Assisted Travel

We’re here to help!

We make our trains as accessible as possible for everyone – including wheelchair users, people with a wide range of disabilities, parents with children, or anyone with heavy bags. We are always happy to assist.

Passenger Assist, information and booking

Passenger Assist is a national booking system supported by all train companies which enables disabled and older customers to discuss and book in advance any assistance that may be required throughout their journey.

Passenger Assist helps with all aspects of your journey such as:

  • Planning your journey - choosing the best trains to travel on, times to travel and ticket options for you.
  • Purchasing tickets.
  • Getting on and off the train (including providing ramps, sight guidance etc.)
  • Assistance moving between platforms and around the station.
  • Assistance with your luggage.
  • Advise on what facilities are available on board and at the stations.

Our Assisted Travel Team operates round-the-clock support and is here to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please contact us on the below details for more information about how you can book Passenger Assist:

Recommended booking notice period

To book assistance through Passenger Assist, please give a minimum of 2 hours notice before your journey to ensure our team can offer you the best service.

However, we understand that sometimes advanced bookings are not always possible, so please talk to a member of our team at our station if you require any additional assistance.

Discounted Travel

Discounted travel is available at our stations for any passengers that hold a Disabled Persons Railcard, Senior Railcard, Club 50 railcard or any other national railcard. Other discounted fares are available, but some may only be available through a ticket office.

If you require assistance whilst travelling

If you are visually impaired and need the assistance of a companion to travel, the following discounts apply to Anytime/Day time tickets at our stations:

  • Anytime Day Return – 50% off
  • Anytime Single or Return – 34% off
  • Anytime Day Single – 34% off

Unfortunately, no concession applies if you are travelling alone or if you are holding a Disabled Persons railcard.

Season tickets

Adults who are visually impaired and hold a season ticket can have a companion travel with them at no extra cost - two passengers travelling for the price of one. A different companion may travel with you on different days.

To obtain these discounts, a document confirming your disability, issued by a recognised institution (for example, the Social Services Department, Local Authority, Guide Dog Ownership certificate, Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) or Blind Veterans UK) is required. These discounts can only be acquired if you already hold a Disabled Person's railcard.

Unfortunately, this won't apply for travel on the London Underground or any other TFL services, if they're included in your ticket.

If you require a wheelchair whilst travelling

If you require a wheelchair and need to remain in your wheelchair throughout the journey, the following discounts apply to Anytime/Day tickets at our stations:

  • Anytime Day Return – 50% off
  • Anytime Single or Return – 34% off
  • Anytime Day Single – 34% off

If you require the assistance of a companion to travel, the same discounts will be applied to their ticket. Discounts can only be applied to the tickets of one companion.

Please be aware that despite these discounts, we cannot promise that this is the best price available, as it may be cheaper to buy Advance fares where possible.

Train Facilities

All our trains are accessible for wheelchair users and passengers with reduced mobility. There are accessible toilets on board, and our friendly staff members are always on hand to offer any assistance you may need throughout your journey.

Mobility scooters and wheelchairs

Mobility scooters and wheelchairs are welcome on all Stansted Express services. To ensure the safety of all our passengers, we can only welcome mobility scooters and wheelchairs up to 120mm high by 700mm wide and a maximum weight of 300kg – this weight includes the weight of the passenger combined with the mobility scooter and wheelchair. This ensures you can comfortably and safely use our train-to-platform ramp and manoeuvre through the carriages.

Whilst waiting on the platform, please ensure that you have fully applied the brakes on your mobility scooter and wheelchair and stay well behind the yellow line.

Step-free access

Stansted Airport, Stratford, Tottenham Hales and London Liverpool Street stations have step-free access to the platform. Ensuring accessibility for any passengers that may struggle with restricted mobility. ​

Priority seating

As our trains operate without seat reservations, we offer priority seating throughout our services for any passengers that may require additional assistance whilst travelling. All our priority seating options are clearly labelled and designed for easy access for people who have impaired mobility. Our priority seats are also available for the use by passengers who may need them, including, but not limited to:

  • Disabled passengers – remember, not all disabilities are visible!
  • Elderly passengers
  • Expectant mothers
  • Passengers travelling and carrying an infant

If you require a priority seat and one is not available, we request that you politely ask the passenger if they require the seat. Please remember that the passenger using the priority seating may also require it!

If you need further assistance, we offer priority seat cards, sunflower lanyards and “I need a seat” badges. How to obtain a card or lanyard.

Assistance dogs

Assistance dogs are always welcome on all our trains, free of charge, and can travel with you on any part of the train. Please speak with a member of our team if you require any assistance in finding a suitable space for you and your dog throughout your journey.

Assistance Dog Under Seat cards can be printed out and placed on the seat next to you so it's reserved for your assistance dog to sit under.

Redress

If you feel like the assistance that you booked has not been met on your journey, you may be entitled to redress. Please get in touch with the details of your claim and your booking reference to one of the following addresses and a member of our team can assist you with your claim.

Please contact us with the details of your claim and your booking reference at the following addresses to see so we can assess your claims:

Freepost: GREATER ANGLIA CUSTOMER RELATIONS

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 0345 600 7245 (Option 8)

Type Text: 18001 0800 028 28 78

Accessible Travel Policy

We have developed an Accessible Travel Policy (ATP) that sets out the procedures and policies put in place to assist disabled customers and customers requiring assistance with boarding and alighting from the train.

We recognise that all customers will benefit from changes to make the railway more accessible, and we aim to make continuous improvements to the accessibility of our services and stations.

Our ATP is a condition of our operating licences and has been approved by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). We review it on an annual basis and any changes are consulted with key stakeholders and approved by the ORR.

Accessible PDFs

These PDFs have been designed to work with screen readers and have been tested on NVDA, Jaws and VoiceOver

Contact us

If you wish to obtain a hard copy of our accessible travel policy or to view it in an alternative format, such as Braille, please contact us at the below address:

Freepost GREATER ANGLIA CUSTOMER RELATIONS

Or if you'd like to speak with us, please call: 0345 600 7245 (option 7)

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