Staff Travel guides for holders of the Rail Staff Leisure Card
Introduction to Rail Staff Travel facilities for new TOC employees
National rail staff travel facilities are delivered to TOC employees by Rail Staff Travel Limited (RSTL), part of the Rail Delivery Group. In addition to national facilities, your TOC may provide you with TOC-specific and/or owning group specific rail staff travel facilities. Your employer will provide details of these.
What national rail staff travel facilities are provided to an employee?
The Rail Staff Leisure Card provides a discount of 75% off Anytime and Off-Peak, and some Rover and Ranger tickets. The discount is known as priv (privilege) rate. Priv-rate tickets can only be used for leisure travel. They cannot be used for residential travel (i.e. commuting), or duty or business travel. For residential travel (i.e. commuting) between home and your work location, you can apply to RSTL for authority to purchase a reduced rate season ticket.If your TOC issues you with a roster which requires you to travel on other TOC services for duty, your employer can request RSTL to provide you with a Duty Authority to Travel pass.
What facilities are provided to family members of an employee?
The Rail Staff Leisure card can be used to purchase priv-rate tickets for leisure travel. Priv-rate tickets cannot be used for residential travel (i.e. commuting), or duty or business travel. Partners/spouses and dependant children can apply for a reduced rate season ticket as above if they are travelling to a place of full-time education (school, college or university). They are not eligible for any reduced rate season tickets for commuting to their own employment. If you have a partner but you do not live at the same address, then your partner is not eligible for any FIP International Travel benefits.
How do employees get their facilities?
Your TOC will notify RSTL that you have joined them as an employee. RSTL will create your rail staff travel record. You must upload a passport-style photograph of yourself using our Photo Upload form. Your Rail Staff Leisure Card will be issued and posted to your home address. It is valid for a maximum of 12 months and will be automatically renewed, providing you are still an employee.
How do family members get their facilities?
Once your rail staff travel record is created, you can apply to RSTL to add your family members to your record. The eligible family members are one spouse or partner, plus any dependent children of either of you. For a spouse or civil partner, you must supply a copy of a marriage or civil partnership certificate. For other partnerships:
- If you live together, you need evidence that you live at the same address and make a Statutory Declaration
- If you do not live together you need to make a Statutory Declaration
Statutory Declarations must be made in front of a Solicitor, Commissioner of Oaths, Justice of the Peace or a Notary Public to confirm that you are in a meaningful relationship.
You upload a passport-style photograph of each family member along with each application. Once family members are added to your record and we have accepted the photographs of them, RSTL will send you their Rail Staff Leisure cards. The lead time for this is typically 3-4 weeks from application but may be longer at busy times. As the employee it is your decision whether or not to add family members to your staff travel record. Employees are responsible for:
- ensuring all family members are aware of the Conditions of Issue and Use, Staff Travel Restrictions, and understand the consequences of misuse.
- informing RSTL immediately when a family member is no longer eligible, through divorce or separation, or where dependant children are no longer classified as dependent (i.e. when they obtain employment, or enter into a relationship, or leave home).
- returning any passes no longer required to RSTL
How do I buy discounted tickets?
Once we post your Rail Staff Leisure Card to you, we will e-mail you details of RST Online, our booking system, and your registration details. You will be able to purchase tickets and have them delivered by e-mail, or with a booking reference to collect at station. You can also purchase tickets for leisure journeys, by taking your Rail Staff Leisure Card to any National Rail station ticket office.
If you start your journey at a station with an open ticket office, you must purchase a ticket before you board the train. If you start your journey at station with no open ticket office, you can buy a priv-rate ticket on board (unless there is a penalty fare area in operation and the ticket vending machine has a promise to pay or permit to travel option. In this case, you must obtain a promise to pay or permit to travel before boarding the train).
To purchase a reduced rate season ticket for commuting you need to obtain an authorisation form from RSTL. National Rail station ticket offices will sell you your reduced rate season ticket on submission of the authorisation form.
Where can I go with my national rail staff travel facilities?
It is valid on all National Rail Train Operating Company services, including open access operators Grand Central, Heathrow Express, Hull Trains and Lumo. You cannot use tickets on London Underground or Docklands Light Railway unless you have a priv-rate ticket which includes the Cross-London indicator (†) which allows you to transfer between London Terminal stations. Other carriers accept the Rail Staff Leisure Card, including London Tramlink and many Leisure and Heritage Railways. Details are in the Where Can I Go guide for Non-Safeguarded Staff.
What about travel facilities on European railways and shipping companies?
This is covered by a separate introductory guide on the RSTL website.
Misuse of rail staff travel facilities
Misuse of rail staff travel facilities is a serious disciplinary office.
