Passenger Assist

We help you around the station and on or off the train by:

Installing a ramp to help you get on and off trains
Meeting you when you arrive at our station
Assistance with buying a ticket
Guiding visually impaired passengers to the train
Help with carrying luggage

Although there are limits to the type of assistance we provide we always aim to be as helpful as we can. However, we cannot provide personal care (for example help with eating, drinking, taking medication or using the toilet) or personal attendance throughout a customer’s journey.

Please contact us to discuss your requirements (even if it isn’t on the list) and we will advise you on what we can do to help with your travel arrangements.

We understand that you may not always be able to confirm the time of your exact return journey so we will ask you to give your best estimate within an hour.

For customers unable to book in advance, our staff will take reasonable steps to help you on the day. However, please bear in mind that there may only be one member of staff on duty helping other customers and they may not be able to assist you as quickly as you would like. If there are no staff available please use the help point on the platform to alert someone for assistance.

If you have booked assistance we are able to provide help with your luggage within the station and to and from the train. We will provide help with a maximum of two items (up to 23kg each), as well as one smaller item of hand luggage. Please be aware that our staff are trained in manual handling and will not lift or carry any item which they feel would put their health or well-being at risk.

You can check if there are any delays, disruptions, including disruptions caused by temporary problems with facilities like lifts or escalators that might affect accessibility on our live journey planning tool.

You are welcome to take your wheelchair or mobility scooter on our trains. However, for safety reasons, there are limits to the size and weight that can be carried. Generally the following will apply:

• Wheelchairs and scooters must be no more than 120cm long and 70cm wide. Including the weight of the user, they must not weigh more than 300kg.
• If the wheelchair or scooter is too large or heavy, our station staff will be unable to let you on the train.
• If there is a gap between the train and the platform, we will use an approved access ramp to bridge the gap. Our staff are trained to use the ramp and will help you onto the train. You must be able to steer your scooter up and down the ramp as our staff cannot do this for you.
• The speed limit on our stations is 3 miles an hour.

All of our trains have a number of designated Priority Seats for people who are disabled, pregnant, or less able to stand. Although anyone can sit in a Priority Seat, we do kindly ask passengers to give these up to those who need them the most. Priority Seats are generally found near to the carriage doors and can be identified by Priority Seat signage.

We know that that it isn’t always easy to ask for a seat. Our badges are a polite reminder to fellow passengers to offer you a seat on busier trains. Please note that badges are only issued to those who use the c2c route.

It isn’t always obvious when someone is less able to stand, which is why we offer a  Priority Seat badge. Check to see if you or someone you know is eligible for a badge through our criteria below, then download the application form or pick one up from your local station.

Download priority seat badge application form

Alternatively, follow the link below to apply via a web form:

https://www.c2c-online.co.uk/help-feedback/passenger-assist/priority-seat-badges/

Eligibility

Our badges are only available for those passengers who can provide suitable evidence that they have a disability or medical condition that makes it uncomfortable to stand.

Suitable evidence may take the form of:

• Doctor’s note confirming disability or medical condition

• Award letter for Attendance Allowance

• Award letter for Disability Living Allowance

• Written confirmation from Jobcentre Plus

• Letter from Department for Work and Pensions

• Certificate of Incapacity Benefit

• Social Services official stamp (on application form or other paper)

• Certificate of Visual Impairment (CVI), BP1 Certificate (Scotland) or BD8 Certificate for being registered blind or partially-sighted

Your eligibility documents will only be used to process our application and will be destroyed once your c2c Priority Seat badge is produced. For this reason, please do not send any original copies.

If you would like to find out more about assistance offered on other train companies you can find the information to contact them directly on National Rail Enquiries ‘Passenger Assist and Customers with Disabilities’ page.

For information on facilities and station accessibility available at any c2c station please download this PDF:

Download Stations Accessibility information

From finding toilets to priority seats, see our guide to your onboard experience and advice for travelling on our trains.

You can also find a general summary about accessibility on our different train types and the routes that they are normally scheduled to run in this PDF:

Rolling stock accessibility information.

Find access to station information, diagrams of the station and view station facilities at any UK station with Stations Made Easy. This can help you navigate your way round a station according to your disability.

There are a certain amount of free, disabled parking spaces at our car parks – available on a first-come, first-served basis. Find out more in our car parking section.

If you are blind or visually-impaired you can buy a Season Ticket that allows a companion to travel with you at no extra cost. These tickets can be purchased from staffed stations. Please take a document confirming your visual impairment when buying your ticket and when travelling. This must be from a recognised institution such as Social Services, your Local Authority, The Royal Institute for the Blind (RNIB) or St Dunstan’s now known as Blind Veterans UK.

Save up to 1/3 on most tickets with a Disabled Persons Railcard

If you are planning a journey which includes travelling by train and you have a disability or are mobility impaired, and you want more information, this leaflet should provide you with the answers.

Making Rail Accessible Leaflet

You can also download our Accessible Travel Policy if you want more detail.

If we haven’t managed to provide the support you needed, or you have some feedback about your experience then please contact us.