Accessible train and travel facilities

Train running and emergency information is available:

• From any member of staff
• On information screens at stations and on trains
• From announcements at stations and on trains
• From Help Points located on every platform

All our announcements and written information are designed to help people with hearing and visual impairments. Our customer service staff are trained in disability awareness and understand the need to speak clearly, especially when making announcements.

There are Help Points on every platform at all of our stations. These Help Points are staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our Help Point operators are able to give train service updates, and to advise on train and station accessibility. When it is necessary, they can also arrange alternative transport.

There are induction loops at every station ticket office to help hearing aid users. In the London area, all of our Help Points have induction loops and we are installing induction loops in the remaining Help Points as we renew facilities at our stations.

There are passenger toilets at many of our stations. The following stations have toilets accessible to wheelchair users and available to passengers holding RADAR keys, under the National Key Scheme:

Aldershot, Ascot, Basingstoke, Bournemouth, Brentford, Chandler’s Ford, Clapham Junction, Dorchester South, Eastleigh, Farnborough, Farnham, Fleet, Guildford, Kingston, Mortlake, Norbiton, Petersfield, Portsmouth & Southsea, Richmond, Salisbury, Southampton Airport (Parkway), Southampton Central, Surbiton, Weybridge, Wimbledon, Winchester, Windsor & Eton Riverside and Woking.

Many of our trains, and all those that run on longer distance routes, have toilets. Each of these trains has at least one toilet
which is accessible to wheelchair users.

At some stations our staff can help you with your luggage if they are physically fit enough and their other duties allow them to. Space to carry luggage on our trains is limited so please give thought to its size and weight. At stations with long walking distances between platforms, we provide luggage trolleys. 

Carry My Luggage scheme

We have teamed up with Carry My Luggage, a company that offers a door-to-door luggage collection and delivery service. Get a 10% discount and find out more about our Carry My Luggage service, or call them on 0845 009 0362.

All our stations with concrete or tarmac surfaces have designated parking spaces for blue badge holders who are using our trains. Where these spaces are within the main car park, normal car park charges apply. If you are unable to use the ticket machines, you can buy car park tickets from the ticket office.

Our car parks are patrolled to prevent drivers who do not have a valid blue badge using blue badge spaces.

We have over 400 self-service ticket machines at our stations. These are accessible to wheelchair users and can sell a wide range of tickets for travel, including those with Disabled Persons Railcard discounts. We are working hard to make these machines more accessible, particularly to those with visual impairments.

See here for more ways to buy your ticket

Induction loops

There are induction loops at every station ticket office to help hearing aid users. At many of our larger stations, we are also installing a split-height ticket office window, which will allow wheelchair users and people of short stature to access the office. Tickets can also be purchased when booking with our Assisted Travel team.

Assistance dogs are welcome on all of our services, free of charge. If you are traveling with an Assistance dog and there are no Standard Class seats available, you can upgrade to First Class for free without having to wait for the guard’s approval.

We offer expectant mothers, who are holders of a Monthly or longer Season Ticket, a complimentary upgrade to First Class travel when no Standard Class seats are available.

See here for more about our Mums-to-be scheme

If steps are a problem for you, we will arrange alternative transport (usually a taxi) at no extra cost to you. This transport will take you to and from the nearest accessible station from which you can continue your journey.

Some stations are unsuitable for passengers who need assistance because they are not staffed for all or part of the day. In these cases, we recommend you book in advance and we can then relocate staff to help you.

There are several ways to find out what facilities are available at your station

• See our step-free access map for a summary of accessible stations
• See map of the UK rail network showing step-free access
• Contact our Customer Service Centre
• Use our station information section