disabled rail travel assistance

Assisted travel

Helping everyone to travel safely, in comfort and with confidence.

Passenger Assist

Passenger Assist is a service available for older and disabled passengers travelling on the rail network.

When you contact the train company you’re starting your journey with, they can:

• arrange assistance
• help you on and off trains
• reserve wheelchair spaces and seats
• provide you with detailed rail information 
• assist with any animals or pets you have with you.

How to book Passenger Assist

To book Passenger Assist for your next journey you can contact the train company you are starting your journey with, or check out the National Rail Enquiries assisted travel pages .

The National Rail Enquiries website has information on how to book assistance in a variety of ways, including the Passenger Assistance Smartphone App. It also has detailed information on the accessibility of all stations. You can also call or text National Rail Enquiries to arrange assistance

• call 0800 0223720
• textphone or minicom users can dial 0845 60 50 600.

‘Turn Up and Go’ assistance services

‘Turn Up and Go’ is a service available for passengers who need assistance and have not booked in advance. You can find out more about this service on National Rail Enquiries assisted travel pages .

Latest information on face coverings

You can find out about the latest information on face coverings from the  National Rail Enquiries’ website or by visiting National Rail face coverings information page .

The Sunflower scheme

All train operators in Britain recognise the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower scheme . By wearing the Sunflower lanyard you can discreetly indicate to our staff that you may need additional support, a little more time or that you’re unable to wear a face covering.

Sunflower lanyards are available in participating managed stations  – if you are travelling through our stations you can ask a member of staff for one. You can also download the exemption card below to print off or display on your phone.

There is no requirement to carry an exemption card or wear a lanyard, but this may help some passengers feel more confident when travelling.  

Download card

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• Onboard, seating and at the station

How to book assistance or check accessibility for disabled passengers

If you or someone you’re travelling with will need help with things like getting on and off the train, we’d recommend booking assistance as far in advance as possible. 

You can book help, arrange a seat reservation or wheelchair space and find out about facilities and accessibility directly with the Train Operating Company (TOC)/ Carrier you are travelling with. 

Click on your TOC/ Carrier below to find contact details. If you’re not sure who your TOC / Carrier is take a look at your ticket’s details in "My bookings" on our website or "My tickets" on our app. 

For journeys in the EU, the Carrier should also inform you whether you need to notify any other Carriers or stations involved in your journey. 

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Train travel in Europe for

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Train travel UK & Ireland...

Train travel in europe..., train travel in asia..., train travel in africa..., train travel in america..., train travel in australasia, train travel with a wheelchair....

If you're a wheelchair user, you can book a wheelchair space on Eurostar from London to Lille, Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam, then book an onwards wheelchair space on a train to other cities in France, Germany, Switzerland, Turin, Milan or Barcelona.  Or book yourself a wheelchair-accessible 2-berth couchette on the Nightjet sleeper trains from Paris or Brussels to Salzburg or Vienna.  On this page I'll tell you how to book a wheelchair space on these trains online, or if you'd rather talk to someone and have them book it for you, I'll tell you who to call.

I'm familiar with all the trains, but accessible travel is not something I'm really qualified to talk about, so I'd value your feedback.  If you can add more to this page, please get in touch !

Step 1, travel with disability in Britain

For travel within the UK, start with the National Rail site:  www.nationalrail.co.uk/ stations_destinations/ disabled_passengers.aspx .

You can book tickets as normal, then call to arrange a wheelchair space and assistance or do it through the Passenger Assist mobile app, or the assistance booking forms on every train operator's website.

Tip:   It can be better to book assistance and a wheelchair space first, then buy the tickets.

Step 2, travel with disability on Eurostar

You can travel by Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Nord , Lille , Brussels Midi , Rotterdam Centraal or Amsterdam Centraal if you're a permanent wheelchair user or have other special needs.

Each Eurostar train has a wheelchair space in several 1st class cars, adjacent to a wheelchair-accessible toilet with push-button access.

There are special fares for people travelling in wheelchairs and one travelling companion, it's not a discount as such, you get 1st class travel with food & wine included at the 2nd class fare.

To book wheelchair travel online, go to www.eurostar.com and click Wheelchair under the passenger box on the journey planner.

This automatically alerts them that assistance is required onto & off the train, but you can always call them to confirm on 03432 186 186 or email them via www.eurostar.com .  For more information, see www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-info/travel-planning/accessibility .

You could also consider travelling by train ferry to Amsterdam, either London to Amsterdam by train & ferry , Hull to Rotterdam by P&O ferry or Newcastle to Amsterdam by DFDS ferry , contact the ferry operator ( www.stenaline.co.uk for Harwich-Hoek van Holland, www.poferries.com for Hull-Rotterdam or www.dfds.com for Newcastle-Amsterdam) for information about accessibility and wheelchair-accessible cabins.

How to change stations in Paris

Changing trains in Brussels, Amsterdam and Lille means an easy same-station change.

In Paris, changing from the Gare du Nord where Eurostar arrives to the Gare de l'Est for trains to Reims, Strasbourg, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and the Nightjet sleeper to Salzburg & Vienna means a 10-minute walk or wheelchair push.

However, journeys through Paris to the South of France, Switzerland, Italy & Spain usually mean changing stations from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de Lyon or Gare Montparnasse .  For this there's a pre-bookable wheelchair-accessible taxi service run by G7 Taxis, www.g7.fr .

