Once we have had your information from your HR department, we will be able to issue passes out for you. However, you should be aware that we will need a photo of you so we can issue facilities. You can upload this now at our photo upload page.

Each TOC has different processes so it is not possible for us to give you information about when we will receive this data in relation to your start date. You should contact your HR if you have any queries.

As a Safeguarded Employee you may be able to retain your travel facilities in retirement. As a rough guide, you must be eligible to draw your railway pension immediately on your retirement date. Normally this would be at age 50, although in some circumstances you may have to be 55 years of age before you are eligible to receive a railway pension. You will only receive retired travel facilities if your employer confirms you have retired (by virtue of your age). As a Safeguarded employee provided your employer tells us you have retired or been made redundant your travel will be "preserved” and RST will contact you with what needs to be done with regards to your passes.

In the meantime, please complete our Retired Data Check form (XX12) on our forms page. This will allow us to keep in touch with you once you’ve retired.

If you are joining an eligible employer and have less than a month between leaving joining you need to send your TOC and Group passes back to RST by cutting them into 4 and sending a picture of these by email. Provided your employer completes the necessary form we will then issue any outstanding cards to you and your family members.

If you are joining an eligible employer RST will need your new employer to complete the required forms to apply for travel for you and if there is a gap in service of a month or more you will need to provide proof of unemployment in the form of a current OCA41 form from HMRC.

Failure to return cards/passes can cause delays in you being issued with new passes when you join your new TOC.

Please note that Open-access operators such as Grand Central, Heathrow Express and Hull Trains are not considered TOCs so cannot offer Safeguarded travel facilities.

It is best to check with RST in the first instance that the company you are joining will be able to offer you rail staff travel facilities. Just because a company in the rail industry has employees with rail staff travel facilities does not mean that safeguarded employees who join voluntarily are also eligible.

You will have to send pictures of all cards and passes for you and your family cut into 4 and send us pictures of these showing the names and numbers to our e-mail address. You may be eligible for rail staff travel facilities with your new employer, but it depends upon who you are joining.

If they are not eligible to give you rail staff travel facilities, you will lose your eligibility to Safeguarded staff travel facilities. You will not be able to re-obtain these later, e.g. you will not get the travel facilities back when you reach your minimum pension age, retire or are made redundant.

If you are being made redundant or are eligible to take your pension then you may be able to ‘preserve’ your travel so you can retain your leisure travel. If you’re not, then you will lose your eligibility to Safeguarded staff travel facilities. You will not be able to get these at a later date, e.g. you will not get the travel facilities back when you reach your minimum pension age, retire or are made redundant.

You will need to return any outstanding cards/passes either to RST by cutting them into 4 and sending us by e-mail a picture of these by showing the name and number so these can be cancelled from your record.

As a Non-Safeguarded Employee, you are not eligible to retain your national and international travel facilities in retirement. However, your TOC may allow you to keep your TOC specific card/pass. You should contact your HR department before you leave to discuss this with them.

You will need to return any outstanding cards/passes to RST. Please cut them into 4 and send us a picture of these by email with the name and number visible so these can be cancelled from your record.

If you are joining an eligible employer and have less than a month between leaving joining you need to send your TOC and Group passes back to RST by cutting them into 4 and sending a picture of these by email. Provided your employer completes the necessary form we will then issue any outstanding cards to you and your family members. You can hold onto your Rail Staff Leisure Card and International Reduced Rate Card. However if not, you will need to will need to return these directly to RST by cutting them into 4 and send us a picture of these by email with the name and number visible so these can be cancelled from your record.

Failure to do this can cause delays in you being issued with new cards and passes when you join your new TOC.

As a Non-Safeguarded Employee you will not be able to retain any of your staff travel facilities when leaving your current TOC employer.

You will need to return any outstanding cards, including those issued to your family members, to RST. When returning to RST please cut them into 4 and send us a picture of these by email with the name and number visible so these can be cancelled from your record.

This all depends which company you are moving to, whether you meet the eligibility for a Status Pass there and whether your new employer has sufficient Status Pass quota to allocate one to you. It is always best to check with RST in the first instance before moving so we can offer advice.

If you are joining an employer that can offer rail staff travel facilities, and they determine you are eligible for a Status pass, then they may be able to continue your Status Pass eligibility.

Generally, even if you can have facilities with your new employer you need to return all outstanding cards, including those issued to your family members directly to RST. When returning to RST please cut them into 4 and send us a picture of these by email with the name and number visible so these can be cancelled from your record.

Holders of Blue Status Passes do not retain these when leaving one eligible employer to join another.

As a Safeguarded Employee, if you are eligible to retain your staff travel facilities in retirement or redundancy as advised by your employer to RST, then you will be able to retain your Status Pass as well.

Once you have left, status passes will need to be cut into 4 and pictures sent to RST for these to be issued as the retired version. If you have an Oyster Status Pass, a retired version will be ordered and once an image of the cut up active pass is received, we will post the retired version to you.

You should complete our Retired Data Check form (XX12) on our Forms page. This will allow us to keep in touch with you.

We will be notified of any changes by your employer. If it means a change to your rail staff travel facilities, we will contact you. This may require the return of your current ones because we can reissue new ones.

You will need to apply for rail staff travel facilities for each of your eligible family members once you have received your Rail Staff Leisure Card.

We add eligible family members to your record as soon as we process the application from you.

All of the forms are available on the Forms page of our website.

We will need a photograph of all family members so that we can issue facilities to them. You can upload the photographs using the Photo Upload page of our website.

As a Safeguarded Employee you may be able to retain your national leisure travel facilities in retirement or redundancy. You will only receive national travel facilities as a retired employee if your employer confirms you have retired (by virtue of your age and are eligible to receive your pension) or have been made redundant.
 
Whether or not you retain TOC specific passes will depend on your employer.
 
Once we have received confirmation from your employer that you have left, we will contact you and let you know what passes needed to be returned or exchanged for the retired version.
 
Please complete our xx12 Retired Data form once you retire to ensure we hold the most up to date information for you.

For active employees, in some circumstances only, you can move between employers and retain rail staff travel benefits You should contact RST before you move to check if there will be any impact on your Rail Staff Travel facilities.

As you are leaving the rail industry, unless you are eligible to retain your leisure travel facilities due to redundancy or retirement, you will lose your eligibility to Safeguarded staff travel. You will not be able to re-obtain these at a later date, e.g. when you reach your minimum pension age, retire or are made redundant.
 
Once we receive your leaver details, we will make the necessary changes and may contact you as required.

For active employees, in some circumstances only, you can move between employers and retain rail staff travel benefits You should contact RST before you move to check if there will be any impact on your Rail Staff Travel facilities. You will only be able to retain your Gold or Silver Status Pass if the role you accept with the new employer matches the grade requirements under the Scheme Rules, and the employer has a spare Status Pass within their quota. If the role you accept is a lower grade than you held with your old employer, then you will be issued with the facilities applicable to that grade.
 
Holders of Blue Status Passes do not retain these when leaving one eligible employer to join another.

If you are eligible to retain your staff travel facilities in retirement or redundancy as advised to us by your employer, then you will be able to retain your Status Pass, but it will be issued as a retired version, and only available for leisure travel.
 
If you hold an oyster status pass and are eligible to keep this in retirement, then a retired card will be ordered from TFL (there are different rules around the eligibility to retain this pass in retirement).
 
Once you leave status passes for you and your eligible family members and your oyster pass (both parts) should be cut into 4 and a picture sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. so the retired versions can be issued.

We will be notified of the change to your grade by your employer. At this point we will contact you if we need to make any changes to your current facilities

If you were eligible to retain your travel facilities when you left the rail industry, then you would have kept them. If you aren’t currently receiving them then it is likely you weren’t eligible when you left. Even if the rules have changed they do not apply retrospectively.
 
Claiming your pension does not change your eligibility for travel facilities. Rules for pensions and travel facilities are completely different and you can be in receipt of one and not the other.

Resignation and dismissal are not reasons for leaving that entitle you to keep you travel facilities. Regardless of whether you are now claiming your pension this does not change your eligibility for travel facilities.

If you were eligible to retain your travel facilities when you left the rail industry, then you would have kept them. If you aren’t currently receiving them then it is likely you weren’t eligible when you left. Even if the rules have changed, they do not apply retrospectively.
 
