These frequently asked questions provide information about our current arrangements for helping disabled and older passengers travel on our trains including details about our facilities at stations.

It also provides useful contact details and information that you may need for planning your journeys.

Should you have any questions regarding how we work with other organisations, or require information on our policies please call our Customer Relations Team by calling 03330 050 501, or contact us via our webform or pick up a printed copy from our staffed stations.

How do I book assisted travel?

Booking assisted travel and planning your journey

We’re working on new initiatives to help customers with access needs to travel comfortably, safely and as independently. You can find out more here.

We want everyone to travel with confidence. That is why, if you are planning on travelling with Transport for Wales Rail services, you can request an assistance booking in advance - now up to 2 hours before your journey is due to start, any time of the day. 

Please contact us by:

  • Calling our Assisted Travel team: 03330 050 501
  • Using our Next Generation Text service 18001 03330 050 501 (for people with hearing and speech difficulties)
  • Online

 Please note that our opening times are 24 hours every day, except Christmas Day.  

 

Can I book assisted travel on Christmas Day to travel Boxing Day? 

Many rail services are closed on Christmas Day. However, if you want to make a booking on Christmas Day to travel on Boxing Day, please call National Rail Enquiries on 08000 223 720 (or textphone 08456 050 600).

 

How much notice do I need to give to book assisted travel? 

When booking assisted travel you do not need to give us more than 2 hours’ notice. You can book further in advance if you prefer. The Assisted Travel team can: 

  • Help you book assisted travel and reserve a seat or wheelchair space for journeys across the National Rail network 

  • Answer any questions you have about the accessibility of stations and trains.

Please be aware that you can always simply “turn up and go” without booking assistance in advance, or if you have made an online booking that has not yet been confirmed. We will provide assistance to get you to your destination.

 

What help is available to me if I book assisted travel?

If you book assisted travel in advance, we can arrange for our staff to help you on and off the train at any station. This applies only during the hours when trains are due to stop at them. When you book assisted travel we can arrange:

  • Making a ramp available to get you on and off the train

  • Guiding you through the station and on or off the train 

  • Finding you a seat on the train 

  • Reserving a seat or wheelchair space, if this is possible, on our services or those of other rail companies 

  • Helping make connections with other train companies in one single booking 

  • Helping with luggage

 

Can I still get help if I don’t book assisted travel?

If you have not booked assisted travel in advance, we will still provide help if possible, but this may take longer to arrange. Please speak to a member of our staff. They will help you get on your intended train or the next available one. 

Please arrive at least 20 minutes before the time of your intended train so that staff can make arrangements to escort you to the platform in plenty of time to board your train. 

At stations where there are no staff to help you, our conductors can help you on board (for example, by using the on-board ramp). In this case you need to be on the platform in time for the train. 

 

What help is available at unstaffed stations?

Most of our stations either do not have staff or only have ticket office staff who cannot provide assisted travel. 

The conductor on the train will help you on board. If you need help at an unstaffed station or a station where there are only ticket office staff, please contact the Assisted Travel team. 

If you arrive at an unstaffed station and need help but have not booked assisted travel in advance, please contact the Assisted Travel team. You will find contact details on the information poster at the station entrance. 

The Assisted Travel team can arrange alternative transport for you or organise for a conductor to help you on or off the train if you can get to the platform. 

We make sure that specific arrangements are made for passengers needing help at any station when a special event is taking place nearby (especially at Cardiff Central and Chester stations).

We also make sure that the arrangements for providing help at any station are shown on each station’s page on the National Rail Enquiries website (www.nationalrail.co.uk).


Can I use assisted travel to travel to Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland or international journeys?

We’re sorry but, no this isn’t possible. You cannot use the assisted travel service for international journeys or journeys to Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland. For onward travel by air, ferry or Eurostar (into Europe) you will need to contact the transport provider about arranging help.

 

What happens if things go wrong?

We aim to provide reliable assisted travel based on your needs. However, if something goes wrong, please let our Customer Relations team know. We will consider providing appropriate compensation (including a full or partial refund) depending on the circumstances.

