Skip to main content

News

Contents

RST Online Leisure Card renewal for 2024/25

(This news item only applies to Network Rail employees who hold an RST Online Leisure Card.)

RST Online Leisure Cards for employees and eligible family members valid from 1 December 2024 to 30 November 2025 will be posted out in November before the current ones expire. Once the exact date for dispatch is confirmed, we will update this news item.

If you know you are moving house between now and the 30 November but do not have the address details yet, or a confirmed move date, then please advise us by email and we will put a temporary hold on your record. You can then complete the Change of Address form (XX15) online once you have moved and we will issue cards to you and any current cardholders. Please complete this by 27 September. A replacement fee will be charged if you have moved address, not advised RST and cannot retrieve your card(s).

If you have a child dependant aged 18 or over in receipt of a card, a Child Declaration may be necessary for them to receive a card in the renewal. If this is the case, we will contact you by e-mail during September to request you submit one.

29 August 2024

Fairbourne Railway

Staff discounted (priv-rate) fares are now available on the narrow-gauge Fairbourne Railway in Gwynedd, one of the Great Little Trains of Wales. It’s easily accessible from Fairbourne railway station, on the Cambrian Coast Line.

Just present your Staff Travel Card, Rail Staff Leisure Card or RST Online Leisure Card at the booking office.

27 August 2024

Summer 2024 Staff Travel Restrictions

The Staff Travel Restrictions for Summer 2024 are available on the Where Can I Go and Restrictions page. 

Version 3 has just been published. It has changes to the wording in the section “Restrictions on all services”, subsection “General” on page 7. This wording now reads:

When travelling using your staff travel facilities, priority should be given to fare-paying passengers. Whenever possible, cardholders should travel on lightly-loaded trains. If a train is crowded it is expected that when boarding a train all staff travel facilities holders should stand back to allow fare-paying passengers to obtain seats first.

Active Staff and dependants must vacate seats on request where fare paying passengers are standing.

Retired Staff and dependants may be asked to vacate their seat but they do not have to.

There is no longer any distinction in these restriction requirements between staff travelling in First and Standard accommodation.

The requirements apply to those using all Staff Travel facilities, including Freight Duty Cards, Duty Authority to Travel (DAT) Cards, Residential Passes, Status Passes, Staff Travel Cards, Rail Staff Leisure Cards, RST Online Leisure Cards, TOC specific and group specific cards.

The requirements also apply to those using staff-discounted (priv-rate) leisure and season tickets, even if the holders of these tickets have made seat reservations.

The Staff Travel Restrictions may be further updated during the period of the Summer 2024 timetable.

8 August 2024

Non-Cohabiting Partners

Rail Staff Travel (RST) is now able to accept applications from active and retired employees for a partner that they do not live with. If this applies to you, please complete the Non-Cohabiting Partner Declaration (XX04) available on the forms page www.raildeliverygroup.com/rst/forms.html#family.

The form requires employees to make a statutory declaration in front of a qualified legal person (Solicitor, Notary Public, Justice of the Peace or Commissioner for Oaths) to confirm that they are in a meaningful relationship with their partner. Once completed just attach it to the Add Spouse or Partner (XX02a) form and submit it online.

The non-cohabiting partner will get the same staff travel benefits as the employee would get for a cohabiting partner/spouse, with two exceptions:

  • The non-cohabiting partner cannot get FIP facilities for international travel. The FIP rules do not permit non-cohabiting partners.
  • Children of the non-cohabiting partner will not be eligible. As they don’t live with the employee they cannot be considered dependant on the employee.

RST will not hold the address of the non-cohabiting partner or deal directly with non-cohabiting partners. All communication and enquiries must come from the employee and staff travel facilities issued to the non-cohabiting partner will be sent to the employee’s home address. There will be no exceptions to this rule.

The employee remains responsible for informing RST if the relationship ends and retrieving the staff travel facilities issued to the former partner.

We hope that employees find this a useful enhancement to the Rail Staff Travel scheme.

5 August 2024

Rail Staff Leisure Card renewal for 2024/25

This news item only applies to holders of a Rail Staff Leisure Card (non-safeguarded employees). It does not apply to holders of a Staff Travel Card (safeguarded employees) who have continuous service in the rail industry since at least 31 March 1996 or holders of the RST Online Leisure Card.

Rail Staff Leisure Cards for employees, and eligible family members valid from 1 November 2024 to 31 October 2025 will be posted out in October before the current ones expire. Once the exact date for dispatch is confirmed, we will update this news item.

If you know you are moving house between now and the 31 October but do not have the address details yet, or a confirmed move date, then please advise us by email and we will put a temporary hold on your record. You can then complete the Change of Address form (XX15) online once you have moved and we will issue cards to you and any current cardholders.  A replacement fee will be charged if you have moved address, not advised RST and cannot retrieve your card(s).

If you have a child dependant aged 18 or over in receipt of a Rail Staff Leisure Card, a Child Declaration may be necessary for them to receive a card in the renewal. If this is the case, we will contact you by e-mail in early August to request you submit one.

