Staff Travel News
STAFF TRAVEL NEWS
Priv fares on Hovertravel – 10 February 2025
Rail Staff Travel is pleased to announce that staff discounted (priv-rate) fares for leisure travel are available on Hovertravel services between Southsea and Ryde Esplanade.
Holders of the Staff Travel Card, Rail Staff Leisure Card or RST Online Leisure Card can avail themselves of the staff discounted (priv-rate) fares at the Hovertravel terminal at either Southsea or Ryde. Hovertravel operate a connecting bus between Portsmouth Harbour station and Southsea Hovertravel terminal. You can also buy through tickets to and from Ryde Esplanade from First Bus Travel Shop at The Hard Interchange (bus termina) at Portsmouth Harbour station.
Dated boxes on Staff Travel Card, Status Passes, Residential Passes and Duty Authority to Travel (DAT) cards are not valid for any free travel on Hovertravel services.
Through staff discounted (priv-rate) fares from many mainland stations via Hovertravel to National Rail stations on the Isle of Wight will be available soon through RST Online once systems have been updated.
From the Rail Delivery Group – 10th February 2025
Staff Travel Card renewal for 2025/26 – 13 January 2025
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 2025 to 30 June 2026 will be issued in mid March 2025. Once a date for dispatch has been confirmed, we will update this email.
If we post your Staff Travel Card to the address we hold for you and you have moved and are unable to retrieve it from the address, then a replacement fee will apply. If you have changed your home address in the last 12 months and not informed Rail Staff Travel, please submit the Change of Address XX15 form, available on our website at www.raildeliverygroup.com/rst/forms.html#details by Thursday 6 February at the at latest.
If you are moving and are not sure of your move date, please email us at rst@raildeliverygroup.com with your name and current address and we can put a temporary hold on your account until you know which address to send the card to.
If cards have not been received by 11 April please email us at rst@raildeliverygroup.com confirming
- your full name, address and postcode
- which member of your family has not received their passes.
Any emails received after 31 July reporting non receipt of Staff Travel Cards will incur a replacement fee per card.
Staff Travel 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.
Staff Travel Cards will not be sent for dependants aged 18 or above where a Child Declaration form (XX05) has not been submitted. If you have not received a card for this reason, please complete the www.raildeliverygroup.com/rst/forms.html along with the appropriate evidence to support your declaration.
Winter 2024-25 Staff Travel Restrictions
The Staff Travel Restrictions for Winter 2024-25 are available on the Where Can I Go and Restrictions page.
The restrictions 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 Winter 2024-25 timetable.
From the Rail Delivery Group – 13th January 2025
Finland (VR Group)
This news item applies only to those who hold a FIP International Reduced Rate Card.
Finland (VR Group) has withdrawn from the FIP association.
The information arrived too late to remove VR Group from the FIP International Reduced Rate Card for 2025-2026. Despite VR Group being listed on the FIP card, the FIP discount is no longer available in Finland.
We will no longer issue FIP coupons for VR Group.
From the Rail Delivery Group – 16th December 2024
Recent updates by email from Rail Staff Travel
Restrictions
The new restrictions in place from 15 December are on the RST website. www.raildeliverygroup.com/rst/where-can-i-go.html#Restrictions
Granting family members access to RST Online
You can provide your family members access to RST Online for them to purchase their own priv-rate tickets. If you would like to do this, please submit an XX40 form via www.raildeliverygroup.com/rst/forms.html .
Please note that all requests for RST Online access must come from the record-holder.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
Within the wider rail industry work is underway to make workplaces, safe, inclusive spaces by embracing the differences within a diverse workforce. We want to create an environment where employees are happy to come to work safe in the knowledge that they will be valued, that they will have the opportunity to develop and grow, and they will be treated fairly.
Rail Staff Travel is committed to support this work. If you have a specific issue that you would like to discuss with us, you can contact us in confidence to explore how we can best help you or a family member.
Cardholders who are transitioning
We can help with re-issuing cards and passes if any cardholder is transitioning or has transitioned. If it’s for a child, and there is no official documentation, please contact RST for further advice.
Children
Children aged 5 to 15 are eligible for child discounted tickets on National Rail services. When buying staff discounted (priv rate) tickets for them, the same ages apply for them to benefit from child priv rate fares.
Any child aged 16 or older is required to purchase adult tickets.
Help with travelling
Cardholders with a Staff Travel Card, Rail Staff Leisure Card or RST Online Leisure Card unable to travel alone and needing someone to travel with them can have their card endorsed to allow an attendant to travel with them on National Rail services. This provision does not extend to reciprocal carriers (i.e. ferries or heritage railways), or international travel.
The cardholder must meet the eligibility criteria for a Disabled Persons Railcard (they do not have to purchase the Disabled Persons Railcard). The eligibility criteria is here www.disabledpersons-railcard.co.uk
The primary cardholder will need to provide proof of this to RST. Please submit the Attendant Request XX45 form and attach an image of the relevant proof. www.raildeliverygroup.com/rst/forms.html#details
If you hold a Staff Travel Card and apply before 17 February 2025, then the attendant wording will be added to your Staff Travel Card for 2025/26 which will be issued in March 2025.
If you hold a Rail Staff Leisure Card or RST Online Leisure Card, when we process your application, we will contact the primary cardholder to swap out the card and issue a new one.
Rail 200
As you may know the railway in Britain is celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2025. There are lots of events planned so if you want to see what is happening, there is a dedicated website for it at https://railway200.co.uk/
From Rail Staff Travel by email – 11th December 2024
Other items sent by email are already included below until they lapse.
