The railcard gives you a third off rail travel and normally costs £35 each year
Money-saving expert Martin Lewis has shed light on how individuals aged 20 to 25 can snag a complimentary four-year railcard valued at £100 by opening any savings account or cash ISA with Santander.
To secure this free perk, you must deposit a minimum of £50 by May 31, 2025, maintain at least £50 in the account until June 30, 2025, and set up online banking with Santander by the same date in May. If these conditions are met, customers will receive a digital code via an online or mobile banking message, which they must redeem to get their railcard.
The redemption of the railcard code is available until June 30, 2025. For money-saving tips, sign up to our Money newsletter here.
This offer relates to a 16 to 25 railcard that typically offers a third off on train travel and usually costs £80 for a three-year railcard, or £35 annually.
Notably, both new and existing Santander customers, including those who previously banked with them, are eligible for this deal.
Sharing the tip through a recent social media video, Martin Lewis explained: “You can do this as long as you’re a UK resident and Santander hasn’t given you the railcard freebie before, which it only would have done if you had the Santander student bank account.
“This isn’t just for students though. This is for anyone aged 20 to 25.”
Furthermore, Martin recommended some specific Santander accounts for those primarily interested in obtaining the railcard.
For instance, he suggested that placing the required £50 into the bank’s 1.2% easy-access saver could be a wise move, reports the Mirror.
Martin Lewis highlighted that Santander’s most appealing standard account is its one-year fixed cash ISA, offering a 4.25% interest rate, yet it requires a minimum £500 deposit to open the account.
In addition, there’s the Edge Saver account boasting a 6% interest on balances up to £4,000.
Elaborating further, Martin pointed out: “To get that, you need to open or have its ‘Santander Edge’ current account, which is a top bank account for those who pay bills.
“You pay it £3 a month, it gives you 1% cashback on all bills you pay from it by Direct Debit up to £10 a month, and you also get cashback on your grocery or fuel or other transport spending in the UK, up to £10 a month.”
In his statement, Santander UK’s Head of Savings Saket Jasoria mentioned: “With the Easter and Spring Bank Holidays on the horizon, many people will be saving up for a quick getaway – whether that’s a weekend trip to see friends and family, or just making the most of the opportunity to explore somewhere new.
“We’re delighted to be able to help them make the most of the upcoming holidays, as well as supporting them to save even more over the years ahead, with both the railcard and through our range of savings products.”