- Your TOC HR department will follow its disciplinary processes in relation to your continued employment.
- The TOC which detects the offence will follow its Revenue Protection process in relation to loss of revenue.
- RSTL will review your eligibility to retain your rail staff travel facilities under their Travel Irregularity process. If you lose your eligibility for staff travel facilities, so will all your family members.
- Where a spouse, partner or dependant child misuses their facilities, RSTL will review the eligibility of the spouse, partner or dependant to retain their rail staff travel facilities under the Travel Irregularity process.
Staff Travel guides for holders of the RST Online Leisure Card
Network Rail employees who are not yet registered for the leisure travel scheme should begin the registration process by completing the online Network Rail form. The link can be accessed only by Network Rail employees and can be found on the Benefits My Connect page. Any queries please contact your local HR team.
A Staff Travel Card with a dated box is valid on lines in unfaded colours on the map and to/from any stations in black and not crossed out.
Lines and station names that have been faded out are not valid for use with a Staff Travel Card.
Stations that are crossed out in red are valid to travel through or via (including for interchange purposes where appropriate) but are not valid for entry or exit, i.e. journeys cannot be started or finished here.
The maps are strictly for personal use only by staff travel facilities holders and may not be published in any form, including images of them uploaded to internet and social media sites.
Version 3 - updated June 2024
Index of stations for the Gold and Silver Status Pass Map - London Area including London Underground interavailable route
Gold Status pass is valid on lines in unfaded colours on the map and to/from any stations in black and not crossed out.
Silver Status pass is valid on lines in unfaded colours on the map and to/from any stations in black and not crossed out except from Euston Square to Baker Street which is not valid.
Lines and station names that have been faded out are not valid for use with Gold and Silver Status passes.
Stations that are crossed out in red are valid to travel through or via (including for interchange purposes where appropriate) but are not valid for entry or exit, i.e. journeys cannot be started or finished here.
The maps are strictly for personal use only by staff travel facilities holders and may not be published in any form, including images of them uploaded to internet and social media sites.
Version 4 - updated June 2024
Blue Status Pass Map - Eastern Region - London Area including London Underground inter-available routes
Tyne and Wear Metro is included within the validity of the Eastern Region Blue Status Pass unless specified otherwise on the pass.
Lines and station names on the London Area map that have been faded out are not valid for use with the Blue Status Pass.
Stations that are crossed out in red are valid to travel through or via (including for interchange purposes where appropriate) but are not valid for entry or exit, i.e. journeys cannot be started or finished here.
The maps are strictly for personal use only by staff travel facilities holders and may not be published in any form, including images of them uploaded to internet and social media sites.
Version 3 - updated June 2024
Blue Status Pass Map - London Midland Region - London Area including London Underground inter-available routes
London Midland Region Blue Status Passes are only valid on Chiltern Railways services south of Banbury and into Marylebone if ‘valid on Chiltern’ (or similar) is specified on the Pass..
Passes that are specified as ‘valid on Chiltern’ (or similar) are also valid on London Underground Metropolitan Line from Baker Street to Amersham, Chesham or Watford but not immediately between Baker Street and Harrow-on-the-Hill.
South Acton is the boundary with the former Southern Region. London Midland Blue Status Passes are valid to Gunnersbury, Kew Gardens and Richmond only if specified on the pass.
On the London Area map, lines and station names that have been faded out are not valid for use with the Blue Status Pass.
Stations that are crossed out in red are valid to travel through or via (including for interchange purposes where appropriate) but are not valid for entry or exist, i.e. journeys cannot be started or finished here.
The maps are strictly for personal use only by staff travel facilities holders and may not be published in any form, including images of them uploaded to internet and social media sites.
Version 4 - updated June 2024
The maps are available on-line only. The maps are strictly for personal use only by staff travel facilities holders and may not be published in any form, including images of them uploaded to internet and social media sites.
Version 2 - updated June 2024
Blue Status Pass Map - Southern Region - London Area including London Underground inter-available routes
An easement has been agreed into St Pancras as when High Speed 1 was opened many services from Kent were divered away from traditional London Terminus stations.
As easement has been agreed for the link between Farringdon and St Pancras, as Farringdon was the previous boundary and many services now terminate at St Pancras.
Southern Region Blue Status Passes are valid on Southeastern High Speed services on HS1, but not Eurostar.
On the London area map, lines and station names that have been faded out are not valid for use with the Blue Status Pass.
The maps are strictly for personal use only by staff travel facilities holders and may not be published in any form, including images of them uploaded to internet and social media sites.
Version 3 - updated June 2024
Blue Status Pass Map - Western Region - London Area including London Underground inter-available routes
Western Region Blue Status Passes are valid at Notting Hill Gate only to change trains.