We welcome comments on any part of our service, including when facilities are not working. 

24/7 every day (except Christmas Day and Boxing Day)

Our team can send you a copy of this document or our policy document in a standard or alternative format (for example large print) free of charge. 

Our Head of Customer Experience has day-to-day responsibility for our Disabled People’s Protection Policy. You can contact them through our Customer Relations team.

 

What support can TfW give me as a disabled person or mobility impaired customer (Orange Wallet Scheme).

The Orange Wallet Scheme is funded by the Welsh Government. The scheme aims to help people, especially those on the autistic spectrum, cope more easily with public transport. The wallet contains a space which can be written on and personalised to help passengers communicate with staff. It can also be a helpful tool for people with hidden impairments (that is, disabilities and difficulties that may not be obvious to others). 

24/7 every day (except Christmas Day and Boxing Day)

Alternative accessible transport

We want to make sure that passengers can make as much of their journeys as possible by rail.

However, we will arrange alternative accessible transport, such as a taxi, for you and a companion if:

  • you cannot travel to or from a station which is inaccessible to you;
  • rail-replacement transport is inaccessible to you; or
  • a short-notice disruption to services makes services inaccessible to you.

We provide this transport for the same price as your rail ticket. We discuss what kind of taxi you need before we book it. The alternative transport takes you to or from the most convenient accessible station or staffed station where someone can help you.

We cannot guarantee alternative accessible transport for a mobility scooter because they often cannot be carried safely in a taxi. However, if you are already travelling with us in a mobility scooter when the disruption happens, we will make you as comfortable as possible while you wait for the next train.

Where can I get passenger information

We are committed to providing accurate and consistent information so disabled and older passengers can travel with confidence. 

The National Rail Enquiries website (nationalrail.co.uk) and the station layout guide (‘Stations Made Easy’) contain useful information about the accessibility of facilities and services at stations and on trains. We are committed to providing up-to-date information for these resources and on our own website. If there are changes to any information, our Head of Retail updates the National Rail Enquiries website within 24 hours.

This includes where:

  • stations have a physical feature which might prevent some disabled people from using it;
  • significant temporary work affects station accessibility;
  • changes to stations make them temporarily inaccessible (for example, if station lifts or toilets are out of order); or
  • changes are made to the accessibility of our trains.

Please report any faults affecting accessibility to station staff or our Customer Relations team 

  • Phone: 03333 211 202
  • Next Generation Text service: 18001 03333 211 202 
  • Contact us webform: click here
  • Opening times: 24/7 every day (except Christmas Day and Boxing Day)

Station staff can get up-to-date information through a national database and can provide this information to passengers at ticket offices or Information Points.

For detailed information on accessibility features of our stations, see our ‘Making rail accessible: Helping older and disabled passengers’ which can be found at stations, by contacting our customer relations team or Assisted travel Team on the above numbers of via our Station accessibility page. We will print updated copies of this leaflet at least once a year.

 

Can I get information booklets in different formats?

Yes. If you want a copy of any of leaflets in large print, Braille or as an audio version, contact Customer Relations.

  • Phone: 03333 211 202
  • Next Generation Text service: 18001 03333 211 202 
  • Contact us webform: click here
  • Opening times: 24/7 every day (except Christmas Day and Boxing Day)

The team can send you a copy of this document or our policy document in a standard or alternative format (for example large print) free of charge. Our Head of Customer Experience has day-to-day responsibility for our Disabled People’s Protection Policy. You can contact them through our Customer Relations team.

How do I buy a ticket?

You can buy a ticket

If you cannot buy a ticket in any of the ways set out above, you can buy your ticket from a conductor on the train or at your destination station. There will be no penalty and you can still get any discount that applies to you. There is a range of discounts available to older or disabled passengers.

 

What discounted travel is available for disabled people and companions?

The Disabled Persons railcard saves you and a companion at least 1/3 off rail fares across Britain. For more information and applications, you can use the range of contact details below.