Claiming your pension does not change your eligibility for travel facilities. Rules for pensions and travel facilities are completely different and you can be in receipt of one and not the other.

If you qualify for a Senior Railcard (see www.senior-railcard.co.uk for eligibility) and you have a Staff Travel Card that states that “Retired” or Widow/er, then you can take up to 4 children aged between 5 and 15 with you for a flat fare of £4.00 (single or return) per child. This is for travel in Standard class only and the children have to travel with you. Proof of eligibility to purchase a Senior Railcard must be produced with your Retired Staff Travel Card when purchasing tickets.

As soon as you change your hours then this will affect your travel facilities.

There are a minimum number of hours that you need to work to be able to retain travel facilities and these vary by different cards and passes.

The number of hours that you will be working, what travel facilities that you have, how old you are and your personal circumstances (especially how close you are to retirement) will all have a bearing on the decision that you need to make, as the travel facilities that you have at the point of retirement are what you will retain throughout retirement - they cannot be adjusted after that time. You may need to speak to you HR department or RST before making a final decision – we are always happy to give specific advice, in confidence, according to your personal circumstances.

As soon as you change your hours then this may affect your travel facilities.

There are a minimum number of hours that you need to work to be able to retain travel facilities and these vary by different cards.

You can now notify RST of your change of name (or that of your Dependant) by completing an online form on our Forms page.

• To notify us of your change of name please complete Employee Change of Name form from our forms page

   

• To notify us of your Dependant's change of name please complete Dependant Change of Name form from our forms page

   

In both instances you will need to supply a scan of evidence of your cour marriage or civil partnership certificate or copy of the deed poll. However, before we can issue you with new passes we will need to receive all of the old passes back. The exception is if you, as an Employee, need one of your passes for residential or duty purposes. In this case, please send us a copy of the pass and we will replace it without you sending it in to us. Once you have the new pass, you will then need to return the obsolete one to RST (by "signed for" delivery). Please note that staff travel facilities issued for leisure purposes only cannot be exchanged in advance..

You can also change the passes by returning them to us (by "signed for" delivery) with a covering letter enclosing a copy of your marriage or civil partnership certificate or copy of the deed poll, as appropriate. Please do not send originals in the post as RST cannot guarantee their safe return and will not be liable if they are lost or destroyed.

You can always email us to inform us of the change and attach a copy of your marriage or civil partnership certificate or copy of the deed poll to the email. Please follow the instructions above relating to the return of the old passes and cards.

Once we have received all of the required documentation and the old passes back, we will be able to process the change and issue the new passes for you.

Please remember that your passport is your proof of identity for any International travel using the FIP Card or International Coupons. Therefore, the name on these documents must match the name on your passport.

You can notify us by completing the Change of Address form from our forms page. This is the quickest way to notify RST of the change.

Alternately, you can email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please ensure that your email includes your full name and previous address as well as your latest Staff Travel Card number or Rail Staff Leisure Card number so that we can make sure that we change the correct record.

You can email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please ensure that your email includes your full name and previous email address/phone number as well as your latest Staff Travel Card number or Rail Staff Leisure Card number so that we can make sure that we change the correct record.

RST and RPMI are completely different companies that have no business link, although RPMI did administer Retired Staff Travel until April 2012.

RST are not allowed to share your personal information with any third party organisation, including RPMI, without your express permission and we do not have processes in place to allow this.

Similarly, RPMI are not allowed to share your personal information, such as your new address with us. Therefore, if you have informed RPMI of your change we would not have been passed this information.

Owing to your change of circumstances you must inform RST immediately and return your staff travel facilities to RST for cancellation. You must not attempt to use them.

As a widow(er), you obtain your eligibility to retain staff travel facilities through your dependency upon your late spouse/partner. As you have started a new relationship this dependency has ceased and, based upon the rules under which staff travel is provided, you have no further or future eligibility to staff travel.

Unfortunately, once staff travel facilities have been lost in this way you will not be eligible to regain them in the future.

s a widow(er), you obtain your eligibility to retain staff travel facilities through your dependency upon your late spouse/partner. As you have remarried then this dependency has ceased and, based upon the rules under which staff travel is provided against, you have no current or future eligibility to staff travel for yourself or your spouse.

Please, therefore, return your staff travel facilities to RST for cancellation.

Unfortunately, once staff travel facilities have been lost in this way you will not be eligible to regain them in the future. You must not attempt to use them.

As a widow(er), you obtain your eligibility to retain staff travel facilities through your dependency upon your late spouse/partner. As you have started a new relationship then this dependency has ceased and, based upon the rules under which staff travel is provided against, you have no current or future eligibility to staff travel for yourself or your partner.

Please, therefore, return your staff travel facilities to RST for cancellation. You must not attempt to use them.

Unfortunately, once staff travel facilities have been lost in this way you will not be eligible to regain them in the future.

If you qualify for a Senior Citizens’ Railcard (you don’t actually have to have one) and you have a Staff Travel Card that states that you are “Retired”, then you can take up to 4 children aged between 5 and 15 with you for a flat fare of £2 each way per child, travelling in Standard class only. Proof of eligibility to purchase a Senior Railcard must be produced together with your Retired Staff Travel Card when purchasing such tickets.

Unfortunately, as you don’t qualify for a Senior Citizens’ Railcard (as you are not over 60) even if you have a Staff Travel Card that states that you are “Retired”, then you do not qualify to purchase discounted tickets for children travelling with you and they will have to pay the standard child fare.

If you receive staff travel facilities as a Spouse/Partner through their record and providing that we have confirmation from them that you can act on their behalf (by phone, letter or email), then we will mark the record accordingly and can accept instructions from you. Any instructions that we receive from the employee should make clear the extent of the authority that has been provided, e.g. whether it is just for a specific period of time or enduring. We only accept this for paying for replacements cards/passes and reporting cards as lost. We cannot make any changes to the record, such as change of address.

If they are not able to give their consent in this way (e.g. owing to incapacity), then we will only be able to accept instructions from you if you can provide us with a copy of:

• a registered Power of Attorney showing you as their attorney, or
• a registered Deputyship showing you as their deputy, or
• a BF57 form issued to you as their appointee by the DWP (in respect of managing their state benefits).

If you receive staff travel facilities as a child dependant through their record, you are over the age of 18 and providing that we have confirmation from them that you can act on their behalf (by, letter or email), then we will mark the record accordingly and can accept instructions from you. Any instructions that we receive from the employee should make clear the extent of the authority that has been provided, e.g. whether it is just for a specific period of time or enduring. . We only accept this for paying for replacements cards/passes and reporting cards as lost. We cannot make any changes to the record, such as change of address.

If they are not able to give their consent in this way (e.g. owing to incapacity), then we will only be able to accept instructions from you if you can provide us with a copy of:

• a registered Power of Attorney showing you as their attorney, or
• a registered Deputyship showing you as their deputy, or
• a BF57 form issued to you as their appointee by the DWP (in respect of managing their state benefits).

We will only be able to accept instructions from you if you can provide us with a copy of:

• a registered Power of Attorney showing you as their attorney, or ·
• a registered Deputyship showing you as their deputy, or
• a BF57 form issued to you as their appointee by the DWP (in respect of managing their state benefits).

If you receive staff travel facilities as a Spouse/Partner through their record and providing that we have confirmation from them that you can act on their behalf (by letter or email), then we will mark the record accordingly and can accept instructions from you.

Any instructions that we receive from the employee should make clear the extent of the authority that has been provided, e.g. whether it is just for a specific period of time or enduring. We only accept this for paying for replacements cards/passes and reporting cards as lost. We cannot make any changes to the record, such as change of address

We will require a photocopy of the Power of Attorney that has either been stamped by the OPG or signed by the donor, solicitor or notary that it is a true copy (per OPG instructions). o that we can make the necessary changes to the contact elements of our record.

With this we need confirmation of the employee or widow/er’s name and address and Staff Travel Card number

You can scan/take a photo of these documents and email them to us.  Please do not send original documents by post. We cannot accept links to view this online we need the full document online.

Once we have this, we will make the necessary changes so that all future correspondence is sent to you.

You cannot deal with RST if you do not have a registered Power of Attorney or Deputyship.

