Earn 2000 Virgin Red Points Buying a Railcard Plus Double Points on all Train Tickets - Thursday Travel Tips
- Helena
- Aug 14
- 5 min read
Updated: Sep 4
Welcome back to Thursday Travel Tips, where we show you how to earn points from everyday travel habits, often in ways you didn’t even realise were possible.
We’ve already covered how to earn points from a Deliveroo order or by shopping smart abroad. But today we’re heading back to the rails, because if you're a regular train traveller in the UK, there’s a good chance you’ve bought a Railcard at some point. And if you haven’t, well… you probably should.
What if we told you that same Railcard could now earn you Virgin Points too?
This week’s tip is simple: buy your Railcard through Virgin Trains Ticketing, and you’ll earn 3 Virgin Points for every £1 spent.
Enjoying this weeks Thursday Travel Tips? Here are some of our other recent ones!
Railcards: An Easy Win for Frequent (and Infrequent) Travellers - Earn Virgin Red Points Just for Buying a Railcard
Let’s start with the basics. A Railcard is a discount card that gives you 1/3 off most train fares in Great Britain. Whether you’re a student, under 30, over 60, travelling as a couple, or even taking the kids, there’s a Railcard to suit your situation.
The price? Typically just £35 per year. The savings? They stack up fast, even if you only take a few trips a year. It’s one of the best-value travel tools out there.
But here’s the kicker: most people still buy their Railcards through the main Railcard website, which gets you the discount… and nothing else.
Buy it instead through Virgin Trains Ticketing, and you’ll earn Virgin Points on the purchase, without paying a penny more.
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What's This About 2000 Points?
Yup, you read that right!
Customers can take advantage of a limited-time offer from Virgin Trains Ticketing, available until 11th September 2025 or until the first 3,000 qualifying Railcard purchases (including renewals) have been made, whichever comes first.
Each eligible Railcard purchase or renewal will earn 2,000 Virgin Points, with a limit of one per customer.
In addition, travellers can earn double Virgin Points on the cash element of all ticket purchases made through Virgin Trains Ticketing during the promotional period. This double-points offer excludes Railcard purchases and is subject to terms and conditions.
But wait, what is Virgin Trains Ticketing?
Girl, where you been! If you don't know the answer to this and you want to be flying with Virgin Atlantic, this is your little goldmine to Virgin Points!
We've written a whole article on Earn Points Everything Time you Book a Train Ticket but in short it's an app/website where you can book your UK based train tickets and you will earn Virgin Points everytime you book. You can go anywhere within the UK and book with any train network, you just have to book your ticket through the Virgin Train Ticketing app.
How to Buy a Railcard and Earn Points
The process is simple, but you do need to follow the right steps to make sure your Virgin Points track properly.
Start via Virgin Red. Log into your Virgin Red account and click through to Virgin Trains Ticketing.
Buy your Railcard.
If you already have the Virgin Trains Ticketing app, open it, head to the Account tab, then tap Railcards and Purchase a Railcard.
If you don’t yet have the app, you’ll be taken to the Virgin Trains Ticketing website. Select Buy your Railcard now, choose the type of Railcard that fits your travel habits, and complete the checkout.
Check your email. You’ll get a confirmation and a download code.
Install your Railcard. Open the app, go to Account > Railcards > Add a Railcard, and enter your download code.
Earn your Virgin Points. These will usually appear in both your Virgin Red and Virgin Trains Ticketing accounts within 14 days of purchase.
And just like that, your discount card earns you future travel rewards, while saving you money on train travel.
Why We Love This Tip
There are a few reasons this is one of our favourite hacks for UK-based travellers:
You’re likely to buy a Railcard anyway – so why not earn points on it?
The cost doesn’t change – Railcards cost the same through Virgin Trains Ticketing as anywhere else.
The points add up – at £35 per year, you’ll earn 105 Virgin Points just from the Railcard purchase. Not huge on its own - but it stacks beautifully with the points you’ll earn on your train tickets booked through the same app.
Plus, the Virgin Trains Ticketing app is actually really good. No booking fees. Access to split ticketing (hello, hidden savings). All major UK train operators covered. And your Railcard stored directly in the app, no more hunting through emails before boarding.
Even better, you can spend your points within the app too. So once you’ve earned enough, you can start using Virgin Points to discount future journeys.
A Few Practical Notes
You’ll need a UK credit or debit card to buy the Railcard.
The Railcard must be added to the Virgin Trains Ticketing app to be used.
Buying a Railcard for someone else? No problem, you can gift it, and they can redeem it using the download code in their own app.
You must be a Virgin Red member to earn or redeem Virgin Points.
Final Thoughts: The Smartest Way to Save on UK Train Travel
This is one of those travel tips that almost feels too obvious in hindsight. You need a Railcard. You’re going to buy one anyway. So why not earn Virgin Points at the same time?
It’s a small action with long-term rewards, and when combined with booking your train tickets through the same app, you can turn your entire rail routine into a low-key points-earning machine.
For me, it’s just another way to stretch the value of my everyday travel. The Railcard saves you money up front, and the points give you a head start on your next adventure, what’s not to love?
So next time your Railcard is due for renewal (or you’re finally ready to get one), remember: Virgin Trains Ticketing is the way to go.
Until next Thursday, happy travelling, and even happier collecting.
Helena
Points Well Made is a passion project of Sam and Helena with a loyal following. If you like what we do, and wish to help us continue to create the content you love, please consider buying us a Kofi, or subscribing monthly. Your help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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