Rigi Bahnen (Rigi Mountain Railways)
This news item applies only to who hold a FIP International Reduced Rate Card.
Rigi Bahnen is joining the Swiss Private (SP) membership of FIP from 1 January 2025. FIP discounted travel with the FIP International Reduced Rate Card and free travel with a FIP Coupon for Swiss Private (SP) will be available on the following stretches of route:
- Vitznau – Rigi Kulm (rack railway)
- Goldau – Rigi Kulm (rack railway)
- Weggis – Rigi Kaltbad (cable car)
- Kräbel – Rigi Scheidegg (cable car)
FIP facilities are not valid on other Rigi Bahnen services, including:
- Obergschwend – Rigi Burggeist (cable car)
- Küssnacht – Seebodenalp (cable car)
- Vitznau – Hinterbergen (cable car)
- Vitznau – Wissifluh (cable car)
- Brunnen – Urmiberg (cable car)
From the Rail Delivery Group – 22nd November 2024
Renewal of FIP International Reduced Rate Cards
This news item applies only those who already hold a FIP card and also either a Staff Travel Card or Rail Staff Leisure Card. This news item does not apply to those who hold the RST Online Leisure Card.
FIP Cards for 2023/24 are valid for use until 31 January 2025.
FIP Cards for 2025/26 will start to be dispatched on Monday 18 November.
If you do not received all the cards you are expecting by 2 January 2025, please contact us at rst@raildeliverygroup.com confirming which family members haven’t received their FIP cards.
Please do not contact us before 2 January 2025 to report missing cards as we will not action any requests to investigate missing cards until then.
The FIP Cards for 2025/26 are valid for two calendar years from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2026. The FIP rules allow an additional 1 month of validity either side, so you can use them until 31 January 2027.
For child dependents aged 18 or over in receipt of a Status Pass, if you have only submitted a Child Declaration in the last few weeks their cards may arrive later.
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 2025. After this date we will charge a replacement fee to send them to you.
From the Rail Delivery Group – 13th November 2024
Western Region Blue Status Pass update
This news item applies only those who already hold a Western Region Blue Status Pass.
Starting in November 2024, some GWR services which normally arrive or depart from London Paddington will be diverted into London Euston. This is due to engineering works at Old Oak Common. You can find more information about this on the GWR website here www.gwr.com/travel-information/travel-updates/planned-engineering/oldoakcommon
Holders of Western Region Blue Status Passes will be able to use these on GWR services which are diverted in and out of London Euston, even though London Euston is not covered by the geographical area allowed for Western Region passes. Your Western Region Blue Status Pass should operate the ticket barriers at London Euston.
Avanti West Coast and London North Western Railway employees who may staff ticket barriers at London Euston at platforms where GWR services arrive and depart from have been briefed on this temporary easement.
Please note that you may only use your Western Region Blue Status Pass at London Euston if you are arriving or departing on an GWR service which is diverted from its usual terminus of London Paddington.
We will not be updating the maps on our website which show the geographical availability of the Western Region Blue Status Pass as this arrangement for accepting passes at London Euston is a temporary measure.
From the Rail Delivery Group – 15th October 2024
Eurostar classes of travel
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.
Eurostar has renamed its classes of travel for services which arrive or depart from London St Pancras. The arrangements for discounted travel are unchanged.
- Standard is now Eurostar Standard
- Standard Premier is now Eurostar Plus
- Business Premier is now Eurostar Premier
RST documentation on this site referring to Eurostar classes of travel will be updated shortly with the new names.
From the Rail Delivery Group – 19th September 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.
From the Rail Delivery Group – 27th August 2024
Non-Cohabiting Partners
RST has now confirmed that form XX04 applies to retired staff as well as active staff, though it only quotes ’employees’ on that form.
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.
From the Rail Delivery Group – 5th 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.
From the Rail Delivery Group – 31st July 2024
Train delays and service disruptions
Extract from Rail Staff Travel Guide for holders of a Staff Travel Card
When employees using their national leisure or residential travel concessions are subject to train delays and service disruptions, they should be dealt with no less favourably than the public insofar as the provision of alternative transport, overnight accommodation or compensation (based on actual fare paid if appropriate) is concerned.
Employees should apply for ‘Delay/Repay’ on the website of the TOC they were travelling on.
Sources – RST Refs: 90-011-032/D7602INC, 90-003-003/D7581INC and 90-003-003/D8250INC)
Extract from Rail Staff Travel Guide for holders of a Staff Travel Card version 27. Click to download.
Lithuanian Railways – update
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.
From the Rail Delivery Group – 30th May 2024
2024 European Footbll Championship in Germany
Due to the 2024 European Football Championship in Germany, DB AG expects exceptionally high demand on its international services.
To ensure a reliable and comfortable journey, the reservation requirement (which already exists on some international journeys to and from Germany) will be extended to the majority of countries bordering Germany.
From 1 June to 1 September 2024 inclusive, a seat reservation will be mandatory for the use of all cross-border long-distance trains between Germany and neighbouring countries (except on trains to Switzerland via Lindau-Reutin – St. Margrethen and trains to Luxembourg).
The reservation requirement is shown in the timetable information on bahn.de.
Tickets for this travel period are automatically issued with a free reservation when purchased (including by presenting the international discount card) (digitally or through staff-operated sales).
Holders of FIP coupons or International Senior Manager Free Passes must purchase a paid reservation via commercial booking channels.
If a reservation is not made, a reservation fee plus a processing fee of Euro 30.00 will be charged on board the train.
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.
From the Rail Delivery Group – 16th 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 rst@raildeliverygroup.com 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 e by 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.