You can apply by using our Add Partner form which can be found on our forms page. Complete this form online and submit to us with a copy of your marriage or civil partnership certificate in JPEG or PDF format. A passport photo should also be uploaded to our website as we are unable to issue any cards and passes without this.

If you do not have a marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate then you will need to complete the xx03 Partner Declaration. This statutory declaration that you co-habit as a couple in a meaningful relationship must be sworn before, and witnessed by, a Solicitor or other authorised body who should first verify the supplied documentation proving that you are continuously and permanently living together in the same property. The guidance notes on the Partner Declaration list all the proofs of address we can accept. The form must be signed and stamped by the Solicitor or other authorised body.

Please remember that if you have passes already issued to a former Spouse, Civil Partner or Partner and they have not been returned to us or expired you should complete the xx24 form and attach a picture of them cut into four showing the name and number. If you cannot return these passes, you will have to wait until the final pass has expired before you can apply for your new Spouse or Civil Partner.

You will not be able to get staff travel facilities for your Partner as you do not live permanently and continuously at the same, single property.

In Great Britain, children up to the age of 5 can travel free of charge on the National Rail network, so do not need staff travel facilities.

If you intend to travel with them in Europe using FIP cards or Coupons then you may need to apply for them when they are 4 as certain countries begin to charge child fares from then

Once they need staff travel facilities, you can apply for a biological child, and also those who are adopted, step-children, fostered, under a special guardianship order, residence order or a Ward of Court.

Check they are eligible on the Eligibily of Family Members page of the RST website.

You can apply by using our Add Child form (xx02b). Complete this form online and submit with a scan or image of your child's full birth certificate (the one that lists both parents names) or official document if they are under a special guardianship, residence order or ward of court and you should also include a current passport style photograph.

Once your child reaches age 18, we will require an annual Child Declaration form xx05 completed by you confirming their circumstances i.e. in full time education or living at home and earning under the current weekly limit. We will require evidence of this and may ask for further details.

The full birth certificate shows both parents names to establish a link between yourself and/or your Spouse, Civil Partner or Partner to the child. Full birth certificates can be obtained from the authority that maintains the registrations of births. In England and Wales this is through the HM Gov website, or in Scotland through the National Records Scotland website.

You can change your passes by completing form xx25 online and attaching pictures of your passes cut into four and a copy of the official document.

You can change the name on their passes by completing form xx26 online and attaching pictures of their passes cut into four and a copy of the official document.

RST can usually accommodate this so please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for further information. Please attach any relevant documentation.

If you are separated from or no longer living with your spouse or partner, they will not be eligible for any facilities. You will need to complete form xx24 and attach pictures of their passes cut into 4.

If you can’t return these passes, RST will be unable to issue you with any facilities for a future Spouse, Civil Partner or Partner, and any of their children, until the all passes they hold have expired. In addition, you will not be able to replace these passes with us (for the current lost passes fee) so that these may be returned.

Generally, if your partner’s children are no longer living with you they are not eligible for any facilities. You will need to complete form xx24 and attach pictures of their passes cut into 4. However if they are still living with you please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with any further documentation to enable us to look into this.

You (and eligible family members that are also holders of the Staff Travel Card) can use your card for free and discounted leisure travel.

If you have available boxes on your Staff Travel Card, then you can use these for free leisure travel.

If you do not have available boxes (or are not eligible for boxes), then you can still use the Staff Travel Card for discounted leisure travel. The Privilege discount available is 75% of the walk-up fare, i.e. you pay 1/4 rate.

Use of the Staff Travel Card is subject to the Endorsement(s) that are specified on the card and the separately published travel restrictions.

On the front of the Staff Travel Card there is a line that specifies the Endorsement(s) that the holder is subject to when using their card.

The numbered Endorsement(s) on the front of the Staff Travel Card correspond to a key of Endorsements that are listed on the rear of the card. Only the Endorsement(s) listed on the front of the Staff Travel Card affect the travel of the holder. Where the Endorsement line is specified as "NIL", then travel under the facility is not subject to any of the Endorsements.

Most of the Endorsements restrict the extent of travel provided whilst others may extend it. Each is self-explanatory.

Before commencing a free journey, you must enter the day and month of the journey in ink in the first (or next available) box. Each box is divided into two sections on the card marked as “DAY” and “MTH”. Boxes must be completed using Arabic numerals, with zero in front of single digits i.e. 7 August should be written in as "07" in the DAY box and "08" in the MTH box immediately beneath it.

Each dated box allows the holder free travel on that day, and up to midnight on the following day. Travel is also permitted on overnight journeys that start between 22.00 and 24.00 on the previous day to that entered on the card. Note that an overnight journey is a continuous journey that is not scheduled to end until at least 04.30. In other words, a card dated 7 August allows journeys from 22h00 on 6 August up to 24h00 on 8 August. During this period, travel does not have to be continuous: any number of breaks of journey may be taken.

If you attempt to travel without dating a box, the ticket examiner/inspector will cross out the next available box as a penalty and will instruct you to complete the next box following. If the card is wrongly dated the same procedure will be followed. Alteration or overwriting of dates already inserted is not permitted – this includes writing a date in pencil then going over it with pen, or erasing it and then re-entering it. This information is clearly printed on the card.

Staff Travel Cards are valid from 1 April of one year until 30 June of the next year. New cards will be sent out to via employers or directly to home addresses towards the end of March each year. If you wish to use occasions of free travel between 1 April and 30 June, either the old or the new card can be used (assuming there are unused boxes on the old card). Only the new card can be used after 30 June.

However, once the allocation of free journeys has been used up, the holder can continue to purchase unlimited Privilege discount tickets until the card expires. These must be backed up by the Staff Travel Card (which must be carried at all times as evidence of your eligibility.

You can date a box on the 30th June where the Staff Travel Card expires that day. However, you will not be able to use this card to benefit from free travel on 1st July, or use the card to support Privilege Rate tickets purchased as it has expired.

If you have a "new" Staff Travel Card, then you could use this instead.

If your Staff Travel Card is dated to expire on a date other than the 30th June (for whatever reason), then the above comments apply to any box used on the date of expiry (or any Privilege Rate tickets purchased).

You can use your Staff Travel Card to purchase unlimited Privilege Rate (1/4 rate or 75% discount) national rail tickets. The 75% reduction can be applied to day and period walk-up Anytime, off-peak and super off-peak fares. Time restrictions may apply.

You cannot get Privilege discount on Advance Purchase tickets, as these are already heavily discounted.

You may also purchase privilege rate tickets which include travel on London Underground.

Just as for the general public, you must have a valid ticket before you start a journey.

If you wish to travel using a Privilege Rate ticket, you must buy that ticket from a ticket office before you travel. At present it is not possible to buy them online, by phone, or from ticket machines.

If the ticket office is closed and it is therefore not possible to purchase the Privilege Rate ticket before you travel, then you must have your fare ready and offer to pay it at the first available opportunity. This could be on entry to the platform, on the train, or when exiting at your destination. By doing so, i.e. offering to pay, there can be no question that you are trying to travel without paying. If you don’t offer to pay, then you could be accused of fare avoidance.

You can use your Staff Travel Card for travel on LUL/DLR services as below:

• Limited free leisure travel on Inter available routes only by dating a box
• Unlimited Privilege Rate leisure travel on all LUL/DLR services by using a Pay As You Go (PAYG) Privilege Oyster card (or single / return Privilege Rate tickets purchased at NR stations using the Staff Travel Card)

Note that Staff Travel Card holders that have Endorsement 9, 10 or 11 on the front of the card are not eligible for Privilege Rate travel on TfL services.

To get the privilege rate discount set on an Oyster card, complete a TfL Privilege Oyster Application and email it to RST.

Once completed and authorised by RST, take the form together with your Staff Travel Card and Oyster card to a TfL (LUL) station, where a member of staff in the booking hall will set the privilege rate discount on your Oyster card. If you do not already hold an Oyster card you will be required to pay a refundable deposit (currently £5) for one to be issued and add a minimum PAYG credit (also currently £5).

To continue to receive the benefit of the privilege rate Oyster fare you will need to update your Oyster card with your new Staff Travel Card details each year by 30th June. Just take your new Staff Travel Card to a TfL (LUL) station, where the booking hall staff will update your Oyster card for you.

