Choose a membership that’s right for you
For the railway enthusiast, membership of STARS is a must. Please note to participate on any tour, a Gold or Silver Membership must be in place.
For either level of STARS membership, you have three options for joining or renewing. You can use the postal application form and post it with a cheque to the office address OR you can apply online and pay by Money Transfer or PayPal.
Gold
Membership
£ 25.00 YearlyWhat’s Included:
- Annual international tour brochure (posted to your home address), the quarterly Magazine (posted to your home address), plus access to the members-only section of our website.
- The quarterly magazine (by post) which contains tour reports, interesting articles, guides, reviews and news, contributions, competitions and more.
- We provide separate update/information sheets (where appropriate posted to your home address) and special publications On some tours we hand out free information such as stock listings.
- Access to the members-only section of our website. Here you can get up-to-date information on numerous matters, from stock lists, and diagrams, to maps and timetables. You will also get details of the TourReports, Tour Brochures, the STARS quarterly magazine, members’ sightings abroad and information of general interest, access to photographs taken on tour and a whole lot more.
- Tour Reports – included in the quarterly magazine or available to memberes on our website. Reports of previous STARS Tours. The reports include a written account of the tour and/or a numeric list of sightings.
Note – Gold membership is only available to those who reside within the UK. Our definition of the UK for the purposes of membership is England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the UK Crown dependencies.
Silver
Membership
£ 12.50 YearlyWhat’s Included:
- Annual international tour brochure (posted to your home address) and, access to the members-only section of our website.
- The quarterly magazine which contains tour reports, interesting articles, guides, reviews and news, contributions, competitions and more.
- We provide separate update/information sheets, and special publications – on some tours we hand out free information such as stock listings.
- Access to the members-only section of our website. Here you can get up-to-date information on numerous matters, from stock lists, and diagrams, to maps and timetables. You will also get details of the Tour Reports, Tour Brochures, the STARS quarterly magazine, members’ sightings abroad and information of general interest, access to photographs taken on tour and a whole lot more.
- Tour Reports – included in the quarterly magazine or available to memberes on our website. Reports of previous STARS Tours. The reports include a written account of the tour and/or a numeric list of sightings.
Stars Tour Packages
Three & Four Day, weekend, 'Rapide' Tours
Low-cost, intensive tours in the areas surrounding important rail centres in France, Germany, Belgium, and Luxembourg. They feature free time for station observations and one/two nights in good hotels near the main stations.
Three to Five Day, and Extended Weekend Tours by Air, 'The Flyers'
Quality time spent at a Super Rail Centre, including depot visits, and free time at main stations.
Holiday Tours, of three to nine day duration, in large executive coaches
Covering major depots, works, and stabling points in the chosen area, in the comfort of a modern executive touring coach. Overnight stays are arranged at hotels close to, or at, main railway stations.
Holiday Tours by Rail
Tours, usually of one-week duration, travelling by service trains on Inter Rail Passes.
Combination Tours
Travelling by both coach, train and other public transport.
Trans-Atlantic Tours
To the United States of America. We have previously covered Chicago, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, California, and the Mid-West. ** Note – no Trans-Atlantic Tours will feature in this year’s programme. We will be reviewing the possibility of another soon.
Tour by Charter Train
Every year we offer an extensive tour travelling by Charter Train starting and ending in The Czech Republic.
Tours to Tram & Metro Systems
Including Depot visits, usually preceding or after a ‘main’ tour in or around that area or incorporated with a tour.
Stars Standard Facilities & Benefits
You measure the success of an organisation like STARS by asking “how popular are your Tours and how many people go with you”? Quite simply STARS carry MORE people into Europe than any other contemporary group….
Hotels
Despite some quite high charges our hotels are usually more up-market. We tend to book Inter City Hotels in Germany (attractive because they are situated on main railway stations.
Coaches
Coaches for our long distance tours are ultra-modern vehicles with every aid to comfort, which allows the strain of overnight travel to be reduced. In addition, the Coach crews are.
Content and Duration of Tours
Every tour is worked out with precision in order to maximise the coverage of an area. Our Tours are timed to last around 10 to 12 hours each day, and we aim to finish a day.
Economy
We consider ourselves to be both economic and good value for money, given the quality of Tours on offer, but some say we are a little on the expensive side. Well! We would.
Success at Depots
We know of no other organisation that has anywhere near our success rate for Depot Visits. Such success is no accident – it is as a result of dedicated officers working hard to.
Camaraderie
This is one of the great elements of a STARS tour. The Members, Officers, and Drivers all sharing good humour, banter and information as One. It is probably this element is at the very heart.