Martin Lewis: Money Saving Expert tip gets Santander customers a free 16-25 Railcard - how to get it

• A brilliant deal allows you to get a free four-year 16–25 Railcard worth £100
• You only need to save £50 by depositing into a Santander savings account or cash ISA
• The offer is open to new and existing Santander customers – even if you’ve banked with them before
• But you must also register for online/mobile banking and keep savings until 30 June 2025
• The Railcard code will arrive by 16 June 2025 and must be redeemed by the end of the month

Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis has shared a clever way to get your hands on a completely free four-year Railcard – normally worth £100 – simply by putting aside £50 with Santander.

The offer is available to UK residents aged 20 to 25 – specifically those who will be between these ages on Monday, 30 June, 2025.

You’re eligible whether you’re a new or existing Santander customer – even past customers can apply, so long as you haven’t already received a Railcard through another Santander offer, like its student bank account.

How to claim the free Railcard

To get your free four-year 16–25 Railcard, follow these simple steps:

• Deposit at least £50 into a Santander savings account or cash ISA as soon as possible – demand may be high, and the offer could be pulled early.
• Keep the money there until 30 June 2025.
• Register for online or mobile banking by the end of May 2025 via Santander’s website.
• Watch for your Railcard code, which will be sent via online/mobile banking message by Monday, 16 June, 2025. You’ll need to redeem it through the Santander Railcard website by 30 June, 2025.

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Which Santander account should you choose?

If you’re only interested in nabbing the Railcard, open Santander’s Easy Access Saver. It pays just 1.2% interest, which is low – but that’s offset by the value of the Railcard. You can withdraw any time, so once the Railcard is yours, you can close the account.

But if you want to actually grow your savings while taking advantage of the offer, Santander’s 4.25% One-Year Fixed Cash ISA offers a solid return for a big bank, but you’ll need to put in at least £500 to open it.

Alternatively, the Edge Saver pays 6% interest on up to £4,000. To get this rate, you must also open Santander’s Edge Current Account, which comes with a £30 Amazon voucher and is highly rated for handling household bills.

What about students?

If you’re aged 18 or 19, the Santander Edge Student Bank Account gives you the same four-year Railcard – with no saving requirement at all.

This is a cracking deal for anyone who travels by train – and with train fares rising, a Railcard can pay for itself (or in this case, earn you a profit) in just a couple of journeys. As Martin Lewis always says: “If you’re eligible, why wouldn’t you?”

More details and full terms can be found on Santander’s website.

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