TrainPal and Partners Help 'Trips Change Lives' With Railway 200 Charity Micro-Donations

TrainPal customers will be able to add a voluntary donation when booking train tickets, helping support Railway 200's charity campaign

LONDON, July 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- TrainPal, the rail booking app, has partnered with fintech charity Pennies to offer rail passengers the chance to give to charity when booking train tickets.

TrainPal customers will be able to add a voluntary donation at checkout to support Railway 200's charity campaign, which benefits charity partners including Alzheimer's Research UK, Railway Mission, Railway Benefit Fund, Railway Children and Transport Benevolent Fund CIO.

In 2025, Railway 200 celebrated the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway and how it transformed Britain and the world. To celebrate this milestone, Railway 200 is raising vital funds and awareness for its charity partners, to celebrate the past and help make and protect memories for the future.

Powered by Pennies' micro-donation technology, the feature will appear at the final stage of the TrainPal booking journey, as customers complete payment. Those who wish to support the campaign will be able to add a donation to their booking, while customers who do not wish to donate can continue their purchase as normal.

The initiative is linked to Railway 200, the national campaign marking 200 years of the modern railway, which has seen thousands of celebratory events across the UK and the world. The checkout feature gives TrainPal customers a simple way to contribute to the campaign as part of their booking journey.

A TrainPal Spokesperson said: "At TrainPal, we want to make rail travel easier for customers, while also giving them the option to support meaningful causes connected to the railway community.

"Through our partnership with Pennies, customers can choose to add a small voluntary donation at checkout when booking their train tickets. It is a simple and accessible way for passengers to contribute, while keeping the booking experience clear and flexible."

Alison Hutchinson CBE, CEO of Pennies, said: "We're proud to partner with TrainPal and Railway 200, giving passengers a simple way to support the campaign's amazing charity partners. At Pennies we believe small donations can have a remarkable collective impact.

"By adding a few pennies when booking a ticket, TrainPal customers will be supporting the communities that keep our railways moving, and vital dementia research too, protecting memories for the future. These donations add up quickly, proving that even the smallest acts of generosity can change lives."

Emma Roberts, Programme Manager at Railway 200 said: "200 years ago, a train journey changed the world forever: sparking a mass mobility revolution and creating unprecedented economic growth. Today, passengers can make their trips change lives by donating a few pennies when buying a ticket.

"Thank you to TrainPal, Pennies and everyone who chooses to donate: your generosity will make a real difference to people's lives, through our wonderful charity partners."

Philip Dunn, Chief Financial Officer at Alzheimer's Research UK, said: "We are incredibly thankful to Railway 200, TrainPal UK and Pennies for supporting our mission with this exciting partnership. With almost one million people affected by dementia in the UK, support like this is vital to helping us end the fear, harm and heartbreak of this devastating condition.

"By donating a few pennies when purchasing a train ticket through TrainPal UK, customers will be helping us protect railway memories for the future by raising vital funds and awareness for a cure for dementia."

Pennies' micro-donation model is designed to make giving simple, affordable and accessible, allowing customers to contribute small amounts when paying by card or digitally. Since 2010, Pennies has worked with more than 200 brands to enable more than 335 million donations, raising £83 million for more than 1,250 charities.

TrainPal helps customers search, compare and book train journeys across the UK and Europe. The app offers a dedicated rail-first experience for customers looking to plan and manage train travel, including fare comparison, split-ticket options and Railcard support.

Notes to editors

About the donation option

The Pennies donation option will appear at the final stage of the TrainPal booking flow, within the payment journey. Customers will be able to choose whether to add a voluntary donation before completing payment.

The feature is optional. Customers who do not wish to donate can continue their booking as normal.

About TrainPal

TrainPal is a digital rail and coach ticketing platform helping customers travel across the UK and Europe. Through smart fare-finding technology, including split-ticketing and journey planning tools, TrainPal makes it easier for travellers to find competitive fares and book with confidence.

TrainPal continues to invest in technology and customer experience to support the growing demand for convenient, value-driven rail travel.

For more information, visit www.mytrainpal.com.

About Pennies

Pennies is the trusted leader in micro-donations. Since 2010, Pennies has worked with more than 200 brands to enable more than 335 million donations, raising over £83 million for more than 1,250 charities.

In an increasingly cashless society, Pennies gives customers a quick, affordable and data-free way to add a small donation when paying by card or digitally — in-store, online and in-app.

Pennies' vision is that one day, wherever and whenever people pay by card or digitally, they will be given the opportunity to donate a few pence to charity. Making giving simple, every day. Because micro-donations matter.

For more information, visit: www.pennies.org.uk

About Railway 200

• 2025 marked the 200th anniversary of the modern railway, inspired by the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1825, a journey that changed the world forever.
• Under the banner of Railway 200, nationwide celebrations took place throughout 2025, showcasing how the railway shaped Britain and the world and how its pioneering pedigree continues today and is shaping tomorrow.

About Alzheimer's Research UK

• Alzheimer's Research UK is the UK's leading dementia research charity.
• Alzheimer's Research UK's vision is a world free from the fear, harm and heartbreak of dementia.
• Alzheimer's Research UK fund life-changing research, influence government and policymakers, and provide information for people affected by dementia.
• Alzheimer's Research UK's mission is to accelerate progress towards a cure for dementia, by revolutionising the way we treat, diagnose and prevent the condition.
• Since the charity was founded in 1992 Alzheimer's Research UK has invested more than £268m in dementia research, helping fuel drug discovery, improve diagnostics and further understanding of the genetics of the condition.
• Last year Alzheimer's Research UK invested over £30.8m in research.
• You can support Alzheimer's Research UK by donating, fundraising, volunteering and campaigning. To find out more about the charity and how you can help visit www.alzheimersresearchuk.org or call 0300 111 5555.
• Follow Alzheimer's Research UK on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok.

About Railway Mission:

Railway Mission provides pastoral care and emotional support to railway staff and their families across the UK, helping them through personal, work-related, or crisis situations as well as members of the public affected by railway incidents.

About Railway Children:

Protecting childhoods. Rebuilding young lives.

Railway Children support vulnerable children alone and at risk on the streets and at transport hubs. We are leading change and building brighter futures across the world.

About Railway Benefit Fund:

Railway Benefit Fund is a non-membership charity, providing financial support and advice to current, former, and retired railway people and their families facing hardship. Our focus is exclusively on the UK Railway Family, including the railway supply chain.

About Transport Benevolent Fund CIO:

In times of need, hardship, and distress, the Transport Benevolent Fund is here to help support public transport employees, both working and retired and offers financial and medical benefits.

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