  • Phone: 03333 211 202 (Customer Relations Team)
  • Next Generation Text service: 18001 03333 211 202
  • Contact us webform: click here
  • Opening times: 24/7 every day (except Christmas Day and Boxing Day)

Our Head of Customer Experience has day-to-day responsibility for our Disabled People’s Protection Policy. You can contact them through our Customer Relations team.

Or by Contacting the Disabled Persons Railcard 

 

I don’t have a Disabled Persons Railcard can I still get a discount?

Some disabled passengers are automatically entitled to discounts so it may be worth checking this out before buying a railcard. 

The discounts are as follows:

  • 34% off First Class or Standard Anytime Single tickets
  • 50% off First Class or Standard Anytime Day Return tickets
  • 34% off First Class or Standard Anytime Return tickets 

You are entitled to these discounts if you are:

  • a wheelchair user staying in your wheelchair during the journey (the discount also applies to one person travelling with you); or 
  • visually impaired (blind or partially sighted) and travelling with one other person. You are not entitled to this discount if you are not travelling with anyone else. You must provide written evidence of your visual impairment to get the discount. 
  • Child wheelchair users are entitled to 75% off these tickets.

Please note:- in some cases it might be cheaper to buy a full-rate off-peak or advance ticket; and you cannot buy these tickets online or from ticket machines, only from ticket offices or conductors.


Can I get discounted rail travel over the age of 60? (Senior Railcard)

Yes. Aged 60 or over? These save you a 1/3 on most rail fares. For more information and applications, contact: 

 

What other railcards are available?

There are many types of railcard available to suit a range of customers. Please visit tfw.wales or contact our Customer Relations team:-

  • Phone: 03333 211 202 (Customer Relations Team)
  • Next Generation Text service: 18001 03333 211 202
  • Contact us webform: click here
  • 24/7 every day (except Christmas Day and Boxing Day)

 

I am visually impaired can I get discounted rail travel?

If you are registered visually impaired, you can buy an adult season ticket which allows a companion to travel with you free of charge. (You can have a different companion each time you travel.) You can buy these season tickets at ticket offices.

Services at stations

We do not permanently close station entrances or gates if this would restrict disabled passengers’ access to any platforms or station facilities unless we have:

Consulted the Department for Transport, Transport Focus and local access groups; and got approval to do so from the Department for Transport.

We consider the needs of disabled and older passengers before restricting or temporarily closing access points at stations.

 

How are train services information and Announcements made at Stations?

Most of our stations provide information on train services. This could be through electronic information screens or announcements, or both. Information Points are provided at some stations. 

All of our stations are fitted with customer information screens. We provide clear announcements or visual information (or both) of train departures and other relevant messages. 

If there are delays and disruptions, for more information and support please speak to a member of staff or use an Information Point.

 

Where do I find Information at the Station?

At our large stations we provide clearly marked and staffed Information Points which are open when the ticket office is open. These are just inside the station.

Staff at Information Points can:

  • provide information on the facilities, services and accessibility at all our stations, and those provided by other rail companies;

  • give directions to local public transport and hotels;

  • provide information on train services, timetables, fares and connections;

  • confirm arrangements made for an assisted travel booking; and

  • provide information on delays and factors which might affect your journey.

Information Points are also meeting points for passengers who have booked assisted travel. 

At stations without an Information Point, passengers need to go to the ticket office. 

All ticket offices and staffed Information Points are fitted with induction loops for people who wear hearing aids, and many have at least one low or height-adjustable counter. If possible, our timetables, posters and information leaflets will be placed so that both wheelchair users and standing passengers can use them.

Timetables and ‘Useful information’ posters are displayed at or near the entrance of all stations. You can get train service information from stations that have Help Points. Help Points are stands with a button you can press to speak to an operator. You can speak to someone from 6am to 10pm, or you can contact our Customer Relations team.

  • Phone: 03333 211 202 (Customer Relations Team)

  • Next Generation Text service: 18001 03333 211 202

  • Contact us webform: click here

  • Opening times: 24/7 every day (except Christmas Day and Boxing Day)

Or National Rail Enquiries.

For information about train times, fares and ticket types, general advice and help in planning your journey.