On the London Area map, lines and station names that have been faded out are not valid for use with the Blue Status Pass.
Stations that are crossed out in red are valid to travel through or via (including for interchange purposes where appropriate) but are not valid for entry or exist, i.e. journeys cannot be started or finished here.
The maps are strictly for personal use only by staff travel facilities holders and may not be published in any form, including images of them uploaded to internet and social media sites.
Version 4 - updated June 2024
Supporting documents to use when purchasing and travelling
Passport and International Reduced Rate (FIP) Card. Eurostar will record each FIP card number against the booking.
Classes of travel on Eurostar
| Class of travel | Discount |
| Eurostar Standard | FIP discounted fares available |
| Eurostar Plus | FIP discounted fares available to holders of a 1st class FIP Card |
| Eurostar Premier | No FIP discounted fares available |
Booking
In person at any Eurostar station (at St Pancras fares may be purchased from staff at the Welcome Host podiums) or International Rail – bookmyrst.co.uk or; other agents - www.raildeliverygroup.com/rst/faqs.html#IntBook
Assistance
Those who require assistance travelling should contact Eurostar directly. The contact information is on the Eurostar website.
Availability, quota & restrictions
FIP tickets are quota controlled. Availability decreases as tickets are booked. Booking horizons are 6 months before travel. Travel is for leisure only. These fares are not for residential (commuting) or duty (business) travel. Break of Journey is not permitted.
FIP Prices
| Eurostar Standard | Eurostar Plus (only available with a 1st class FIP card) | |||
| To or from London St Pancras and: | Single | Return | Single | Return |
| Paris, Brussels, Lille, Calais | £34.50 | £69.00 | £52.50 | £105.00 |
| Amsterdam and Rotterdam | £44.50 | £89.00 | £62.00 | £124.00 |
| To or from Brussels and: | Single | Return | Single | Return |
| Amsterdam and Rotterdam | £15.50 | £31.00 | £30.50 | £61.00 |
Eurostar Plus fares only available with 1st class FIP card. No upgrades to Eurostar Plus are allowed (even if offered when changing a booking).
FIP fares for children are the same as the adult prices. Children aged 4 and older must book a ticket on Eurostar. Children aged 4 can be issued with FIP cards if required.
Eurostar Snow Train
There are no FIP discounted fares available on the Eurostar Snow Train.
The Eurostar FIP Fares information is for all employees and family members who are issued with a FIP International Reduced Rate Card by Rail Staff Travel.
These fares are for holders of a Staff Travel Card unless it is endorsed on the front with one of the following:
- 5 National Rail and London Underground only. Not Eurostar
- 6 Not valid on Eurostar services
- 11 Valid on National Rail only. Not Eurostar
Classes of travel on Eurostar
| Class of travel | Discount |
| Eurostar Standard | Staff discounted fares available |
| Eurostar Plus | Staff discounted fares available to holders of a 1st class Staff Travel Card |
| Eurostar Premier | No staff discounted fares available |
Supporting documents to use when purchasing and travelling
Staff Travel Card Fares - Staff Travel Card (unless it has endorsement 5, 6, or 11). Eurostar will record each Staff Travel Card number against the booking.
Booking
International Rail bookmyrst.co.uk or; in person at St Pancras International, Lille Europe and Paris Nord only. Staff Travel Card tickets are not available to purchase from ticket offices at other Eurostar stations (including Brussels). At St Pancras fares may be purchased from staff at the Welcome Host podiums.
Other agents - www.raildeliverygroup.com/rst/faqs.html#IntBook
Assistance
Those who require assistance travelling should contact Eurostar directly. The contact information is on the Eurostar website.
Availability, quota & restrictions
Staff tickets are quota controlled. Availability decreases as tickets are booked. Booking horizons are 6 months before travel. Travel is for leisure only. These fares are not for residential (commuting) or duty (business) travel. Break of Journey is not permitted.
Staff Travel Card Fares
| Eurostar Standard | Eurostar Plus (only available with 1st class Staff Travel Card) | |||
| To or from St Pancras and: | Single | Return | Single | Return |
| Paris, Brussels, Lille, Calais | £23.00 | £46.00 | £38.00 | £76.00 |
| Amsterdam or Rotterdam | £30.00 | £60.00 | £55.00 | £110.00 |
For those holding a Standard class Staff Travel Card, no upgrades to Eurostar Plus are allowed (even if offered when changing a booking).
Staff Travel Card fares for children are the same as the adult prices. Children aged 4 and older must book a ticket on Eurostar. Children aged 4 can be issued with Staff Travel Cards is required.
Eurostar Snow Train
There are no FIP discounted fares available on the Eurostar Snow Train.