31 July 2024

Nightjet News

From 12 August until 25 October 2024, international Nightjet services operated by ŌBB are affected by engineering works in France and Germany. The following overnight services are expected to be cancelled:

  • Paris to Berlin
  • Brussels to Berlin
  • Paris to Vienna

The overnight service from Brussels to Vienna is expected to continue to run, but some restrictions or cancellations may be implemented.

More information is available (in English) on the Nightjet website www.nightjet.com/en/#/home 

15 July 2024

Lithuanian Railways - updated 30 May 2024

This news item applies only to safeguarded staff who entered rail service on or before 31 March 1996 and hold a Staff Travel Card, or those non-safeguarded staff who hold the Rail Staff Leisure Card. This news item does not apply to those who hold the RST Online Leisure Card.

FIP cards and FIP coupons are now valid on LTG-Link services.

FIP coupons can be ordered using the International Coupon application forms.

30 May 2024

P&O Ferries

Rail Staff Travel is ending its reciprocal travel agreement with P&O Ferries.

Rail Staff Leisure Cards and Staff Travel Cards will not be valid for any free or discounted travel on the P&O Dover to Calais and Hull to Rotterdam ferry services after 31 October 2024.

16 May 2024

Staff Travel Card renewal for 2024/25 - updated 20 March 2024

This news item applies only to safeguarded staff who entered rail service on or before 31 March 1996 and hold a Staff Travel Card. This news item does not apply to those who hold the Rail Staff Leisure Card or RST Online Leisure Card.

Staff Travel Cards for employees and eligible family members valid from 1 April 2024 to 30 June 2025 were posted out starting on 19 March. If we hold an email address for you, we will email you to let you know when they have been sent.

Please allow Royal Mail sufficient time to deliver these. We are not able to start issuing replacements for cards not received until 4 April. If you haven’t received them by this date, please contact us by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. confirming:

  • your full name, address and postcode
  • which member of your family has not received their passes.

Please do not contact us before 4 April to report non-delivery as we are not be able to issue replacements until after that date.

If you don’t receive your cards, you must let us know by 31 July 2024 providing the information as detailed above for us to issue replacements for free. Any emails received after 31 July 2024 reporting non receipt of Staff Travel Cards will incur a replacement fee per card. A replacement fee will also be charged per card if you have moved address and not advised RST and cannot retrieve your card(s).

Cards will arrive in the same envelope, unless:

  • you have a child dependant aged 18 or over and you had to submit a child declaration. These will generally be sent a little later, but we will email you once they have been posted to you.
  • you have submitted an application to add a new family member to your record in the last few weeks. Again, we will email you once they have been posted to you. 

20 March 2024

Luton DART - updated 4 March 2024

Luton DART is a private commercial service between Luton Airport Parkway station and Luton Airport. 

There are no agreements in place for the acceptance of any rail staff travel product on Luton DART services to allow for free travel. If you are using a staff travel product for free travel (i.e. Status Pass, Staff Travel Card with a dated box, or a TOC specific product) on National Rail services to Luton Airport Parkway and wish to use the Luton DART service to travel to Luton Airport, you must obtain a ticket.

Luton DART accepts priv-rate tickets. You are able to purchase staff discounted (priv-rate) through tickets to travel from National Rail stations to Luton Airport, which includes travel on Luton DART. 

4 March 2024

Priv rate on Caledonian Sleeper - updated 4 March 2024

This news item applies only to safeguarded staff who entered rail service on or before 31 March 1996 and hold a Staff Travel Card, or those non-safeguarded staff who hold the Rail Staff Leisure Card. This news item does not apply to those who hold the RST Online Leisure Card.

Caledonian Sleeper services are running with temporary restricted capacity. 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 not specific to those using Staff Travel facilities.

4 March 2024

New ticket types with staff discount (priv rate) on some LNER routes

As part of the simpler fares initiative, LNER are introducing new ticket types on some routes from 16 January 2024 for travel from 5 February 2024 and withdrawing Off-Peak tickets. Anytime ticket types will still be available on all routes.

As an alternative to Off-Peak tickets, staff discounts (priv rate) will be available on a particular 70min Flex price point, and also an Advance Purchase price point. For more details on the terms and conditions associated with the 70min Flex fare please see this page on the National Rail website www.nationalrail.co.uk/ticket-types/tickets/dma

Details of the terms and conditions associated with Advance Purchase ticket types are available at www.nationalrail.co.uk/tickets-railcards-and-offers/ticket-types/advance-tickets

The terms and conditions attached to the staff discounted (priv rate) 70min Flex fare and Advance Purchase fare, including the rules around refunds and changes, are the same as those which apply to public rate versions of these ticket types. These tickets are quota controlled, so subject to availability and Break of Journey is not permitted.

You will be able to purchase these tickets through RST Online. If you hold a Staff Travel Card or Rail Staff Leisure Card, then you can also purchase them from a National Rail ticket office. Please note that these ticket types cannot be sold on board a train.

