Virgin Trains offer qualifying charities a 20% discount off the full range of Virgin Trains-only Advance Purchase fares, including First Class.

Virgin Trains' CharityLine is over 10 years old and feedback shows that most charities now wish to book online and so thetrainline.com provide Virgin Trains with an online booking facility for charities.

Tickets can be bought up to 23.59 the day before travel and collected from a FastTicket machine at the station. The scheme requires the traveller to be in possession of a valid charity photo ID card or dated letter of authority on charity headed paper with discounted charity tickets.

The discount is available to registered charities that are able to prove a minimum 10% voluntary funding level. This can be validated by a letter from your Finance Director, or similar, stating your 10% minimum voluntary funding; or for charities with an income over £500,000, a link to the page on the Charity Commission website (OSCR in Scotland) that shows your charity's funding status.

 
To register at thetrainline.com

• Click on the Business Account tab and then ‘Create a business account for my company.'

• Fill in your company details. Remember to select ‘Charity' as the Business Type from the   drop down menu.

• After you complete your registration, you will be provided with a business ID number.

• Once registered, please email the Charity team (charitydiscount@thetrainline.com) with the following information:

• The ID number of your business account

• Your registered charity number

• Confirmation of your eligibility

• Please put the name of your organisation in the subject line.

Activation will be completed within 15 working days of receiving a valid request.