Booking seat reservations on National Rail operators

When purchasing a staff discounted (priv rate) ticket it is normally possible to make a seat reservation where available. Seat reservations are available via RST Online either as part of a ticket purchase or separately if travelling with a dated Staff Travel Card or Status Pass.

Some TOCs restrict staff from making seat reservations and the rules are in the Staff Travel Restrictions.

When using staff travel facilities, fare‑paying passengers must be given priority. Staff travel cardholders should use quieter trains where possible. If a train is busy, staff travel users are expected to let fare‑paying passengers take seats first.

Active staff and their dependants must give up their seats if asked, when fare‑paying passengers are standing.

Retired staff and their dependants may be asked to give up their seats, but they are not required to do so

Seat reservations on Avanti West Coast

There are multiple ways to reserve a seat on Avanti West Coast services:

• Avanti West Coast ticket offices
• Avanti West Coast Social Media Team (X, Facebook, Instagram)
• Avanti West Coast Customer Resolutions Centre
• RST Online

Customers without reservations should find an available unreserved seat or present themselves to the Train Manager who will assist in finding a seat.

Seat reservations on CrossCountry services

CrossCountry strongly advise that you book in advance and reserve a seat on a specific train.

To reserve a seat, either

• make a reservation when purchasing a ticket at a ticket office or through RST Online, or
• call CrossCountry Customer Relations on 03447 369 123 choosing option 4 for the in-house team (Monday to Friday 08.00 to 17.00, or Saturday 08.00 to 16.00), or
• e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or
• contact our Social Media team on X @crosscountryuk

Should a reservation not be possible, where available, Coach B on Voyagers and Turbostars will be left unreserved.

Seat reservations on LNER services

There are five options to reserve a seat:

• Online at lner.co.uk/reserve. You will need to create an LNER account. Once you have selected your train, enter “Staff” into the box which requests the ticket number.
• LNER Mobile app
• Station Travel Centres and Ticket Offices
• LNER Customer Solutions Centre
• RST Online

If you make a reservation and then choose not to travel you should cancel your reservation to ensure availability for another customer. This is a simple process via the LNER app, RST Online or via the web at www.lner.co.uk, if this is where the original reservation was made.

Caledonian Sleeper services

Travel on Caledonian Sleeper services is not available to holders of the RST Online Leisure Card

Options for booking Caledonian Sleeper berths

On Caledonian Sleeper services between Euston and destinations in Scotland there are two options available for staff discounted travel:

1. 75% discount off the public fare (single only), inclusive of travel and room accommodation (Solo or Twin Accommodation), on presentation of a Rail Staff Leisure Card or Staff Travel Card. Reduced fares are subject to availability and can be purchased in advance from a National Rail station or via RST Online.
2. Purchase a staff discounted (priv rate) Any time or Off Peak ticket, or use a Status Pass or dated box on a Staff Travel Card and pay the room supplement. There is no discount on the room supplement. Room supplements can be booked online at sleeper.scot

Please note that option 1 is usually cheaper. These fares are called Classic Solo or Classic Twin (for standard class card holders) and Club Solo or Club Twin (for first class card holders). The image provides an example of how this appears in RST Online.

Holders of Standard Class facilities may only travel in Classic accommodation. Holders of Standard Class facilities must pay the full public rate if they wish to travel in Club Class.

Holders of 1st Class facilities are eligible for discounted travel in either Club or Classic accommodation.

There are no staff discounted rates on travel in Caledonian Doubles.

Quotas and booking horizon

Generally staff discounted (priv rate) fares are available 8 weeks in advance of the travel date, but this might be reduced during periods where the sleeper is operating with reduced coaching stock.

Due to the nature of Caledonian Sleeper, there is a finite number of rooms available. In the event of service disruption where the number of rooms operating is reduced, those already booked may be asked to move to alternate services / dates. This is a general policy which applies to all ticket holders and is not specific to those using Staff Travel facilities.

Caledonian Sleeper seated accommodation

There is no discounted travel in the overnight seated accommodation.

Rail staff may use discounted travel in seated accommodation on daytime legs between Kingussie – Inverness, Edinburgh – Fort William and Fort William – Edinburgh. Reservations are mandatory but this can only be made up to 7 days before travel. This applies to all travel facilities including 75% discounted tickets, or season tickets.

