A great perk if you work for a UK train company!
If you have worked for a British train operating company for over 12 months and are entitled to reduced rate or free travel on British trains, you are almost certainly entitled to free or reduced rate travel on most European trains as well. Your partner and dependent children also qualify. This is an amazing perk, though it's often not 'advertised' by your employer. Network Rail safeguarded staff employed before 31 March 1996 also get this perk, although NR staff who joined after this date don't.
How does it work?
There are two basic options for travelling in Europe on 'privs': (1) using an FIP International Reduced Rate card to get a discount or (2) using FIP International Free Travel Coupons for (in most cases) completely free travel.
(1) FIP International Reduced Rate Card & how to get one
You can apply for an FIP International Reduced Rate card by filling in the relevant online form atwww.raildeliverygroup.com/rst/forms.html, giving at least 6 weeks notice.
I recommend you get an FIP Reduced rate card right now, even before having any firm travel plans, as it's valid for 2 years. You can then order free coupons when you have a specific trip in mind.
The card is valid for 2 years, and it gives you reduced rate travel on most European railways, including Eurostar, any time you want to go. Just show your card at a European station, and you can buy tickets with the relevant discount or special fare. The card covers most trains in most countries, notably except Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Sweden.
Most European national railways simply give either 50% or 75% off their normal full-price fares, but Eurostar and a few other services such as TGV-Lyria offer special priv rate fares for holders of this card.
The class of travel is the same as you get in Britain. So if you are entitled to 1st class priv travel in Britain, you'll get 1st class priv train travel in Europe too.
For more information go towww.raildeliverygroup.com/rst/where-can-i-go.html, look for Staff Travel in Europe.
Eurostar FIP fares
There are special rates on Eurostar for holders of FIP cards, you can buy these from Eurostar telesales or from agencies such as International Rail,0333 003 0423 or viawww.bookmyrst.co.uk.
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For safeguarded (ex-BR) staff it costs £23 in standard or £38 in standard premier.
London to Any Belgian Station costs £46.50 each way in standard or £70.50 in standard premier (1st class) with an FIP card.
London to Rotterdam or Amsterdam costs £44.50 each way in standard or £62.00 in standard premier (1st class) with an FIP card.
You can check these priv Eurostar fares atwww.raildeliverygroup.com/rst/where-can-i-go.html, look for Staff Travel on Eurostar.
As you need to apply for your reduced rate card at least 6 weeks before travel, I recommend applying for an International Reduced Rate Card now even if you don't have any firm travel plans. It lasts for 2 years, so you'll have one when you need it, even if that's at short notice, or you find yourself abroad unexpectedly needing to buy a train ticket!
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Example of an FIP Reduced Rate Card for rail staff The three pages shown here fold into a little booklet. You can read the list of train operators which is covers. 'Attica' group ferries means Superfast and Blue Star ferries on routes such as Ancona or Bari in Italy to Patras in Greece.From 2013 the year is printed, rather than using sticky year labels as before. |
(2) FIP International Free Coupon Tickets & how to order them
At least 3 weeks before you want to travel, you can order an International FIP Coupon Ticket for each of the countries you intend to visit by filling in the relevant online form atwww.raildeliverygroup.com/rst/forms.html.
You'll get one free travel coupon ticket for each country you ask for, see the example below. The notice period was reduced from 6 to 3 weeks in 2011 and to 2 weeks in 2018, but seems to be back to 3 in 2023.
You are entitled to order one International Free Coupon for each European country per year, or 2 per year in a few cases such as the Netherlands and (if you're salaried staff) France and Belgium.
Each coupon has 4 boxes printed on it, and when you write the date in a box it gives you 48 hours free travel on that country's national rail network from 00:00 on day 1 to 24:00 on day 2. Most inspectors understand that it's 48 hours not 24 hours, but in my experience in a few cases you'll have to politely insist that this is the case (on day 2 of the 48 hours, watch inspectors carefully to see that they don't start writing the date in a second box!)! For international journeys, you simply need a coupon for each of the countries through which your route passes.