 

Are self-service ticket machines accessible?

Accessible ticket machines are provided at all our stations where there are ticket barriers. These machines can issue tickets with Disabled Persons Railcard discounts if the ticket office is closed. They cannot issue tickets with the automatic discount for wheelchair users or visually impaired customers. You can only buy these tickets at a ticket office or on the train. If you cannot buy a ticket before you travel, You can buy a ticket:

  • online from our website or from the websites of other companies that sell tickets;

  • by phoning 03330 050 501;

  • at any station with a ticket office; or

  • at a ticket machine at a station.

If you cannot buy a ticket in any of the ways set out above, you can buy your ticket from a conductor on the train or at your destination station.

There will be no penalty and you can still get any discount that applies to you. There is a range of discounts available to older or disabled passengers.

 

Are there gates at the station? I am mobility impaired how do I get through?

Some of our stations have automatic ticket barriers. These have at least one wider gate for wheelchair users and pushchairs and are controlled by staff. When gates are not staffed, they are locked open.

 

What assistance is available to me if I have luggage?

If you book assisted travel in advance, station staff or the conductor will help you get your luggage on and off the train. There is no charge for this service. If a station has assistance staff on duty, they can help you with luggage to and from the station entrance. If you need help with luggage but have not booked assisted travel in advance, staff will try to help with luggage, but this depends on whether staff are available.

The weight, size and quantity of luggage must be safe for our staff to carry on and off the train and within the station. Each piece of luggage cannot weigh more than 23kg. The National Rail Conditions of Travel state that, as a general rule, you can take up to three items of luggage on the train.

 

Do you have luggage storage facilities?

No. We do not provide our own left-luggage facilities at any of our stations. However, Holyhead has a facility run by another company, and there are left-luggage facilities at Manchester Piccadilly and Birmingham New Street. These stations are operated by Network Rail.

 

Are ramps available to help me get on the train?

Ramps are available at all stations with platform staff and on all our trains. Station staff use these to help you on and off any trains, regardless of the rail company. Conductors use the ramps on board at unstaffed stations, whether or not your have booked assisted travel in advance.

Many of our stations have steps or are not accessible to wheelchair users. Also, at some stations the slope of the ramp between the train and the platform may be too steep to safely use a ramp. To avoid inconvenience on your journey, check this beforehand. Please see our ‘Making rail accessible: Helping older and disabled passengers’ which can be found at stations, by contacting our customer relations team or Assisted travel Team on the above numbers or here. We will print updated copies of this leaflet at least once a year.

Or contact our Assisted Travel team before you travel:-

If a station is inaccessible for you, we will arrange alternative transport. We want to make sure that passengers can make as much of their journeys as possible by rail. However, we will arrange alternative accessible transport, such as a taxi, for you and a companion if:

  • you cannot travel to or from a station which is inaccessible to you;

  • rail-replacement transport is inaccessible to you; or

  • a short-notice disruption to services makes services inaccessible to you.

We provide this transport for the same price as your rail ticket. We discuss what kind of taxi you need before we book it. The alternative transport takes you to or from the most convenient accessible station or staffed station where someone can help you.

We cannot guarantee alternative accessible transport for a mobility scooter because they often cannot be carried safely in a taxi. However, if you are already travelling with us in a mobility scooter when the disruption happens, we will make you as comfortable as possible while you wait for the next train. 


Are all the facilities on stations accessible? (Are facilities provided by other companies)

Third-party retailers provide catering at stations. We will make sure that any new or renewed tenancy agreements include obligations under the Equality Act 2010. The location of retailers’ premises will not affect the accessibility of the station or its facilities.

 

Are all stations staffed?

Most of our stations either do not have staff or only have ticket office staff who cannot provide assisted travel. The conductor on the train will help you on board.

If you need help at an unstaffed station or a station where there are only ticket office staff, please contact the Assisted Travel team. If you arrive at an unstaffed station and need help but have not booked assisted travel in advance, please contact the Assisted Travel team. You will find contact details on the information poster at the station entrance. The Assisted Travel team can arrange alternative transport for you or organise for a conductor to help you on or off the train if you can get to the platform. We make sure that specific arrangements are made for passengers needing help at any station when a special event is taking place nearby (especially at Cardiff Central and Chester stations).

