diff --git a/PQAnalysis/topology/api.py b/PQAnalysis/topology/api.py
index 63afdf61..f5f292a8 100644
--- a/PQAnalysis/topology/api.py
+++ b/PQAnalysis/topology/api.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 A module including the API for the topology subpackage.
 """
 
+from beartype.typing import List
+
 from PQAnalysis.traj import Trajectory
 from PQAnalysis.io import FileWritingMode, read_restart_file
 from PQAnalysis.types import Np1DIntArray
@@ -23,7 +25,7 @@ def generate_shake_topology_file(trajectory: Trajectory,
     trajectory : Trajectory
         The trajectory to generate the shake topology for.
     selection : SelectionCompatible, optional
-        Selection is either a selection object or any object that can be 
+        Selection is either a selection object or any object that can be
         initialized via 'Selection(selection)'. default None (all atoms)
     output : str | None, optional
         The output file. If not specified, the output is printed to stdout.
@@ -54,7 +56,7 @@ def select_from_restart_file(selection: SelectionCompatible,
     Parameters
     ----------
     selection : SelectionCompatible
-        Selection is either a selection object or any object that can be 
+        Selection is either a selection object or any object that can be
         initialized via 'Selection(selection)'.
     restart_file : str
         The restart file to read the atoms from.
@@ -71,3 +73,36 @@ def select_from_restart_file(selection: SelectionCompatible,
     selection = Selection(selection)
 
     return selection.select(system.topology, use_full_atom_info=use_full_atom_info)
+
+
+def selection_from_restart_file_as_list(selection: SelectionCompatible,
+                                        restart_file: str,
+                                        moldescriptor_file: str | None = None,
+                                        use_full_atom_info: bool = False,
+                                        ) -> List[int]:
+    """
+    Selects atoms from a restart file and writes them to a new file.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    selection : SelectionCompatible
+        Selection is either a selection object or any object that can be
+        initialized via 'Selection(selection)'.
+    restart_file : str
+        The restart file to read the atoms from.
+    moldescriptor_file : str | None, optional
+        The moldescriptor file to read the atom types from, by default None
+    use_full_atom_info : bool, optional
+        If True, the full atom information (name, index, mass) is used
+        for the selection, by default False
+        Is always ignored if atoms is not a list of atom objects.
+    """
+
+    return list(
+        select_from_restart_file(
+            selection,
+            restart_file,
+            moldescriptor_file,
+            use_full_atom_info
+        )
+    )