great deal in itself. But you can save even more by adding it to your Oyster card, which will extend the discount to all of Transport for London’s rail services: that’s anything on the Tube map, with the exception of the trams and cable car. This has the added benefit of making a Zone 1 off-peak tube fare the same price as a bus ride–very helpful if you’re in a rush and traffic is at a snail’s pace.
Unless you have a UK-issued ID (besides your Biometric Residence Permit), it can be difficult to acquire the digital Railcard, but you can apply for a physical one at any staffed National Rail station such as King’s Cross or St. Pancras. Just print out this form and fill it out, as well as bring a passport-style photograph and your passport. Find or ask for the National Rail ticket office.
The 18+ Oystercard comes with a photo to prove your identity.
Image: Transport for London
2. 18+ Student Oyster Card
2. 18+ Student Oyster Card
In the same vein as the Railcard, an 18+ Student Oyster card gets you a 30% discount, but this time on TfL Travelcards and Tram and Bus Passes. If you regularly commute via public transport, this might be the option for you.
“For those living in the Curve, Urbanest or off-campus, it will probably work out cheaper in the long run,” says Aisling Leen, Student Life Coordinator at NYU London. She noted that students will have to go through Transport for London (TfL) to begin the application.
Student Life Administrator Noah Horne-Morris notes that the process is automatic from there.
“TfL will then notify us when a student has applied for the 18+ Oyster Card. TFL also charges a £20 admin fee.”
You can still add a Railcard to an 18+ Oyster to continue to receive the ⅓ discount on pay-as-you-go fares and daily caps, so for £50 you’ll get the full discount on all National Rail and TfL services in the United Kingdom.
There’s still flights available if you’re trying to get back home for the holidays.
Screenshot: Benjamin Schnirman
3. Skyscanner
3. Skyscanner
Plenty of you may be familiar with Europe’s low-cost airlines (think Ryanair, Easyjet, or Wizz), but you might not have heard of Skyscanner, a website that helpfully aggregates the fares of hundreds of carriers around the world. While some routes may be a bit out of the way, it can be a great way to see new places on your way back home for the holidays or find low-cost weekend trips within Europe.
The helmet verification works in the app, using facial scanning software.
Screenshot: Benjamin Schnirman
4. Lime Helmet Discount
4. Lime Helmet Discount
You can’t miss the bright green and white bikes that are parked all around London’s sidewalks–not yet iconic, but still ever-present. They’re an enjoyable ride with a responsive and powerful electric assist, but “luxury” comes at a premium: these peppy cycles cost 21p a minute. You can save up to 25% on your bill, however, by equipping a helmet and scanning it when prompted after starting a ride.
I got a cheap but effective helmet at Argos for £20, which means I’ll break even (and not break open my head) after about one of my friends got hers at Evans Cycles in King’s Cross
Often Lime also offers general promotional discounts as well, so keep your eyes peeled. They’re usually only for certain bikes or areas.
The app helpfully shows how many unlocks you’ve made with LimePrime.
Screenshot: Benjamin Schnirman
5. LimePrime and Ride Passes
5. LimePrime and Ride Passes
The other problem with Lime is the £1 unlock charge–but you can get this waived with LimePrime, Lime’s subscription service. It’s currently £8.99, so you’ll break even if you take nine or more rides a month.
You can also get Ride Passes for Lime, which give you free unlocks and a specified amount of riding time (60, 120, or 290 minutes). These have to be used within 3 days, so it’s good for when you want to take a long ride or know you’re going to be using the bikes heavily in the near future.
6. Ferries and buses to Europe
6. Ferries and buses to Europe
If low-cost airlines seem like a hassle to figure out baggage, or you’d prefer to reduce your impact on the environment, consider taking a ferry or bus! Stena Line has ships from Harwich to Hook of Holland as well as various lines throughout Europe and to Ireland.
Prices usually start around £50 one-way and Harwich to Hook of Holland trips take about nine hours. Slightly more expensive fares apply for night cabins, but may be worth it to save time for your destination.
Even less expensive are buses, such as those offered by Megabus and Flixbus. A trip to Paris can be as little as £30 one-way. While bus trips can take longer, they’re great for taking things slow and enjoying the scenery of both countryside and city.
Benjamin Schnirman
CAS '24
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