Application Process

To become a RDG Travel Agent, you will need to complete the application form, which can be found further down in this section. The application process is usually completed in around six to eight weeks, on receipt of all information required.

The application form will ask you all of the relevant information required but please see a few key points below to give you an outline of what is involved:

1. We ask that rail appointed travel agents will be able to generate a minimum of £25,000 in the first year’s trading.
2. You will be required to provide financial cover in the form of a banker’s bond or travel insurance bond to the value of the two highest consecutive projected period's sales (minimum of £10,000).
3. You will require a Ticket Issuing System (TIS) supplier, details of RSP accredited TIS providers can be found here. You would need to contact the TIS supplier for their commercial terms.
4. You will be required to ensure that at least 2 members of your organisation attain the CORAC certificate; ATOC’s online training qualification for travel agents, further information and costs can be found on the website.
5. There is a one-off licence application fee of £300 (plus VAT).

 

 

Application Form Guidance Notes

Section 1 – Company Details

Registered Company Name and Address - This is the formal legal name & address under which your company is recorded at Companies House.

Registered Company Number - This is the legal number under which your company is registered at Companies House.

Place of Incorporation VAT - The place of incorporation can be found in the articles of incorporation. It's the principal place from where the corporation conducts its business.

VAT Registration Number – Your VAT registration number for the company applying for the licence.

Group Companies – Provide details of any holding, parent, related or subsidiary companies.

Company Trading Name - This is the name that your company is using as its brand name on shop signs, letter heads, brochures etc. A copy of your letter headed paper will help here.

Company Trading Address – Trading address if different from the Registered Company address.
Trading Address Location Type - Corporate implant, branch office, station agent etc.

Does the location have a burglar alarm system? Please give details of burglar alarm system of any trading address. All Agencies must have suitable security arrangements, which should include a safe and burglar alarm.

Does the location have any other security precautions? Please give details for any trading address.

Agency Opening Times – Please confirm usual agency opening days and hours.

Primary Contact Details – Please provide contact details for the person who will be responsible for the licence.

Secondary Contact Details – Please provide contact details for another person who will be responsible for the licence.

Email Addresses – Please provide your email addresses for invoices to be sent to and for general correspondence.

List of Directors and Associated Companies - (or names and addresses of partners or proprietors) Agency organisations can differ, so please list the principal directors of your organisation who would be responsible for the rail business.

Other Rail Licences Held - List details of any other Rail Delivery Group/TOC licences held, or any rail operators/intermediaries in the UK or overseas for whom you act as sales agent in the UK, to help support your application.

Involvement of TOC Employees - List names of any individuals connected with your organisation or licence application who are current, or recent (within past 6 months), TOC employees.

Section 2 – Financial and Legal

Bank Details - Please include all of the details including your Bank’s postcode and the sort code.

IATA Number - If you are an IATA (International Air Transport Association) approved agent this will help with your application to become a RDG licensed travel agent.

Lawyer’s Details - Please include all of the details including their email address.

Accountant’s Details - Please include all of the details including their email address.

Trade References – Please supply names/addresses of two registered companies (not subsidiary, holding or associated company of your company) that can be approached for a reference.

Section 3 – Staff Rail Qualifications

Total number of staff selling rail and Number of staff with valid CORAC – Please just provide numbers for each

Staff Member Name/Position Held/Certificate Number – Please provide details of any CORAC qualifications currently held by your staff members (if any held).

Section 4 – Rail Distribution Systems

Which Ticket Issuing System will you be using? - Please provide details of the TIS you will be using, access to automated distribution system is mandatory.

Which ToD option will your agency be using? Please confirm if you will be using the ToD under ToD Retailer option, or the ToD under Licence option.

Section 5 – Rail Travel Marketing Plan

The information you give in this section will be important in supporting your application.

Background

On what date did your agency start business at this location? Enter the date that you began business as a travel agent at the location for which you are applying for an RDG licence.

The company/branch turnover for the last five years was - Enter your gross company turnover for the last five years as annual figures.

Do you currently offer rail tickets to your customers? - If you currently acquire rail tickets for your customers, then please confirm if you get these from a rail station or another agency.

What is the annual value of the rail business that your customers would potentially yield? - Enter the approximate annual value of the rail tickets that you anticipate supplying to your customers based on current demand or the acquisition of a new customer.

Description of premises - (window/other display space, sales positions, security for tickets, etc.)

Distance from nearest rail station -

Relationship to shopping/business centres -

Relationship to RDG licenced travel agent competition -

Please describe any significant business developments or future plans which might help this application? - In this section please show events such as acquisitions of new business etc.

Target Market

What percentage of your estimated Rail earnings will you derive from Business Travellers and Leisure Travellers? - You have potentially two markets to target: one for business travel and one for leisure. Many of your potential customers may fall into both categories. The total of both Business and Leisure should be shown as a percentage split of your total potential rail business.

Rail Revenue Projections

Rail Revenue Projections Excluding/Including ToD - As a guide for RDG, you must show that you will produce a significant amount of new rail business to support your application, by confirming predicted sales excluding and including Ticket on departure (ToD). You then need to indicate how you expect this to grow in the second year of your sales operation.

Marketing Action Plan

Please outline how you intend to achieve the level of new sales of rail products, in order to achieve the Rail Revenue Projections - This section is very important, and you may want to produce separate documentation. You may already have prepared a business plan and can simply attach it to your application. You need to indicate what business actions such as Promotional events, advertising in the media, television, joint promotions with tour operators etc. at which you will be able to promote the rail business for which you are now seeking a licence.

Rail Delivery Group Travel Agents Team