The New Millennial Railcard Is 2018’s Glastonbury Ticket

The one-year railcard for 26 to 30-year-olds will cost £30 and offer a third off most fares in England, Wales and Scotland. Only 10,000 will be released - enough for one in 500 of the eligible population - and the cost of some peak time travel will not be reduced. The scheme was first piloted for 16 to 30-year-olds living in East Anglia back before Christmas, with the idea of rolling it out nationwide if it proved successful. Anyone applying for the railcard will need to pay by card, have a proof of age, either through a driving licence or passport, and have a digital, passport-style photo and applications should be made on the 26-30 railcard website, and holders will need to download an app before they can use the card.

However, the sign-up site crashed today as millennials up and down the country battled to get access to cheaper travel, telling of their frustration at being unable to use the website selling the cards. It costs £30 each year and saves passengers a third off most fares. The card is aimed at leisure travelers, with no discounts on season tickets and a £12 minimum fare on all journeys between 4.30am and 10am, excluding weekends and public holidays. The chaos surrounding the railcard’s launch will see many disappointed, particularly those closer to the end of the age bracket for whom this was the last chance to enjoy discounted travel.

A spokesman for the Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators and Network Rail, said: ‘We’re sorry to those who have been unable to buy a trial 26-30 Railcard this morning. This is due to the exceptionally high volume of traffic on the 26-30 Railcard website. We are increasing the capacity on the website to better manage the high level of traffic.’

Edit: A spokesman for the Rail Delivery Group, said:

“This morning, when the 26-30 railcard trial began, the National Railcard website was receiving 12 times the normal number of visitors. We were prepared for demand to be similar to that of previous trial launches. Due to the unprecedented demand we have been working with our suppliers throughout the morning to further increase the capacity on the website to create a better experience for our customers. We recommend that customers continue trying the National Railcard website, and keep an eye on @_Railcards Twitter and Facebook pages for updates.

This article originally appeared on The Debrief.