The announcement on the LNER website about the public versions of these ticket types is here www.lner.co.uk/news/lner-launches-pioneering-pilot-to-further-simplify-fares

16 January 2024

NR Priv Discount on Oyster for holders of the Rail Staff Leisure Card - updated 7 February 2023

This news item applies only to non-safeguarded staff who entered rail service after 31 March 1996 and hold the Rail Staff Leisure Card. It does not apply to safeguarded employees issued with the Staff Travel Card, or Network Rail employees issued with the RST Online Leisure Card.

The Elizabeth Line have confirmed with Rail Staff Travel that the discount can be set at the following Elizabeth Line stations, between the times shown in the table.

Your Oyster card must be registered - if it isn’t please go to  oyster.tfl.gov.uk/oyster/entry.do

Station Monday to Friday Saturday Sunday
Ilford 10.00 – 15.00 hrs 10.00 – 17.00 hrs 10.00 – 17.00 hrs
Romford 10.00 – 15.00 hrs 10.00 – 17.00 hrs  
Ealing Broadway 10.00 – 15.00 hrs 10.00 – 17.00 hrs 10.00 – 17.00 hrs
West Ealing 10.00 – 15.00 hrs 10.00 – 17.00 hrs  
Hayes and Harlington 10.00 – 15.00 hrs 10.00 – 17.00 hrs 10.00 – 17.00 hrs
Southall 10.00 – 15.00 hrs 10.00 – 17.00 hrs  
West Drayton 10.00 – 15.00 hrs 10.00 – 17.00 hrs  
Abbey Wood 10.00 – 15.00 hrs 10.00 – 17.00 hrs 10.00 – 17.00 hrs
Custom House * 10.00 – 15.00 hrs 10.00 – 17.00 hrs 10.00 – 17.00 hrs
Woolwich * 10.00 – 15.00 hrs 10.00 – 17.00 hrs 10.00 – 17.00 hrs
Canary Wharf * 10.00 – 15.00 hrs 10.00 – 17.00 hrs 10.00 – 17.00 hrs
Paddington * 10.00 – 15.00 hrs 10.00 – 17.00 hrs 10.00 – 17.00 hrs

At stations marked with a * you will need to ask to speak to a manager so they can set the discount.

If you have any issues getting the discount set please contact TfL directly via tfl.gov.uk/help-and-contact/contact-us-about-tube-and-rail

If your query is not resolved by TfL you can contact London Travel Watch. Their details can be found at www.londontravelwatch.org.uk/

7 February 2023

Renewal of FIP International Reduced Rate Cards

FIP Cards for 2023/24 were sent out by post on Tuesday 22 November. They are valid for two years from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2024.

If you have not received them by 2 January 2023, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. confirming which family members haven't received their FIP cards. Please do not contact us before 2 January 2023.

Information for all active and retired employees:

  • If you have moved home address and not let RST know and you are unable to retrieve your card(s) , we will charge a replacement fee per card to send them to your new address.
  • If you do not receive your cards at the address we hold for you, we will replace them free of charge if you tell us before 31 January 2023. After this date we will charge a replacement fee per card to send them to you.

24 November 2022

Elizabeth line - updated 16 November 2022

National Rail staff travel facilities are valid on all sections of the Elizabeth line.

Singles/Returns

Fares between Paddington and Abbey Wood are based on the London Underground zonal fares. The easiest way to travel at staff discounted (priv) rate is to use an Oyster Card with the priv discount set. However, Oyster pay cannot be used west of West Drayton so to a ticket must be purchased to obtain staff discounted (priv) rate for journeys starting or ending west of West Drayton.

With a Rail Staff Leisure Card or Staff Travel Card staff discounted (priv) paper singles and returns are also available, but cannot be purchased at stations in the central core. Please note that if using a single or return ticket, break of journey is not permitted at stations between Paddington and Abbey Wood.

Residential Travel

Reduced rate season tickets and Residential Passes are also available for journeys which include travel on Elizabeth line. Please note that any card/pass/season ticket that is from a station between Abbey Wood and Whitechapel to London Terminals will not be valid on the Elizabeth Line to London Liverpool Street. 

Duty Travel

Duty Authority to Travel and Freight Duty cards are valid for travel on the Elizabeth line (subject to carrying the required diagram evidence for use of the pass).

Status Passes and Staff Travel Cards (safeguarded staff only)

Gold Status Passes, Silver Status Passes and dated Staff Travel Cards are valid across the whole of the Elizabeth line.

Blue Status Passes are valid as follows:

  • Eastern Region – between Shenfield and Farringdon, and London Liverpool Street and Custom House for Excel
  • London Midland Region – between Paddington and Whitechapel
  • Southern Region – between Abbey Wood and Farringdon
  • Western Region – between Reading, Heathrow and London Paddington
  • Scottish Region – not valid

The maps on the RST website which cover the inter-available routes for Safeguarded Staff will be updated to include Elizabeth line availability as soon as RST receives new base versions from TfL.

16 November 2022

In this section