If you do not update your Oyster card by 30th June you will find that any use of the card from 1st July will result in the full Pay As You Go Oyster fare being deducted instead of the privilege rate Oyster fare. You can still buy single Privilege Rate cash fares for travel on LUL services at National Rail stations , although these fares are more expensive than Oyster Pay As You Go fares.

To use your Oyster Card you touch it on the yellow card reader located on the ticket barrier at the start and end of your journey, and the applicable Privilege Rate Oyster fare will be taken from the amount of credit you have on the Oyster card. Please note that if you do not touch in and out at either end of your journey then the maximum Oyster fare will be taken and you may be liable for a penalty fare or prosecution.

Your PAYG Privilege Rate Oyster Card may also be used to travel on TfL bus services. However, this will be at the full public Pay As You Go Oyster fare.

Reduced Rate tickets for leisure use only are available as follows:

Special rate tickets are available on Eurostar. Tickets and reservations are obtainable by using a Staff Travel Card (that does not restrict to National Rail only or similar). The Staff Travel Card must be carried with you on the journey.

However, as the Staff Travel Card may not be recognised in France / Belgium, then it would be sensible to use your International Reduced Rate Card (FIP Card).

Although Eurostar tickets can be purchased at London St Pancras on the day of travel, availability cannot be guaranteed and therefore it is advisable to obtain tickets in advance, either in person from Eurostar at St Pancras or call International Rail Ltd on 0333 003 0423.

The charges for these tickets cover the Eurotunnel Toll, the reservation administration fee and (in the case of first class travel) the cost of 'at seat' refreshments.

Reservations on Eurostar services are compulsory. Reservations can be made in Standard Premier (1st class) by holders of 1st Class Staff Travel Cards only and Standard Class by all Staff Travel Card holders.

This is a definite NO.

Any attempt to purchase tickets for any person other than the holder is a travel irregularity and may result in the permanent withdrawal of all travel facilities (including for all family members) and possible, disciplinary and / or legal action (including prosecution).

No. The number of boxes that you receive does not increase with additional service.

The main factor affecting the number of boxes is the grade that your employer has advised that you are (or were at retirement).

No. The class of travel that you receive does not change with additional service.

The main factor affecting the class of travel is the grade that your employer has advised that you are (or were at retirement).

No. The endorsements are based upon the date that you started in the rail industry and who you work for (worked for).

This will have been set at the time that you joined the industry and cannot be changed.

No. You can't "cash in" your eligibility.

From time to time we are asked about this and we are unsure how these rumours arise. However, it is totally false. If you are advised that this can be done or are offered a deal, then RST would appreciate it if you could inform us immediately and provide any relevant documents you may have.

You (and eligible family members that are also holders of the Rail Staff Leisure Card) can use your card for discounted leisure travel.

The Privilege discount available is 75% of the walk-up fare, i.e. you pay 1/4 rate. This discount applies to Anytime, off-peak and super off-peak fares. Time restrictions may apply. You cannot get a 75% discount on Advance Purchase tickets, as these are already heavily discounted.

The agreement underwriting this non-contractual arrangement is reviewed annually by TOCs and may be withdrawn at any time.

You can use your Rail Staff Leisure Card to purchase unlimited Privilege Rate (1/4 rate or 75% discount) national rail tickets. The 75% reduction can be applied to day and period walk-up Anytime, off-peak and super off-peak fares. Time restrictions may apply.

You cannot get Privilege discount on Advance Purchase tickets, as these are already heavily discounted.

Just as for the general public, you must have a valid ticket before you start a journey.

If you wish to travel using a Privilege Rate ticket, you must buy that ticket from a ticket office before you travel. At present it is not possible to buy them online, by phone, or from ticket machines.

When you intend to purchase a Priv discounted ticket and start your journey from a station within a Penalty Fare area, a permit to travel must be obtained before boarding the train.

If the ticket office is closed , and you are not in a Penalty Fare area so you cannot purchase the Privilege Rate ticket before you travel, then you must have your fare ready and offer to pay it at the first available opportunity. This could be on entry to the platform, on the train, or when exiting at your destination. By doing so, i.e. offering to pay, there can be no question that you are trying to travel without paying. If you don’t offer to pay, then you could be accused of fare avoidance.

The Rail Staff Leisure Card is not valid on London Underground or Dockland Light Railway services, except to cross London where this is indicated on the ticket (+).

The Rail Staff Leisure Card does not provide any eligibility for travel on Eurostar services.

However, Employees, and their eligible family members, may be able to receive an International Reduced Rate Card (FIP Card) that will provide discounted travel on Eurostar. This can be applied for separately.

This is a definite NO.

Any attempt to purchase tickets for any person other than the holder is a travel irregularity and may result in the permanent withdrawal of all travel facilities (including for all family members) and possible, disciplinary and / or legal action (including prosecution).

As an Active member of staff that holds a Status Pass, you can use your pass for residential and leisure travel.

Gold and Silver Status Pass holders are able to use the pass:

• between all stations of the National Rail Network, and
• inter-available London Underground/Docklands Light Railway services, and
• additional services, but only those that are specified on the pass

Blue (Regional) Status Pass holders can only use their passes within the geographical limits that have been chosen and are specified.

As a Spouse or Partner that holds a Status Pass, they can use their pass for leisure travel only.

For the avoidance of doubt, they cannot use the pass for residential travel (i.e. to and from work).

As a Dependant Child that holds a Status Pass, they can use their pass for leisure travel and for educational purposes (i.e. to and from a place of education).

For the avoidance of doubt, they cannot use the pass for residential travel (i.e. to and from work).

Both the Gold and Silver Status Passes have been issued as SmartCards that are expected to operate the gates at Smart-enabled stations.

To operate the gates at a Smart-enabled station, touch the Status Pass to the card reader and the gates will open.

If the gates do not operate (probably because the station has not been Smart-enabled), remember that you can still use your Status Pass as a "Show and Go" Pass at all valid locations.

As the roll-out of Smart-enabled gates across the national network continues, but specifically in the London and South East area, additional stations will be enabled that will allow holders to operate the gates using their Status Pass. The current situation is that the majority of London in-boundary TOC stations should be Smart-enabled allowing the Status Passes to operate. In addition, gates at London outboundary stations on Greater Anglia and c2c will operate with further TOCs being enabled over the next few months. There is no need to inform RST whether you can or cannot operate gates when using your Status Pass as we do not control the gate operation at any station.

The photo on your Status Pass should be updated every 5 years for adults and every 3 years for under 16 year olds.

A discounted season ticket is available to:

• Active Employees for residential purposes,
• Dependants of Active Employees for educational purposes,
• Retired Employees for educational purposes,
• Dependant of Retired Employees for educational purposes.

A discounted season ticket can be used by:

• Active Employees for residential purposes,
• Dependants of Active Employees for educational purposes,
• Retired Employees for educational purposes,
• Dependant of Retired Employees for educational purposes.

The discounted season ticket may also be used for leisure purposes on the route purchased.

The simple answer to this is no. The home station is the one that is nearest to your permanent place of residence.

However, in circumstances where there are no services from your nearest station when you start or end a shift, but there are from a station that is still reasonably near to your home, then this can be considered by RST as an option. In these circumstances, full details must be provided. These are all subject to the published mileage limits.

The simple answer to this is no. Only a single work location, your main base, can be specified and the destination station must be the nearest to this location.

However, in circumstances where there are no services to the nearest station to your work location when you start or end a shift, but there are from a station that is still reasonably near to your work location, then this can be considered by RST as an option. In these circumstances, full details must be provided. These are all subject to the published mileage limits.

If you are an Active or Retired Safeguarded Employee, then you (and any eligible Dependant) can get a discounted season ticket for use on National Rail and TfL (rail) services.

If you are an Active Non-Safeguarded Employee, then you (and any eligible Dependant) can get a discounted season ticket for use on National Rail services only.

The minimum period that a discounted season ticket can be issued for is 1 month.

The maximum period that a discounted season ticket can be issued for is 1 year.

Your application will be processed and sent back to you by email (or post) approximately 7 days before the date that the season ticket is due. This is because the ticket office will not be able to process the approved application too far in advance.

The Residential Pass is only available to Active Safeguarded Employees that are eligible and meet the criteria.

The Residential Pass is not available to Non-Safeguarded Employees, Retired Safeguarded Employees and family members.