Note that these International Free Coupons don't work at all on Eurostar (London-Paris, London-Brussels & Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam/Cologne), Lyria (Paris-Switzerland), or Paris-Italy TGVs, plus a handful of other services, as these offer special FIP Leisure Fare with the FIP Reduced Rate Card instead.
The class of travel is the same as you get in Britain.
The coupons are valid for 3 months from the date they're issued.
If you use a coupon in a neighbouring or adjoining country, you cannot return to your home country, then go back and start travelling in those neighbouring or adjoining countries again using the unused boxes or coupons within the same booklet. For Great Britain, 'neighbouring or adjoining countries' used to be defined as including SNCF (France), SNCB (Belgium), NS (Netherlands), NIR (Northern Ireland) and CIE (Ireland), but from 2020 this has changed and only Eurostar, Stena Line Irish Sea and Stena Line North Sea now count as adjoining the UK. So there is now no problem (for example) in using one or two boxes on an SNCF coupon in France, returning to the UK, going back to France a week later and using the remaining boxes, assuming this is still within the period of validity of your coupons of course.
Obviously, even if you go with the International Free Coupon option, it's best to get an FIP card as well as backup, and for use on those services where the coupons don't work.
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Example of an FIP International Free Coupon Ticket This is one for travel on SNCF French Railways, issued to a member of staff working for SNCB (Belgian railways).Each time a date is written in biro in one of the four boxes, it gives 48 hours free travel, from midnight on day 1 to midnight on day 2.You must sign at the bottom. |
How to make reservations
The normal fees apply for seat reservations, couchettes or sleepers, as they would with a normal ticket or railpass holder. It's compulsory to reserve and pay supplements for some trains, the arrangements and cost for particular train types are broadly similar (perhaps 80% similar) to those for Interrail pass holders, see thecountry by country guide on the Interrail page and treat it as a very rough guide. Italy is a notable exception, where special fares apply for staff.
You can buy FIP-rate tickets and make reservations at stations in Europe, or you can make reservations and buy priv Eurostar tickets in the UK by calling International Rail on 0333 003 0423, who now have the official contract from ATOC for handling staff bookings - until 2015 it had been DB's UK office. Lines are open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday,feedback appreciated. International Rail now have a dedicated Rail Staff Travel page,www.bookmyrst.co.uk.
You can also try calling Trains Europe (www.trainseurope.co.uk) on 01354 660222, lines open 09:00-19:00 Monday to Friday, 10:00-15:00 Saturdays & Sundays.They do FIP tickets (obviously with a booking fee), one traveller has already reported great service.Feedback appreciated.
You can also try calling Ffestiniog Travel (www.ffestiniogtravel.co.uk) on 01766 512400, lines open: 09:00-17:00 Mondays to Fridays, 09:00-13:00 Saturdays.
In January 2020, SNCF stopped allowing travel agents to sell FIP tickets for French trains, you must now buy at an SNCF station in France or from SNCF telesales 00 33 1 84 94 3635.
More information, a discussion forum & to read up on the small print
I've simplified things a bit In the explanation above. The place to read up on the details is at the ATOC/Rail Delivery Group website, www.raildeliverygroup.com/rst.html.
Notably, see the documents linked from this page:www.raildeliverygroup.com/rst/where-can-i-go.html, starting with the first PDF document 'Where can I go' and looking for section 6 on page 23, 'Travel facilities on Foreign Undertakings'.
Also seewww.raildeliverygroup.com/rst/conditions-of-issue-and-use.html
How to apply
Contact your personnel office to ask for details.
Application forms:www.raildeliverygroup.com/rst/forms.html.
More information welcome
Feedback would be welcome, if you're a member of rail staff and use your free or reduced rate European travel facilities.
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