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I wonder if anybody could help me. I have been trying to renew a Senior railcard for my wife...a three year one...online. She doesn't want a virtual one but the card version. I have been on the National Rail site and filled in all the details until the sign in /register page. Then I encounter a 500 error notification and a 'something went wrong' statement . I don't think it is me as the page says that they are 'working on it'. Thing is, I keep getting this page and if you go on Facebook there are similar experiences posted going back to 1st of June. Please could anybody out there explain what I have done wrongly....or could any kind soul send me a link that works. I am no conspiracy theorist but i am beginning to sense they don't want me to have one. Thanks for reading this.

Have you tried contacting National Rail and making them aware/asking for assistance?

Railcards so have their own help on Twitter, if you are also a twitter user. They may have their own email help too?

It wouldn’t surprise me to find the 3 year version is only via the Railcard app…so virtual only

Try using a different Browser - it's surprising how often that does the trick.

How did you/your wife purchase her current railcard? If you purchased it online through www.railcard.co.uk, you should already have an account, so all you need to do is log in and the renewal is already prepared for you. I had no problem renewing both my own and my wife's earlier this year.

Thank you for all your kind and helpful responses. In the end I managed via phone and was helped by an amazingly patient salesperson who was EXCELLENT! But how I wish that I had known that I could have phoned in the first place; the web page I found said that this was not possible!! Thank you everybody.

What's the number? I need to renew a card.

When discussing Senior Railcards with several friends who have recently achieved the certain age, none of them knew of the 20% discount off the price of a one year Senior railcard available to Devon residents. You simply have to ask the Concessionary Travel Team at Devon County Council to supply you with a code to enter on the Railcard website. The discount is not available at station ticket offices.

And using Tesco Clubcard points, many railcards - including my Senior Railcard - can be purchased for £10: a considerable saving on the cover price.

Indeed, and I think you can use them for other people to buy theirs too. Only one-year railcards can be bought, which is an annoyance if you want to link the railcard to an Oyster (until the rather vaguely promised upgrade to allow that to be done on-line).

Would anyone know if there any other current discount(or free) ways to obtain a senior railcard?

It would appear that National Rail has still not bothered to fix their website/or App over the last few weeks.  I cannot renew my (virtual) Railcard - my idea (above) doesn't work for me either ! I keep getting an "unexpected issue" - except it isn't unexpected after first dozen attempts !

According to the FAQs you don't have to verify yourself if you are renewing - no one seems to have told the website - it asks me for everything, name, rank, official number, 30 digit passport number, the middle name of my Uncle Fred's pet frog ...............and it still doesn't work. No bother - I'll send an email to the helpline, that'll sort it...............if I wait 10 days   >:( 

Do they actually want anyone to use the trains nowadays  ?  except at full fare of course....................

I’ve heard that Trsinline sre offering a discount on some rsilcards via their app, where your railcard will reside. Yet to check it out, but includes Senior Railcards I think. Offer until end of this month

While you were typing that I was trawling through the web. Found the Trainline offer and bought a 1 year card for £20 - first time I have ever bought anything from Trainline ! Unlike National Rail the Trainline App worked faultlessly.  Not sure if the £10 discount paid for all the cursing at National Rail though......

My 3 year version expires early next month so I’m likely to throw away a few days & renew through Trainline at the snd if this month. The £10 discount is enough to persuade me not to renew for abother 3year version saving a further £10 over the term

Trainline is a comercial company, offer looks good, but be arware.

So it is - just like Waitrose and Lidl.............. and it is my choice where I buy my baked beans. National Rail have seemingly made it impossible for me to buy their (more expensive too !) product so I shall buy that product elsewhere. 

I've just renewed my Good Lady Wife's card with a 3-year plastic version through my account at www.railcard.co.uk. Logged into the account at 9:15pm on Thurs 11/08 to renew and had email at 3:45pm on Friday 12/08 to inform me that the new card has been despatched. No problems whatsoever unless the Royal Mail loses the card.

I have been informed by National Rail that you can only renew a card online if it expired less than 30 days ago. I am afraid to say that I have to take that with a hefty pinch of salt. I tried buying a new card several times, I tried buying a new card after uninstalling and re-installing the App, both on my mobile and PC - it still didn't work !

My Good Lady Wife's card expired back in May and I renewed her's last week, so NR is plainly telling porkies! If you have an account at www.railcard.co.uk, the website stores all previously purchased cards and the 'renew' button is active for all - even those cards that expired years previously.

I don't think I would argue too strongly against that statement .................. :-X :-X

Had an email from National Rail this morning saying that I hadn't finished applying for my card renewal.................. >:( >:(

I got a postcard from Railcards to say that my Two-together railcard was expiring next week & need to renew it.

Only problem - I've NEVER had one of those railcards, nor have I ever lived at the (very) local address it was addressed to. But correct name & there isn't another Chris B in our village! We have a friendly local postie who knows me...so brought it round.