You can only get a Residential Pass if the distance between the station nearest to your permanent home address and the station nearest to your permanent work location is less than the mileage allowance. The mileage allowances are:

• If your work location is within the London and South East allowance area, the mileage allowance is 40 miles,
• If your work location is outside of the London and South East allowance area, the mileage allowance is 8 miles,

Use the Residential Travel forms (see forms) for applications.

If your residential journey exceeds these limits, you may apply for and purchase instead a Privilege Season Ticket at one quarter of the standard rate, less a further financial allowance for the relevant free travel element that can be found on Useful Information.

Note that you do not need a Residential Pass if you work for a TOC and you have a Card or Pass issued by that TOC that includes the entire route of your journey.

The primary use of the Residential Pass is for commuting to work between the stations printed on the front of the pass.

You can also use the Residential Pass for leisure travel on the route specified.

The simple answer to this is no. The home station is the one that is nearest to your permanent place of residence.

However, in circumstances where there are no services from your nearest station when you start or end a shift, but there are from a station that is still reasonably near to your home, then this can be considered by RST as an option. In these circumstances, full details must be provided. These are all subject to the published mileage limits.

The simple answer to this is no. Only a single work location, your main base, can be specified and the destination station must be the nearest to this location.

However, in circumstances where there are no services to the nearest station to your work location when you start or end a shift, but there are from a station that is still reasonably near to your work location, then this can be considered by RST as an option. In these circumstances, full details must be provided. These are all subject to the published mileage limits.

An International Reduced Rate Card (FIP Card) is a product that allows discounted travel on FIP members' rail services in Europe.

The FIP Card provides a discount (50 or 75%) against the usual fares.

There are two types of FIP Cards, one for Active Staff (and their eligible dependants) and one for Retired Safeguarded Staff (and their eligible dependants.)

The FIP Card for Active Staff is available to eligible Active Staff (and their eligible dependants) after a minimum of 1 year of continuous service.

The FIP Card for Retired Safeguarded Staff is available to eligible Retired Staff (and their eligible dependants) after a minimum of 11 years of continuous service at the date of retirement. In the event of retirement due to an accident at work the minimum criteria is reduced.

The FIP Card is now issued as a renewable product on a rolling 2 year cycle.

Unless the FIP Card contains a printed "Valid Until" date on the face of the card, then it is valid throughout the calendar years that are printed on the card. In addition, it is valid throughout December of the year that immediately precedes those printed on the card and also for the January of the year that immediately follows those printed on the card.

Therefore, a card printed with the years "2017/2018" displayed on the face of the card is actually valid from 1st December 2016 through to 31st January 2019, i.e. a 1 month overlap at each end of the period.

If you are eligible to retain your national staff travel facilities, i.e. your Staff Travel Card, in retirement, then you are able to retain the FIP Card for Active Staff to use for a maximum period of 6 months after your date of retirement. At this point the FIP Card for Active Staff will need to be replaced by the one for retired Staff (assuming that you are eligible).

The FIP Card is valid throughout the calendar years printed on the card. In addition, it is valid throughout December of the year that immediately precedes those printed on the card and also for the January of the year that immediately follows those printed on the card.

Therefore, a card printed with the years "2019/2020" displayed on the face of the card is actually valid from 1 December 2018 through to 31 January 2021, i.e. a 1 month overlap at each end of the period.

The FIP Card is renewed automatically. It is sent out in early December before it expires.

No, it is renewed and issued automatically as it falls due (assuming that you remain eligible).

Both types of FIP Card give 50% discount across the FIP members. For Active Staff on this is increased to 75% for the following FIP Members:

• CIE - Ireland
• NIR - Northern Ireland
• SNCB - Belgium
• SNCF - France

The FIP Card for Retired Staff, however, does not give the additional discount on SNCB and SNCF services.

An International Reduced Rate Card (FIP Card) issued to a child will gives them a discount on the adult fare. It does not give them a discount on the public child fare.

The ages at which the public child fare is available, and the discount given to children, vary from country to country.

The benefit to a child holding an International Reduced Rate Card will be where they are older than the ages at which a public child fare is available, or where the discount given to FIP cardholders on the adult fare results in a cheaper fare than the public child fare.

An International Coupon is an international product that provides a quota controlled set number of days of free travel on FIP members' rail services.

Once issued, the International Coupon can be used for up to 4 instances of travel that last from the date of signing until 24.00 hrs the following day.

There are two main qualifying periods for International Coupons, one for Active Staff (and their eligible dependants) and one for Retired Safeguarded Staff (and their eligible dependants.)

International Coupons for Active Staff are available to eligible Active Staff (and their eligible dependants) after a minimum of 1 year of continuous service.

International Coupons for Retired Safeguarded Staff are available to eligible Retired Staff (and their eligible dependants) after a minimum of 11 years of continuous service at the date of retirement. In the event of retirement due to an accident at work the minimum criteria is reduced.

Each International Coupon is issued for no longer than 3 months.

However, if the International Coupon start date is any date in December then it will expire on the 31st March the following year.

Each FIP member agrees a different level of travel for each other's members.

These have generally been in place for a number of years and are subject to regular ratification, so the amount of travel may vary in the future. Some FIP Members allow travel for Active and Retired Staff and their eligible Dependants, whilst others allow travel for Active Staff only, and many variants in between.

Each FIP member agrees a different level of travel for each other's members.

These have generally been in place for a number of years and are subject to regular ratification, so the amount of travel may vary in the future. Some FIP Members allow travel for Active and Retired Staff and their eligible Dependants, whilst others allow travel for Active Staff only, and many variants in between.

There are a number of FIP Members that do not provide any travel by International Coupons for Dependants.

Where your family can get Coupons, then eligible children are only able to receive them up to the age of 25. Over the age of 25 there is not eligibility for Coupons unless your child is permanently disabled.

The quotas for International Travel are complex and vary in amounts depending upon your employment status. For example, Retired Staff and their dependants is different from that of an Active Employee and their dependants. Please check in the Where can I go document for further information on International Quotas.

If a family member (including yourself) is issued with an International Coupon to travel without other eligible family members then this counts against the employee's quota, i.e. the quota is applied against the individual and as a family quota for the Employee's family of eligible Dependants.

All of the International Coupons are issued in accordance with the regulations agreed by all of the FIP Members. These regulations specify the 4 languages that they are issued in.

Unfortunately, there is not enough room on the Coupon to include the native language of every area that they are issued for. All FIP Members issue instructions to their staff about Coupons so they should be accepted and they should be operated correctly.

Each date written into a box on the International Coupon will permit free travel on that day, together with free travel up to midnight on the following day.

The date in each box must be entered as DD/MM/YY with leading zeros for single digit dates e.g. 7 August 2017 is entered as 07/08/17.

If you are eligible to receive International Travel in retirement, i.e. you have completed at least 11 years of service and were eligible for International Travel as an Active Staff member, then you will be able to retain International Travel (Coupons and FIP cards) in retirement.

The quota for Retired Staff and their dependants is different from that of an Active Employee and their dependants. Please check in the Where can I go document for further information on International Quotas.

On the date of retirement you will also be eligible to receive a special 9 and 45 month allocation of coupons. These provide an element of your Active quota over the first 9 and 45 months of your retirement in addition to your Retired allocation(subject to certain rules - please check in the Where can I go document for further information).

In short, during the first 9 months after your retirement date you may apply for any coupon not already issued from your Active allocation in the period from the 1st January in the year of your retirement until your retirement date, e.g. if you have used a DBAG coupon in March and retire in July, then your 9 month allocation will not include DBAG as you have already used it earlier in the calendar year.

Your 45 month allocation is in addition to your 9 month allocation, and allows the issue of a single coupon for each FIP carrier that would provide an Active Coupon for you. I.e. where an Active allocation allows 2 Coupons, then the 45 month allocation will only provide 1 Coupon.

The same principles apply to your dependants although their allocation is restricted to those carriers who grant free coupons to Spouse/Partners and dependent children.

When your 9-month allocation is provided after your retirement (assuming that you are Safeguarded, eligible to retain your travel facilities in retirement and are eligible for retired International Travel) it is calculated as the full annual Active allocation less any Coupons that have already been used from your annual quota in the year of your retirement.

This was the subject of a lot of calculation before it was implemented in our system as it is impacted by the quotas themselves, the date of retirement (within a calendar year), a date of travel and where you are going.