To avoid inconvenience on your journey, check this beforehand. Please see our ‘Making rail accessible: Helping older and disabled passengers’ which can be found at stations, by contacting our customer relations team or Assisted travel Team on the above numbers of via Station accessibility. We will print updated copies of this leaflet at least once a year.

Or contact our Assisted Travel team before you travel:-

We also make sure that the arrangements for providing help at any station are shown on each station’s page on the National Rail Enquiries website (www.nationalrail.co.uk).

Or contact National Rail Enquiries.

For information about train times, fares and ticket types, general advice and help in planning your journey.

On the train

Are announcements and Information available on the train?

All of our trains are fitted with equipment for our conductors to make announcements. Clear announcements are made when there is a disruption, delay or issue that you need to be aware of.

Passengers who are deaf or hard of hearing should ask a member of staff for one-to-one help.

Announcements are made in good time to allow older and disabled passengers to prepare to leave the train.

Our Class 158 trains that operate on long-distance services have information screens displaying calling points and the station the train will stop at next. If no screen is available, our conductors make announcements.

 

Will I always get a seat on a train?

We always do our best to help older and disabled passengers to get a seat. At least one designated priority seat is provided on every train.

You can reserve a wheelchair space on many of our long-distance train services.

If you have not reserved a wheelchair space in advance, they may not be available if another passenger is already using the seat or space or it is reserved for a passenger later on in the journey. If there are no priority seats available, our staff will do their best to help you find a seat elsewhere.

If you have a mobility device such as a walking aid, staff will help you find the most comfortable and convenient place to sit.

 

I am a wheelchair user, is there space for me?

There are two wheelchair spaces on every train (except the single-carriage Class 153, which has one space). We can accommodate wheelchairs with dimensions of up to 700mm x 1200mm (including footplates), with a turning radius of 900mm, and a maximum combined weight (wheelchair and passenger) of 300kg.

Please check the dimensions of your wheelchair to avoid disappointment if they cannot be carried on the train. If you use a powered wheelchair, you can use the ramps without help but staff will supervise. If you use a manual wheelchair, staff can help you if your chair has handles.

You can reserve a wheelchair space, through our assisted travel team, for many of our long-distance train services. Please contact our assisted travel team to find out if you can reserve a wheelchair space for a particular journey.

Please see our ‘Making rail accessible: Helping older and disabled passengers’. This can be found at stations or by contacting our customer relations team or assisted travel team. We will print updated copies of this leaflet at least once a year.

You can contact our assisted travel team before you travel:

You can request an assistance booking in advance - now up to 2 hours before your journey is due to start, any time of the day. You can book further in advance if you prefer.

Please be aware that you can always simply “turn up and go” without booking assistance in advance, or if you have made an online booking that has not yet been confirmed. We'll provide assistance to get you to your destination.

The contact details are:

  • Assisted travel website
  • By phone: call our Passenger Assist team on 03330 050 501. Opening times 24/7 every day but we are closed on Christmas Day.
  • Next Generation Text service: 18001 03330 050 501 Opening times: 24/7 every day (except Christmas Day)

Please note that you cannot reserve a wheelchair or scooter space on the following services:

  • Cardiff and Valleys network
  • Wrexham to Bidston Line
  • Conwy Valley Line
  • Local services between Pembroke Dock and Swansea
  • Local services between Maesteg, Cardiff and Cheltenham Spa

You can reserve a wheelchair space on some trains that go between Holyhead, Manchester and Cardiff, but these services do not have wheelchair-accessible toilets and they have doors that have to be opened manually. The assisted travel team can tell you which trains these are. If the train you want does not have an accessible toilet, the assisted travel team will tell you this when you book and can suggest alternative services for you. For more information on our trains please click here.

If you use a wheelchair, it may not be possible for you to board a train if the wheelchair space is occupied. Passengers who have made reservations for the space are given priority.

