Gold Cards

Annual Season tickets in London and the South East of England, which also offer discounts on rail travel.

What is a Gold Card?

Gold Cards are Annual Season tickets with a difference! When you buy an annual season at a station within the Network Railcard Area and the origin and / or destination are also in the Network Railcard Area, you are automatically issued with a Gold Card.

Annual Season tickets can be issued as Gold Cards when:

They are also available on Oyster cards that are loaded with a valid Annual Travelcard. A separate printed Gold Record Card will be issued , which must be presented when buying discounted tickets.

As well as being a Season ticket, it also acts as a Railcard giving discounts on other rail journeys in the Network Railcard Area for yourself and others.

How much do Gold Card season tickets cost?

Why not use our Season Ticket Calculator to find the cost of your season ticket - remember, Gold Cards are only issued (to adults) with Annual Season tickets for travel in the Network Railcard Area.

What discounts do I get?

Holders of Gold Card Season tickets and Travelcards get 1/3 off:

• Standard Class Single and return tickets on participating train company services within the Network Railcard Area, plus:
  • Up to three other adults aged 16 or over, each receiving a 34% discount
  • Up to four children aged between 5 and 15 pay just £1. Please note, from 2 January 2012 the Child flat fare will be £2
  • Up to two children aged under 5 travel free of charge with each fare paying passenger.

  The maximum group size is four adults, four flat fare-paying children and two children under 5 (who travel at no charge). The Gold Card holder must travel with the group at all times.

• London Zones 1-6 Off-Peak Day Travelcard
• Oyster Off-Peak pay as you go single fares and Oyster Off-Peak Daily price caps on National Rail, London Underground and Docklands Light Railway services in Greater London. The Gold Card discount must be loaded on the Oyster card at London Underground ticket offices and is available to the Gold Card holder only. 

Gold Card holders do not need to purchase a ticket for themselves if the journey to be undertaken is covered by their Season ticket.

Gold Card holders can also buy a Network Railcard for another adult for just £1. The Network Railcard Partner Card gives 1/3 off leisure travel in the Network Railcard Area. Find out more about the Network Railcard. Only one £1 Network Railcard Partner Card can be issued during the validity of the Annual Gold Card.

When can I get the discounts?

Discount are available for travel at or after 1000 hours on Mondays to Fridays. Valid at anytime on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays. There are some exceptions where you can travel earlier, ask when you buy your ticket.

Discounted travel in London

If your Gold Card does not include Travelcard Zones 1 to 6:

• If you buy a discounted 'Off-Peak Day Travelcard' (Zone 1 to 6) with your Gold Card, up to 4 children aged under 11 can travel with the Gold Card holder free on London Underground, Docklands Light Railway, London Buses and Croydon Tramlink.
• Gold Card holders who are purchasing discounted 'Off-Peak Day Travelcard' (Zone 1 to 6) for accompanying adults or children, must also purchase one for themselves if their Gold Card Season ticket is not valid in Zones 1 to 6.

If your Gold Card includes Travelcard Zones 1 to 6:

• you can purchase an Off-Peak Day Travelcard for up to 4 accompanying children aged 5 to 15 inclusive, priced at £1.00 'out-boundary' (journeys commencing outside the London Fares Zones) or £2.00 'in-boundary' (journeys commencing within the London Fares Zones).

Where can I travel?

The Gold Card offers great discounts, but is only available on certain services.

Travel is available:

• on train services operated by the following train operating companies:
  • c2c
  • Chiltern Railways
  • CrossCountry
  • East Coast
  • East Midlands Trains
  • First Capital Connect
  • First Great Western
  • Gatwick Express
  • Greater Anglia
  • Heathrow Connect
  • Heathrow Express
  • Island Line
  • London Midland
  • London Overground
  • Southeastern
  • Southern
  • South West Trains
  • Virgin Trains
• between stations shown on the Network Railcard Area map
• around London, as detailed above
• to and from the Isle of Wight on rail/sea journeys on:
  • Red Funnel ships and Red Jet services between Southampton and East or West Cowes
  • Wightlink ships between Portsmouth Harbour and Ryde Pier Head, and between Lymington Pier and Yarmouth.
    (Special higher prices apply for accompanied children on these services)

Travel is not available on:

• Eurostar services
• any train where the equivalent full-price ticket is not valid
• any shipping or ferry services (except as shown above to/from the Isle of Wight)
• Rail-Air Coach Link services
• London Underground services except when travelling as detailed above
• journeys outside the area shown in the Network Railcard Area map.

Upgrade to First Class for less...

Why not enjoy the added comfort of First Class accommodation? Take a look at our Upgrading to First Class page for more information.

Where can I buy a Gold Card?

You can buy an Annual Gold Card Season ticket from any station within the Network Area. Visit your local station today.

Full Terms and Conditions

Full terms and conditions for the Gold Card can be found here.