To provide the best options for you, the retired allocation is used first followed by any available 9 month allocation and then any available 45 month allocation. This was to preserve any 9 and 45 month allocation for you for as long as possible.

It also means that if you have returned to the industry and retain your Safeguarded status, and you have not used any of your 9 and 45 month allocation, then we can freeze your 9 and 45 month allocation until you retire at a later date and restart the 9 and 45 months from that date (you use your Active allocation whilst you are an Active Staff member).

If you are eligible for an FIP Card (check the FAQ section above for this), then you can apply for an FIP card using one of our online forms.

The correct form is the FIP Card Request (see forms).

If you already hold an FIP Card, then you do not need to complete a form for it to be renewed.

If you are eligible for International Coupons (check the FAQ section above for this), then you can apply for them using one of our online forms. There are 2 separate forms that you can use for Coupons

As an Employee, if you are travelling on your own, then you will need to complete the International Coupons Application - Employee only form (See forms).

If you have eligible family members, then you should complete the International Coupons Application - Employee and Family members form (see forms).

When you request an International Coupon we will automatically issue you (and any eligible family members) with an FIP Card if you don't already hold one.

We are unable to accept applications for International Coupons with less than 14 days notice for online applications and with less than 21 days notice for email or postal applications. This period is to allow us to check eligibility, record and print the Coupons and despatch them to you in good time for your indicated travel date.

To ensure that the Coupons are issued as accurately as possible, i.e. to take account of your current eligibility and details, they are issued nearer to the travel date but in good time for you to receive them before you travel.

One of the main reasons for this is that under the FIP Regulations we are unable to replace Coupons that are lost, stolen or damaged. Therefore, this reduces the time period that any one of these unfortunate incidents could occur.

Yes, you can, but the eligibility criteria for Non-FIP travel is quite restricted so you may not be eligible for it.

The Where can I go page gives more information (in the Where can I go document). Only Safeguarded Staff and their eligible Dependants are eligible and in many instances this is restricted to Active Staff only, i.e. neither Retired Safeguarded Staff nor any Dependants are eligible.

Applications for travel can be made on the Non-FIP Travel Request form.

Only Active Safeguarded members of staff and their eligible Dependants are eligible for 1/2 rate travel on Amtrak.

Please apply on the Non-FIP Travel Request form (See forms) giving at least 42 days notice before your travel date (to avoid disappointment, please give as much notice as the documents are sent from the USA).

You will need to provide us with at least 42 days notice before your travel date as the Amtrak documents are sent from the USA (to avoid disappointment, please give as much notice as possible).

Yes, you can, providing that you are hold an FIP Card. Whilst you can use a Staff Travel Card for travel on Eurostar it is preferable to hold an FIP Card as this is internationally recognised.

Please also note that Eurostar FIP fares are only applicable when purchased from a Eurostar station. Prices will vary when making a booking through an agent, as they do not have direct access to the Eurostar reservations system and are therefore obliged to issue tickets via a third-party system.

Eurostar FIP fares are only applicable when purchased from a Eurostar station. Prices may vary when making a booking through an agent, as they may not have direct access to the Eurostar reservations system and are therefore obliged to issue tickets via a third-party system.

No.

Eurotunnel are a different company from Eurostar and there are no arrangements with Eurotunnel for an exchange of staff travel.

RST have an agreement with International Rail to make European bookings to those with rail staff travel facilities.

To book, email them at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the website www.bookmyrst.co.uk

You must make your booking at least three weeks before you intend to travel.

All queries will be responded to but please note that International Rail will always prioritise enquiries with the closest travel dates, so if your enquiry is for travel in several weeks’ time, you may need to wait up to 7 business days before you hear back from them.

Some Travel Agents in Britain are able to retail FIP products. These are:

• Ffestiniog Travel - 01766 515630
• Trainseurope - 0871 700 7722 (not Eurostar)

Booking FIP products in Travel Agents' international retailing systems is much more complex than booking public rate tickets. European railways have different booking thresholds and quotas for FIP products and can change these thresholds and quotas without prior notice to Travel Agents. Booking itineraries to cover more than one railway company is difficult.

Travel Agents will do their best to accommodate your booking enquiry, but they reserve the right to refuse to deal with rude and abusive employees, and those making speculative enquiries.

Where incidents of employee rudeness or abusive behaviour to Travel Agents are reported to Rail Staff Travel, it will be referred to the employer to consider disciplinary action.

Other carriers which are able to book FIP fares on their own service are listed here please refer to the Where Can I Go Guide www.raildeliverygroup.com/rst/where-can-i-go

We recommend you book Eurostar FIP bookings in advance. These can be done in person at London St Pancras from staff at the Welcome Host podiums.  You will need to present FIP cards for all family members you wish to book for.

Alternatively you can book through International Rail by either emailing them at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit their website www.bookmyrst.co.ukYou must make your booking at least three weeks before you intend to travel.

The following holders of staff travel facilities are required to carry a valid Photo ID Card at all times when travelling:

• a current member of staff, or
• the Spouse or Partner of a current member of staff, or
• a Dependant child aged 16 years or over of a current member of staff

The following holders of staff travel facilities are not required to carry a valid Photo ID Card when travelling (except when specified below):

• a retired member of staff, or
• the Spouse or Partner of a retired member of staff, or
• a Dependant child of a retired member of staff

A retired member of staff and their dependants will be required to carry a valid Photo ID Card when travelling using:

• a Privilege or Reduced Rate Season Ticket, or
• a Residential Pass, or
• a TOC Specific Pass of any type

i.e. you / they are undertaking residential travel (even if for education purposes), or have re-joined the industry and are using TOC Specific facilities issued to Active Staff.

A Photo ID Card can be obtained free of charge at any manned National Rail station ticket office in England, Scotland or Wales.

You will need to take along a passport-office approved photo and ask for a public Photo ID Card.

You can get a Photo ID Card replaced, free of charge, at any station ticket office.

You will need to take along a passport-office approved photo and ask for a public Photo ID Card.

Employees of Chiltern and ScotRail Trains Ltd should obtain a Photo ID Card from your own HR department.

As a retired holder of staff travel facilities you are not required to carry a valid Photo ID Card when undertaking leisure travel. This also applies to your Spouse / Partner and all Child Dependants (irrespective of age).

However, you and your dependants will be required to carry a valid Photo ID Card when travelling using:

• a Privilege or Reduced Rate Season Ticket, or
• a Residential Pass, or
• a TOC Specific Pass of any type

i.e. you / they are undertaking residential travel (even if for education purposes), or have re-joined the industry and are using TOC Specific facilities issued to Active Staff.

Unfortunately, you may come across instances where a current rail employee does not fully appreciate the rules governing who is required to carry Photo ID Cards and under what circumstances. In these instances, we would suggest that you refer them to the staff travel section of Knowledgebase, the online guide for revenue protection and retail staff that they should all have access to. Alternately, you could suggest that they contact RST for confirmation.

RST recommend that your Photo ID (that supports your staff travel facilities) should be updated every 5 years. For under 16s this should be every 3 years.

You will need to complete a Replacement Form (see forms) before we can replace any cards / passes. This should be submitted online.

If you need to pay for a replacement, we will enable the payment to be made through RST Online. 

There is a replacement fee of £15.00 per card that has been lost.

You will need to complete a Replacement Form (see forms) before we can replace any cards / passes.

As the cards have been stolen, then you will need to provide the crime reference number on the form.

If the crime reference number is verified then the replacement cards and passes will be reissued free of charge.

You will need to complete a Replacement Form (see forms) before we can replace any cards / passes. This should then be submitted online.

A damaged or defaced card is chargeable as a replacement, if you need to pay for a replacement, we will enable the payment to be made through RST Online. .

There is a replacement fee of £15.00 per card that has been damaged/defaced.

You will need to check with the station barrier staff that the SmartCard is actually faulty (i.e. it could be the gates that are faulty instead). If they agree that it is the SmartCard that is faulty, you will need to submit a Replacement form (see forms) online.

You should take a photo of both sides of the card, and attach an image when submitting the form. IIf we view the photo and it is believed the card is damaged you may be contacted to pay a replacement fee before a new card is issued.

Once the replacement Smartcard has been received, you will need to cut the faulty card into four with the card number visible, and send an image to RST. If you fail to do this it may impact on you receiving new cards and passes.