 

Can I take my mobility scooter on the train?

Train companies have different rules on carrying scooters so please check before you travel.

We can accommodate scooters of up to 700mm x 1200mm, with a turning radius of 900mm and a combined maximum weight (scooter and passenger) of 300kg.

Please follow the guidance below:

  • Check the dimensions of your scooter to avoid disappointment if it cannot be carried
  • Keep the speed of your scooter to walking pace in and around our stations, including on the platform
  • Stay clear of the platform edge until the train has come to a stop
  • Unload any bags or items from the back of the scooter before going up or down the ramp 
  • Follow instructions from our staff at all times.

If your scooter can be folded into parts, you can carry it on as luggage. You or someone travelling with you must carry it on.

If you are a scooter user, and you are able and comfortable to do so, we will ask you to move from your scooter to a seat, if one is available nearby.

We cannot carry tricycles on our trains or any replacement transport (including taxis), and you cannot use them in our stations, due to their size and design.

We cannot guarantee that alternative accessible transport can be provided for scooters.

 

What support do you have for assistance dog users?

If you have an assistance dog you can get a reusable card to place in the reservation holder on top of the seat next to yours. This is a highly visible card that informs other customers that the space in front of that seat is reserved for an assistance dog.

The cards are free of charge from our customer relations team. For services you can reserve seats on, the assisted Travel team can reserve two seats – one for you and the other for an assistance dog to lie in front of.

Please contact our customer relations team:

Please note that our opening times are 24/7 every day (except Christmas Day and Boxing Day).

 

Are all your trains accessible?

We use several different types of trains. Click here for more information about our fleet.

Making connections

I need to make connections with other train companies during my journey. Can I get assistance? 

By booking assisted travel in advance, with us or another train company, we can help you make connections with other trains at our stations, whether or not that train is one of ours. This includes when trains change platforms or announcements are made at short notice. If you are visually impaired, we can guide you to your next train to make a connection. We always provide assisted travel whenever we can, but it may take some time to arrange. So we recommend you book assisted travel for unstaffed stations where you need help to change trains.

If you book assisted travel in advance, we can arrange for a conductor or station staff to help you on and off the train at any station during the hours when trains are due to stop at them. When you book assisted travel we can arrange the following. 

  • Making a ramp available to get you on and off the train
  • Guiding you through the station and on or off the train 
  • Finding you a seat on the train 
  • Reserving a seat or wheelchair space, if this is possible, on our services or those of other rail companies 
  • Help with making connections with other train companies in one single booking 
  • Help with luggage

 

Booking assisted travel and planning your journey

There are several ways that you can book assisted travel. 

  • Call our Assisted Travel team: 03330 050 501
  • Next Generation Text service 18001 03330 050 501 (for people with hearing and speech difficulties):
  • Visit our website
  • Opening times: 8am to 8pm every day (except Christmas Day)

Or contact our Assisted Travel team before you travel:-

  • Assisted Travel Website
  • Phone: 03330 050 501
  • Next Generation Text service: 18001 03330 050 501 Opening times: 8am to 8pm every day (except Christmas Day) 

 

Will station staff help me to taxis or other means of transport?

At stations with assistance staff, they can help passengers to taxis or the designated pick-up point. If you have not booked assisted travel, please ask a member of platform staff. They will be happy to help, but there might be a delay. At Holyhead station, we can help you to the ferry check-in desk.

Can I get information in alternative accessible formats

We understand how disruption can have a worse effect on disabled and older passengers.

We do everything we can to help you continue your journey comfortably, safely and with minimum inconvenience. 

We provide clear information to direct you to any alternative transport. If a disruption makes services inaccessible to you, we provide alternative accessible transport. This is provided for the part of the journey where replacement transport is provided or for the whole journey if it would otherwise involve several changes between taxi and train. 

We want to make sure that passengers can make as much of their journeys as possible by rail. However, we will arrange alternative accessible transport, such as a taxi, for you and a companion if:

  • you cannot travel to or from a station which is inaccessible to you;
  • rail-replacement transport is inaccessible to you; or
  • a short-notice disruption to services makes services inaccessible to you.

