Glenda is travelling to the UK and wants to know if her concession card is valid.
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Q. Glenda
My husband and I plan on travelling to the UK later this year. As a pensioner in Australia, how can we get senior/pensioner concessions for travel and entry into tourist attractions? How can we apply for this?
A. The Senior Railcard entitles anyone over 60 to about one-third off most rail fares around Britain. It costs $A43 for a year.
Once you have the card, you are also entitled to a range of discounts on things such as concert tickets and hotel bookings, so it’s worth the investment even if you’re just visiting.
Bus travel discounts apply sporadically to international seniors, depending on which council area you are visiting, so don’t be afraid to ask but be ready to pay the full rate where applicable.
The National Express coach service, conversely, offers up to 50 per cent off its tickets to anyone over 60. Similarly, most ferry companies will give international seniors a discount with proof of age.
Australians also receive great seniors travel discounts on Britrail and the Eurostar at Rail Europe Australia You need to book and pay for these passes before you leave Australia. They are only available to international tourists.
Almost all museums and art galleries, for example, have free entry these days but you may have to pay to see special exhibitions within the museum etc.
The most important thing to note is to always ask if there is a discount for seniors. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
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