Travelling with a Staff Travel Card dated box

Caledonian Sleeper has agreed an easement on the 22:00 hrs time rule and will accept Staff Travel Cards which are dated for the date of arrival in destination, providing the customer has a room reservation for a journey which ends on the date entered on the Staff Travel Card.

Travelling with a Gold Status Pass

If you have a Gold Status Pass endorsed ‘All Stations and in Sleeping Berths’ this allows free travel on the Caledonian Sleeper and does not require payment of the room supplement. However, there are a limited number of places. Once this allocation of free travel places is exhausted, Gold Status Pass holders may still purchase 75% discounted tickets.

You can book this via your RST Online account, Guest Services on 0330 060 0500 or a National Rail station.

Travelling with children on Caledonian Sleeper

For holders of the Rail Staff Leisure Card

• When travelling with children, you may obtain 75% discount off the public fare inclusive of travel and room accommodation on presentation of a Rail Staff Leisure Card.
• You need to request a ‘Solo Room with free child’ ticket and the child effectively travels for free.
• Reduced fares are subject to availability and can be purchased in advance from a National Rail station.

For holders of Staff Travel Cards, there are three options for travelling with children.

1. 75% discount off the public fare inclusive of travel and room accommodation on presentation of a Staff Travel Card (no need to date a box). You need to request a ‘Solo Room with free child’ ticket and the child effectively travels for free. Reduced fares are subject to availability and can be purchased in advance from a National Rail station.
2. Adult dates a box and child dates a box (if they have facilities). You would then need to purchase a ‘twin room supplement’ to cover your accommodation. Room supplements can be booked online at sleeper.scot
3. Retired employees travelling with children who do not have rail staff travel facilities can date a box and purchase a child Anytime or Off-Peak flat fare. You would then need to purchase a ‘twin room supplement’ to cover your accommodation. Room supplements can be booked online at sleeper.scot

Option one is usually the cheapest.

If there are more children travelling than adults with rail staff travel facilities, then an additional room will have to be purchased at the staff discounted (priv rate) adult rate.

Using staff travel facilities to share a cabin with someone using public rate tickets

It is not possible to use staff travel facilities to share a cabin with someone using public rate tickets.

Great Western Railway Night Riviera services

Great Western Railway operate the Night Riviera sleeper between London Paddington and Penzance. Discounted travel is available with a Status Pass, Staff Travel Card, Rail Staff Leisure Card or RST Online Leisure Card.

Options for booking GWR sleeper berths

To travel in a sleeping berth you must:

• purchase a staff discounted (priv rate) ticket and pay the sleeping berth supplement, or;
• date a box on a Staff Travel Card and pay the sleeping berth supplement, or;
• hold a Western Region Blue Status Pass or Silver Status Pass and pay the sleeping berth supplement, or;
• hold a Gold Status Pass endorsed “All Stations and in Sleeping Berths” and book a free berth supplement at a GWR managed station ticket office or via RST Online.

GWR seated accommodation

Free or staff discounted (priv rate) tickets may be used in the seated accommodation on the Night Riviera, but seat reservations are strongly recommended.

Travelling with a Staff Travel Card dated box

Where the Night Riviera departs before 22:00 hrs, GWR has agreed an easement on the 22:00 hrs time rule and will accept Staff Travel Cards which are dated for the following day, providing the customer has a berth reservation for a journey which ends on the date entered on the Staff Travel Card.

Flat fare for children aged 5-15 accompanying a retired Staff Travel Card holder

Great Western Railway do offer the flat fare for children travelling with retired Staff Travel Card holders aged 60+, but the flat fare only applies to the travel ticket. Children must also pay the sleeper berth supplement.

GWR sleeper berth pricing

The berth supplements are commercially priced so vary depending on forecast demand. The twin cabin cannot be shared with a stranger, so can only be booked if two passengers are travelling. The prices are visible in RST Online when making bookings or available at any National Rail station ticket office.

There are no discounts on the berth supplements for any category of customer (Child / Railcard / PRIV etc.).

GWR options to book

Tickets can be purchased from a GWR managed station ticket office, or via RST Online.