We provide this transport for the same price as your rail ticket. We discuss what kind of taxi you need before we book it. The alternative transport takes you to or from the most convenient accessible station or staffed station where someone can help you.

We cannot guarantee alternative accessible transport for a mobility scooter because they often cannot be carried safely in a taxi. However, if you are already travelling with us in a mobility scooter when the disruption happens, we will make you as comfortable as possible while you wait for the next train. 

When trains are switched to a different platform at short notice we will do our very best to get you to your train before it leaves.

Wherever possible, if you have booked assisted travel in advance and we know that there will be a disruption, we will try to contact you about the disruption and, if necessary, make alternative arrangements for travel.

We also try to rebook your assisted travel if your journey cannot be made due to a disruption.
Please see section 4 for information on how we communicate the lack of access to features such as lifts and toilets. Please report any problems like this (particularly at unstaffed stations) to our Customer Relations team.

Contact Customer Relations.

  • Phone: 03333 211 202 
  • Next Generation Text service: 18001 03333 211 202 
  • Contact us webform: click here
  • Opening times: 24/7 every day (except Christmas Day and Boxing Day).

You can find information on our procedures for helping disabled passengers in an emergency in our guide ‘Making rail accessible: Guide to policies and practices’. You can also get a copy of this from the Customer Relations team. This document or our policy document can be provided on request in either standard or alternative format (for example large print) free of charge.

Our Head of Customer Experience has day-to-day responsibility for our Disabled People’s Protection Policy. You can contact them through our Customer Relations team.

What concessionaries are there for the visually impaired?

Concessions

Concessions available to blind or visually-impaired customers who don’t have a Disabled Persons Railcard and who are travelling with a companion in England and Wales (a different concession applies in Scotland):

If you are registered as blind or visually-impaired and are travelling with another person, the concessionary discounts shown below apply for both you and your companion. You cannot get the discount if you are travelling on your own. The discount applies to adult fares only.

To receive the discount, please present evidence of your visual impairment such as a document from a recognised institution such as Social Services, your Local Authority, The Royal National Institute of Blind People (formerly RNIB) or Blind Veterans UK when buying your ticket and making your journey. Tickets can be purchased from staffed National Rail station ticket offices and on the train.

 

The concessionary discounts are as follows: 

  • First or Standard Class anytime single or return tickets – 34% discount
  • First or Standard Class anytime day single – 34% discount
  • First or Standard Class anytime day return – 50% discount

 

Disabled Persons Railcard

  • 1/3 off rail travel across the UK for the customer and a companion
  • The card costs £20 for one year or £54 for 3 years
  • The Railcard can be applied for by post or on-line. Full details including conditions of use can be found here

 

Season Tickets

Customers who are blind or visually impaired can also buy one adult Season ticket that enables a companion to travel with them on National Rail services only at no extra cost. It doesn't have to be the same person travelling with them on every journey.
 
Customers should take evidence of their visual impairment such as a document from a recognised institution such as Social Services, your Local Authority, The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) or St Dunstans when buying their ticket and making the journey. These tickets can be bought from staffed National Rail station ticket offices.

 

Welsh Government Concessionary Bus Pass Holders

Customers holding a concessionary bus pass issued by a local authority in Wales can travel free by train on the following routes:

  • Wrexham to Hawarden Bridge – all year
  • Machynlleth to Pwllheli – between 1 October and 31 March (Passes cannot be used on the 06.10 Pwllheli – Machynlleth between Barmouth and Tywyn, the 07.34 Pwllheli – Machynlleth between Penrhyndeudraeth and Harlech, the 12.56 Machynlleth – Pwllheli between Harlech and Penrhyndeudraeth and the 14.56 Machynlleth – Pwllheli between Tywyn and Barmouth.
  • Llandudno to Blaenau Ffestiniog – all year
  • Shrewsbury to Swansea via Llandovery - between 1 October and 31 March (not valid for journeys wholly between Shrewsbury and Bucknell and Llanelli and Swansea)

Full details can be found here.