If you have not received a card for either yourself or any eligible family members, then you need to let us know. Please e-mail us and include your full address and details of which cards you have and have not received.

If you have moved address and not let us know, you will need to pay for replacements if you are unable to retrieve them from your old address.

If we have sent the cards to the correct address and they are lost in the post, the following rules apply:

• If you report non-delivery of the replacement card within 1 month of the expiry of the old card, we will issue a replacement for free.
• If you report non-delivery of the replacement card more than 1 month after the expiry of the old card, a replacement fee will apply.

Non-delivery of cards must be reported by written confirmation from you by e-mail or Royal Mail. 

You can pay through RST Online using a Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card. We do not accept American Express.

The replacement fees for lost cards are written into the rules, terms and conditions of all products (except international Coupons which cannot be replaced if lost under FIP rules).

These have been agreed by all TOCs, Employers and the DfT. They are to cover the administration costs involved in reissuing travel facilities.

When replacing a lost Staff Travel card, we use a calculation to determine the number of boxes on the replacement card. This is based upon the month that the replacement was first notified to us (assuming payment is made within a reasonable period from this date).

A pro-rata calculation is the fairest means of defining the number of boxes that might remain on the card.

Take your Staff Travel Card or Rail Staff Leisure Card to any station booking office and they will be able to make a seat reservation for you. Please ensure you check the latest restrictions first.

If a TOC has different arrangements in place, this will be recorded in the Staff Travel Restrictions document which you can find on the Where Can I Go and Restrictions page.

Yes, you can get a discount set on an oyster card, but this is for leisure travel on National Rail services only. This includes the Elizabeth Line and London Overground services.

You and your eligible Dependants can get a discount on an Oyster Card if your Staff Travel Card does not have endorsement 11 on it.

You need to have a standard Oyster card and register it with TfL. Once you have this complete the TfL Privilege Oyster Application form (see forms). Once authorised by RST, take the form together with your Staff Travel Card and Oyster card to a London Underground station, where a member of staff in the booking hall can set the Privilege rate discount on your Oyster card. You will need to ask the TfL staff to set the ‘Priv All Rail’ discount for staff and child dependants and ‘Priv All Rail N’ discount for spouses/partners.

The discount expiry date will match that on your Staff Travel Card. When you get a new Staff Travel Card you will need to update the Privilege discount on your Oyster card. Just take your new Staff Travel Card to a LU station and ask staff to update the ‘Priv All Rail’ discount. You do not need to contact Rail Staff Travel each year.

If you don’t update the discount each year, once the discount expires, you will be charged the full pay as you go fare instead of the Privilege rate fare

Remember to carry your Staff Travel Card with you when using the Privilege Oyster card, as proof of entitlement.

You can contact them by:

• Using the online feedback form and following the links
• Phone on 0343 222 1234
• Writing to TfL Customer Services, 14 Pier Walk, London SE10 0ES

RST Online is a new website which allows eligible active and retired rail employees and their eligible family members to plan a journey, buy priv discounted train tickets online and make seat reservations for journeys across the National Rail network.

www.railstafftravel.com

Full price tickets can also be purchased if you are travelling with people who are not in receipt of rail staff travel facilities.

Employees/retired employees who are eligible for free travel  can also use it to make seat reservations.

It can also be used for making payments for replacement cards/passes.

We are going to start launching RST Online publicly from spring 2022.

We will send you a unique one-time passcode via email once we have received your details from your employer and issued your rail staff travel facilities. Please check your Junk and Spam folder in case you can't see it in your Inbox.

This passcode (which you should copy and paste into the relevant box) will allow you to complete registration on the website and create an account with an email and a password of your choice.

Please avoid using first names or surnames as part of the password as this will prevent you from registering.  Passwords will need to be a minimum of 8 characters long. They should contain a mix of upper and lower case letters, include at least 1 number and 1 special character (such as ! or $), but  please avoid using space £#

Yes, as long as the family members receive rail staff travel facilities through you, then you can use RST Online to book priv rate travel for them.

Yes, an employee can request that family members who receive rail staff travel facilities through them  are setup with their own online account.

You can find form XX40 - Request Access for Family Members on the RST Forms page to request a separate RST Online account.

Not at present, but it will be available very soon. We will make you aware when its live when you apply for a Season ticket.

The season or flexi season ticket must first be authorised by Rail Staff Travel as per the existing process.

You can find the relevant form on the RST Forms page

No, you will not be able to add a ticket purchased from RST Online to an existing Smartcard.  However once we can offer Season Tickets online you will be able to add your priv discount Season Ticket to an RST Season Smartcard.

Yes, you can also buy leisure rail tickets (singles/returns) at the public rate on RST Online while buying your priv rate ticket(s).

Yes, you can use RST Online to plan your journey and book tickets with reservations (where available). 

No, you would need to request this separately via Passenger Assist. This can be done via phone, an app or email. You can find more details at http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/passengerassist 

You can pay using Visa, Mastercard and Maestro.

Yes, sleeper bookings are available to purchase on RST Online.

Yes you can. Currently reservation only bookings are not available in mobile view so you must use the desktop version of RST Online.  

Please remember to cancel any reservation only bookings that you are not going to use.

This will not be possible for tickets purchased on RST Online.

No, you will receive a unique one-time passcode which allows you to register with a different email address if you wish.

Please note that updates about tickets bought via RST Online will be sent to the email address you have registered with RST Online.

Priv discounts are available across the National Rail network in Great Britain. This does not include Eurostar or international travel.

Also, through journeys to and from the Isle of Wight cannot be booked as a single ticket, as there is no priv discount on Wightlink.

Yes, you can still purchase your priv tickets at the station. RST Online is an additional option for those who prefer it.

Yes, you can do this via ticket machines at the station (where available).

Yes, you can get leisure tickets sent to your email address as an e-ticket, for routes and TOCs which accept them.

If your ticket includes the Cross London marker, then it will not be available as an e-Ticket.

Yes, RST Online will provide the option to reserve a bike space where it is available at the station during the ticket purchase process.

For RST Online Enquiries, please contact:

• Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Phone: 0330 123 3872

If your enquiry is about rail staff travel policy, replacement travel passes or privileged season ticket approvals, please visit RST Contact details

If your ticket is eligible for a refund, you can request one by selecting the My Account option, then select Your Bookings, then click on View against the ticket booking you wish to refund. You will see a list of the possible options in the drop-down against 'I would like to'.

To check if your ticket is eligible for a refund, please see the National Rail Conditions of Travel.

If you decide not to use your ticket then you can apply for a refund through RST Online by logging into your account or by calling us on 03301233872.

When you log into RST Online, click on “Your Account”, or “Your Bookings”, then find the ticket/booking you wish to refund, click “View”, and select “I would like to Refund Journey” from the drop down list, then “Go”. Then follow the instructions on the screen.

You are required to submit your refund within 28 days of your ticket expiry date. Failing to do so will mean your refund request will be rejected and funds will not be returned.

If you have to send your tickets back to us, we advise you to do so via a guaranteed delivery service, such as Royal Mail Special Delivery or Recorded Delivery, as we cannot be held liable for any tickets lost in transit to us. We regret that the postage and packaging costs cannot be refunded. Please send your tickets to:

Refund Administrator RST Online
Web Support
PO Box 6136
Wolverhampton
WV1 9RL

From receipt it will take up to 28 working days to process your refund and it may take a further 5 days for any credit to appear on your statement.

The amount of refund that you are due will depend on the ticket purchased and the terms and conditions of that ticket.

We charge an administration fee of £10 per booking.

If your train is delayed or cancelled and you choose not to travel, your unused ticket can be refunded without any fees.

To be eligible for a refund due to a disruption or cancellation you are required to collect written confirmation from the train company that operated your particular service at the time of the disruption/cancellation. It is your responsibility to first contact the train company to request written confirmation.

Once you have received written confirmation from the train company, log into “Your Account” or “Your Bookings”, find the ticket/booking you wish to refund, click “View”, and select “I would like to Refund Journey” from the drop down list, then “Go”. From the “Reason for Refund” drop down, select “Service disruptions & cancellations”. Then follow the instructions on the screen. You will have to submit the written confirmation from the train company along with the tickets.

You have 28 days after the ticket expiry date to provide us with your tickets and confirmation to be eligible for a refund.

