RailStaff Awards 2026

RailStaff Awards 2026

The RailStaff Awards 2026 will take place on 26 November 2026 at the NEC, Birmingham. Organised by Rail Media, the event has recognised individuals and teams across the UK rail sector since 2007, giving overdue recognition to the people who keep the railway running.

Who Organises The Event

The RailStaff Awards are run by Rail Media, the publisher behind RailStaff and a long-standing voice in UK rail industry news. The awards were founded in 2007 and have grown into one of the sector’s best attended annual gatherings, with the 2026 ceremony marking almost two decades of celebrating rail talent.

Who Attends

The evening brings together professionals from across the rail industry, including operators, infrastructure firms, contractors, suppliers and industry bodies. Guests are seated for a formal dinner before an evening of entertainment and award presentations, making it as much a networking occasion as a celebration of achievement. Dress code is black tie, lounge suits, kilts or cocktail dresses.

Who Sponsors The Awards

A number of established rail businesses back the 2026 awards. Confirmed sponsors include ABM Facility Services, Carlisle Support Services, Freightliner, Halo Body Cams, Hitachi Rail, RailwayPeople.com, Readypower Rail Services, Telent, Train’d Up Railway Resourcing and the Transport Benevolent Fund, with several sponsoring individual award categories.

Award Categories

Nominations are open across a wide range of categories covering the breadth of the rail workforce. These include Rail Engineer of the Year, Rail Manager of the Year, Customer Service Team or Person, Safety Team or Person, Station Staff Team or Person, Railway Depot Team or Person, Innovation and Technology, Learning and Development, Health and Wellbeing, Equality Diversity and Inclusion, Charity, Lifesaver, Lifetime Achievement and Rail Ambassador of the Year. New for 2026 are the Community Impact, Emerging Talent, People and Workforce and Small Business categories. Judges assess nominees against initiative, impact, attitude and innovation.

On The Night

Guests arrive for a drinks reception at 6pm before being seated for dinner at 7pm. The award presentations and entertainment begin at 9pm, followed by a disco, fairground rides and a midnight breakfast, with carriages at 1am. A mobile app allows guests to order and pay for drinks at the table throughout the evening.

Nominations for the 2026 awards can be submitted via the RailStaff Awards website, where tickets are also available to book.