Assisted travel - train travel for passengers with disabilities 

If you are travelling by train, we are able to give assistance to wheelchair users with wheelchairs that are no wider than 700mm, no longer than 1200mm and no heavier than 300kg (including the weight of the passenger). 

The maximum weight is limited by the capabilities of the individual member of staff assisting passengers, and the safe working load of the ramp.

Click here to see wheelchair dimensions

Reserving a wheelchair space

All our trains have at least one dedicated wheelchair space. You can reserve a wheelchair space on most of our longer distance services. Reservations are not available on some of our London area services; however, most of these services are frequent and have at least two dedicated wheelchair spaces per train.

Portable ramps

We have portable ramps on most of our trains and stations to assist wheelchair users and other mobility impaired passengers on and off our trains. If you would like to use a ramp, please let us know when you make your assisted travel booking.

Powered mobility scooter users

Powered scooters are designed for the about town environment and come in different shapes and sizes, making many of them unsuitable for train travel. If you wish to take your scooter on our trains, you need to complete a Scooter Card application form or contact our Customer Service Centre on 0845 6000 650 and ask to speak to our Assisted Travel team.

You need a scooter card to travel on all trains except our Island Line services that run on the Isle of Wight.

To find out more, download and print scoter card application form.

Please allow 7 to 10 working days when applying for a Scooter Card.

Our ongoing commitment to improve station accessibility includes working with Network Rail and the Department for Transport as part of the Governments £370 million 'Access for All' scheme. This scheme will provide a level access route from the main station entrance to all platforms.

Works are completed at Haslemere, Weybridge and Kingston stations and future works will take place at:

Bracknell, Brockenhurst, Clapham Junction, Earlsfield, Fareham, Farnborough, Fleet, Fratton, Havant, Kingston, New Malden, Putney, Southampton Airport (Parkway), Staines, Twickenham, Vauxhall, West Byfleet, Winchester and Worcester Park.

At some locations, we are also making other improvements to enhance the facilities for disabled station users. Recent improvement include:

• New powered wheelchairs provided at Guildford, Andover and Salisbury stations
• Ramped access to the Woking bound platform at Walton on Thames
• New split height ticket office counters at a number of stations, allowing wheelchair users and those of short stature access to our ticket offices. 

Our Access and Integration Manager works with various groups around the network and produces a newsletter providing updates on progress every six months. If you are interested in receiving this, please request a copy from our Customer Service Centre.

Our Disabled People’s Protection Policy (DPPP) details the ways in which we will protect the interests of disabled passengers who use our services, and how we will comply with our responsibilities under the legislation relevant to this area of our business. The statement of policy from our DPPP is included below for your reference and shows our commitment to you. 

If you would like a copy of the full Policy document, please contact our Customer Service Centre.

Statement of policy

1. We are committed to the travelling needs of our passengers with disabilities and providing excellent customer service.

2. We are committed to adopting the services, standards, and guidance contained in the Department of Transport (DfT) Code of Practice for Train and Station Services for Disabled Passengers 2002 and relevant Technical Specifications on Interoperability (TSIs).

3. We recognise that there are a wide range of disabilities that affect our passengers and that these disabilities require us to adjust the way we provide our service. Where we can, we will provide equipment at our stations to enable staff to make these reasonable adjustments and to offer excellent customer service to our passengers with disabilities.

4. In partnership with both rolling stock leasing companies (ROSCO’s) and the DfT, in regard to trains, and both Network Rail and the DfT, in regard to our stations, we will work to improve access to our services for passengers with disabilities. Until this is achieved, we will make reasonable adjustments to our existing practices to make sure that passengers with disabilities can get to and from every station on our network. Please be aware this may mean alternative means of transport where appropriate.

5. We will ensure that our facilities are designed to meet the standards of the DfT Code of Practice for Train and Station Services for Disabled Passengers (2002) and relevant TSI’s in relation to:

• The refurbishment of existing rolling stock
• New, renewed or enhanced facilities at stations and transport interchanges
• Services provided at stations and on trains

6. Should we not be in a position to meet these standards, we will consult the DfT at the earliest stage in the design process. This is so that suitable alternatives can be considered and dispensation from the DfT Code of Practice for Train and Station Services for Disabled Passengers (2002) or relevant TSIs can be sought.

As a service-based business that relies heavily on the actions of the people we employ, there will be occasions when we fail to meet the standards set out in our DPPP. In recognition of this, we monitor our services so that we are aware of any such failures and can take appropriate action to guard against recurrence.