 If you are seeking a refund for a disrupted or cancelled service and the ticket you wish to refund was purchased for less than £10 you will not be able to submit it online, instead please call our customer service team on 0330 1233 872.

Refunds must be claimed within 28 days of the ticket’s expiry date. The expiry date depends on the terms and conditions of the ticket you have purchased. To check the terms and conditions of your ticket, log into “Your Account”, click on the booking for which you require a refund, then select “I would like to View Full Details” from the drop down. The conditions relating to the tickets will be displayed by clicking on “Terms & Conditions”.

If you selected postal delivery, you can cancel your tickets in RST Online before you receive them. You will be asked to return the tickets once you have received them. Your refund will not be processed until we are in receipt of the tickets.

If you selected the self-service ticket machine and have not collected your tickets, you can apply for a refund in RST Online without having to collect the tickets, if you wish to refund the complete booking. The money will be transferred back into your account automatically. If you only wish to refund some of the tickets in your booking, you will have to collect the ticket from the self-service ticket machine first

Once your refund has been processed we will send you an email to confirm the amount credited to your bank account. NB: From receipt of the confirmation email, it may take a further 5 days for this credit to appear on your statement.

We process all refund requests within 28 days from either receipt of your tickets (for tickets posted), or from submitting your refund claim online (for tickets collected at the station). Once a refund has been processed it can take a further 5 days for the credit to appear on your statement. If your card statement is due within the next few days you may not see the credit until the following month’s statement. In this case you can check whether the money has been credited to your account by contacting your card issuer

No. The Staff Travel scheme Conditions of Issue and Use require you to carry your Rail Staff Leisure Card or Staff Travel Card if travelling with a staff discounted ticket. If you do not have the Rail Staff Leisure Card or Staff Travel Card  with you at the time your ticket is inspected you will be liable to pay the difference between the price paid for your ticket and the full non-discounted fare. You will not be entitled to a refund of this charge even if you can provide a copy of the Rail Staff Leisure Card or Staff Travel Card  at a later date.

If your tickets haven’t arrived in the post, please call our customer service team on 03301 233 872.

We'll let you know by email the reason we have rejected your refund, however this is usually because your ticket has been stamped as used, or because you've scanned your eticket

If you are travelling and experience a delay arriving to your destination due to a cancelled or delayed service, you may be able to claim compensation from the train company you are travelling with.

Compensation will depend on:

• Which train company you are travelling/have travelled with
• Type of ticket you have
• Length of the delay in arriving at your destination

Please contact the train company that operated the service. For more information on compensation, go direct to the train company’s website.

If you appear to have been charged twice for one set of tickets please call Web Support on 03301 233 872.

In its simplest terms, an Employee that is Safeguarded is one that has been continuously employed in the rail industry since before 1st April 1996 or who was receiving staff travel as a Retired member of Staff resulting of previous employment in the rail industry at that qualifying date.

However, there are a number of qualifications that apply to this simple definition. For example, you must have been working for a franchised Train Operating Company (TOC) or an eligible third party employer. Eligible employers are referred to as Scheme employers. Some third party employers also have earlier qualification dates, i.e. the date that they were privatised from the former British Rail was before the main privatisation date above. Therefore, employees of these companies will have had to have been employed by these companies at the earlier, qualifying date.

If you leave Scheme employment, then there are a number of further criteria that must be met for you to qualify to retain your Safeguarded travel facilities. If you have been dismissed or have resigned then you lose all eligibility to receive Safeguarded travel facilities. If you retire (either by age or due to ill health) or are made redundant, then there are a number of criteria that must be met before you can retain your Safeguarded leisure travel facilities (these include, but are not limited to, your age at which this happens, your length of service and your leaving date).

Regardless of the reason for leaving Scheme employment you may be eligible to regain active Safeguarded status if you return to work with a Scheme employer. This is provided you do so within 3 years, and have not worked for a non-Scheme employer during this period. Employees who were made redundant may return to Scheme employment at any time provided they have not undertaken any work with a non-Scheme employer.

Essentially, this is an Employee of a franchised Train Operating Company (TOC) that is not a Safeguarded Employee.

These Employees may also be known as “New Entrants” or “New Starters” even if they have been employed since just after the 1st April 1996.

A reciprocal Employee is an Employee of a company that, under the terms of an agreement with the franchised Train Operating Companies (TOCs), allows free and/or discounted travel on their services in exchange for free and/or discounted travel on the national rail network.

Examples of reciprocal Employers are the leisure railways, TfL and Eurostar. All are subject to qualifying conditions.

A reciprocal arrangement is one that allows an exchange of free and/or discounted travel between companies either agreed on a national level, i.e. through Rail Staff Travel, or locally between Train Operating Companies (TOCs).

Privilege Rate refers to the discounted travel that can be purchased on the National Rail services of the franchised Train Operating Companies (TOCs) and the services of companies where reciprocal arrangements exist.

Holders of a Staff Travel Card or Rail Staff Leisure Card may purchase an unlimited number of privilege rate tickets for their own leisure travel. For the avoidance of doubt, tickets cannot be purchased for any other person, or for an enhanced class of travel, or for a purpose other than leisure.

The discount available to adults and dependant holders aged 16 or above is 75% of the adult rate for single and return tickets (i.e. one quarter of the adult rate). The discount available to 5 to 15 year old holders is 50% of the of the adult privilege rate for single and return tickets (i.e. one eighth of the adult rate) subject to a maximum of £2.00 per ticket.

Concessionary refers to the discounted travel that can be purchased on the reciprocal travel arrangements with RST. These include the leisure railways, TfL and Eurostar.

The discount available varies according to the arrangement in place.

National (travel) refers to travel on franchised TOCs in Great Britain.

It does not include Open Access Operators, leisure railways or trains operating in Northern Ireland.

International (travel) refers to travel on train operators that are not in Great Britain.

It does not include Open Access Operators, leisure railways or trains operating in Northern Ireland.

Eurostar is the passenger high speed train service that links the UK to France and Belgium via the Channel Tunnel.

Holders of staff travel facilities may be able to travel on Eurostar subject to the terms and conditions of the facilities that they are issued with.

Eurotunnel is the vehicle shuttle train service that links the UK to France and Belgium via the Channel Tunnel.

Holders of staff travel facilities have no travel privileges or concessions on Eurotunnel.

TOC Specific (travel) refers to travel on the specific franchised TOC that the Employee works for, or in some instances the trains of TOCs that are a part of the same operating group.

Many TOCs have their own reciprocal arrangements with other TOCs or travel providers. You will need to contact your own HR department for further information.

Transport for London.

TfL run various different travel methods which are Arriva Rail London (a franchised National Rail Train Operating Company), TfL Rail (Crossrail, a franchised National Rail Train Operating Company), London Underground (tube), Docklands Light Railway (DLR), Buses, Trams, Coaches, River Bus and Cycles.

For the purposes of staff travel, only the TfL services of the London Overground and TfL Rail are considered a part of the national rail network, although TOC services on Dual Availability Routes are also included within this.

Safeguarded Employees may be able to travel on London Underground and DLR services, subject to the correct documentation being obtained.

Dual Availability routes are those lines that are used by services run by both London Underground and the franchised TOCs.

A Smart Card is a credit card sized plastic card that has embedded integrated circuits. It is encoded to operate in a contactless manner but will also be personalised to show the extent of travel provided.

FIP stands for "Groupement pour les Facilités de Circulation Internationales du Personnel des Chemins de Fer". It is the group of transport undertakings that is the European equivalent of RST.

TOC stands for Train Operating Company.

The current TOCs are:

• Arriva CrossCountry
• Arriva Rail London
• Avanti West Coast
• c2c
• Caledonian Sleeper
• Chiltern
• East Midlands Railway
• GoVia Thameslink Railway (Great Northern, Thameslink and Southern)
• Greater Anglia
• Great Western Railway
• London North Eastern Railway
• Merseyrail
• MTR Crossrail
• Northern Rail
• ScotRail
• Southeastern
• South West Trains
• TransPennine Express
• Transport for Wales
• West Midlands Trains

An Open Access Operator is a non-franchised train operator. They have access to the national rail network by purchasing availability from the infrastructure company.

In GB, the Open Access Operators are:

• Grand Central Railway
• Heathrow Connect
• Heathrow Express
• Hull Trains
• Tyne and Wear Metro
• Eurostar