HRA Privilege - FAQs
HRA Privilege 2025 - Frequently Asked Questions
PLEASE NOTE - Delivery of 2025 HRA Privilege passes will commence from late February.
Has there been a price rise for 2025?
No ... For 2025, we’re offering HRA Privilege cards for just £42 the same price as last year. As ever, one card covers two people, so this continues to represent outstanding value for money.
Does the pass give me free entry to and rides on heritage railways and member museums?
In most cases yes! Take a look at the participating railways here. Most railways/museums offer free entry and travel. However there are exceptions and you should check these before travelling. Gala days and special events such as Santa Express are normally excluded by most organisations.
Am I eligible for an HRA Privilege pass
Working volunteers and staff at all heritage railways that take part in the HRA Privilege scheme are eligible to purchase a pass. There’s a full list of participating railways here
Please be aware that all HRA Privilege passes for volunteers and staff are dispatched directly to member railways. The identity of the purchaser will be checked against volunteer and staff records before HRA Privilege passes are distributed.
Any person who has bought a volunteers and staff HRA Privilege pass that they are not eligible for, will not receive their pass. Please be aware that an admin fee will be taken from any refunds for cards bought by persons not eligible.
The railway I volunteer for isn’t a member can I still get a Priv pass?
Any heritage railway/tramway/museum or paying attraction that is a member of the HRA is eligible for this scheme. If your organisation hasn’t joined us yet as a Privilige member and you’d like a pass please speak to your General Manager/Chair and explain the benefits to them which can be found here. For organisations wishing to join the scheme please get in touch
The alternative option is for you to join as a Friend of the HRA here
How long does my pass last for?
Every pass is valid from day of delivery until 28 February the following year when you can apply again.
How long will my pass take to arrive?
We are a very small team and cannot process passes overnight. You should allow a minimum of 14 days for your pass to arrive. If you are purchasing the volunteer/staff pass please check with your Privilege co-ordinator at your railway prior to contacting us. Please do not contact us before this if your pass hasn’t arrived. We cannot make exceptions.
Will my pass come straight to me?
If you qualify for the volunteer or staff pass then your pass will be sent directly to your railway for distribution and checking. That’s an important part of the process as HRA Privilege co-ordinators need to be able to monitor interest in passes and ensure that only active volunteers are able to take advantage of the scheme.
If you are joining as a Friend your pass will be sent to the address you provide on registration.
How will booking offices know to accept my pass?
We’ve written to every railway that is part of the HRA Privilege scheme with details of the 2025 HRA Privilege passes. We’ve provided specific information to booking offices and to senior management. We very rarely hear of any railway that accepts HRA Privilege, having difficulty with the passes. If, however, you do find a problem, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
Last year it took a long time for my pass application to be approved, will it be the same again this year?
Last year we experienced a significant problem with postage in some areas. This year we have switched to recorded delivery for all passes so we expect to avoid a repeat of this issue.