To book, call +33 1 41 27 66 99 (English speaking line) or +33 1 47 39 00 91 , making sure you ask for a wheelchair accessible taxi.

There's a €5 booking fee, and bookings can be made from 7 days until 1 hour before you need the taxi.  Gare du Nord to Gare d'Austerlitz for example costs €13-€19 per taxi.  Feedback from users of this service would be very welcome!

Tip:  Sometimes they decline to pick up at stations.  If so, for pickup at the Gate du Nord suggest 'Boulevard de Denain' instead, this is the road immediately leading off in front of you when you leave the Gare du Nord's main exit.  You might want to call when you know you have arrived.

There are also wheelchair-accessible buses.  Bus 91 is wheelchair-accessible & links Gare du Nord, Gare de l'Est, Gare de Lyon & Gare Montparnasse.  See www.ratp.fr .

Step 3, travel with disability beyond Eurostar

Once on the Continent, most modern daytime trains have space for passengers travelling in wheelchairs.  Some operators (such as SNCF in France, ÖBB in Austria) allow wheelchair users to book tickets with a wheelchair space themselves online.  Others require you to call them.

Incidentally, don't buy regular tickets online, then try to add a wheelchair space (as you would in Britain).  In many countries ticket purchase and the booking of a wheelchair space need to be done together as part of the same transaction.

For more about arrangements for travellers with disabilities in each country, start with the website of the relevant national train operator, see the list of websites on the useful links page .

Tip:   Free Interrail pass for a companion/carer :  Interrail passes can be great for a tour of Europe or even for a round trip from the UK to Italy, Spain, Austria & so on.  A little-known benefit is that if you use a wheelchair (or have certain other disabilities) you can apply for a free Interrail pass for a companion/carer.  See www.interrail.eu/en/support/travelling-with-reduced-mobility (please let me know if the link changes).

...to France

First look at the London to France page to see if you can travel to your French destination with an easy same-station change in Lille as this avoids having to change stations in Paris.  This is possible for many destinations including Nice, Marseille, Cannes, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, Toulouse, Avignon, Nantes, Nîmes & Montpellier.  At Lille Europe there are lifts & escalators to all four platforms.  All TGV trains have wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-friendly toilets.

For other destinations, for example Vichy, Clermont-Ferrand or Cahors, you'll need to go via Paris, see the info above about accessible taxis.

To work out your train times, first see the London to France page .

Then book from London to Lille or Paris at www.eurostar.com , just click Wheelchair under the passenger box on the journey planner on their home page.  This automatically alerts Eurostar to the need for assistance on and off the train.

Then book tickets from Lille or Paris to your French destination with a wheelchair space at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com .  For English, scroll right at the bottom and select Europe (other countries) .  Then click on the first traveller and tick the Disabled passenger and Wheelchair user boxes.  That'll book you a wheelchair space.

After booking, arrange assistance on and off the train by filling in the Access Plus form, see www.sncf.com/en/passenger-offer/travel-for-everyone/accessibility/special-assistance .  You will need to enter the 6-character reservation code from your ticket booking.

...to Switzerland

By daytime trains

Take Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord , with wheelchair spaces & accessible toilets on board. 

In Paris there is level access off the platforms straight onto the concourse and the street.  You will need to arrange transport from Paris Nord to Paris Gare de Lyon , for example using a wheelchair-accessible taxi . 

Then travel from Paris Gare de Lyon to Geneva , Lausanne, Basel SBB & Zurich HB by TGV-Lyria high-speed trains with wheelchair places and wheelchair-accessible toilets.

You can see suggested timings on the London to Switzerland page , but you'll need to allow longer between trains in Paris if you've a wheelchair.  I'd allow 2-3 hours.

Book from London to Paris at www.eurostar.com , just click Wheelchair under the passenger box on the journey planner on their home page.  This automatically alerts Eurostar to the need for assistance on and off the train.

Then book tickets from Paris to Geneva, Lausanne, Basel or Zurich with a wheelchair space at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com .  For English, scroll right at the bottom and select Europe (other countries) .  Then click on the first traveller and tick the Disabled passenger and Wheelchair user boxes.  That'll book you a wheelchair space.

By sleeper train

Take the 11:04 Eurostar from London St Pancras to Amsterdam Centraal , with wheelchair spaces & accessible toilets on board. 

In Amsterdam it's a same-station change onto the daily Nightjet sleeper train from Amsterdam Centraal to Basel SBB .  The Nightjet sleeper train has a wheelchair-accessible 2-berth couchette compartment, with adjacent accessible toilet, see the photos below the Austria section.  I'd allow at least 2 hours between trains in Amsterdam.

Book from London to Paris at www.eurostar.com , just click Wheelchair under the passenger box on the journey planner on their home page.  This automatically alerts Eurostar to the need for assistance on and off the train.  Allow lots of time in Paris, ideally 2-3 hours.

Then take the Nightjet sleeper train from Amsterdam to Basel.  You can book a couchette in the wheelchair-accessible compartment from Brussels to Vienna, Paris to Salzburg & Vienna, Amsterdam to Munich, Innsbruck & Vienna, or  Amsterdam to Zurich at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at .  Select the first traveller, click Passenger with disabilities then tick the Wheelchair bay required box.

From Basel you can reach anywhere in Switzerland, Swiss trains have wheelchair spaces.

...to Italy:

Take Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord , with wheelchair spaces & accessible toilets on board.

You will need to arrange transport across Paris to the Gare de Lyon, for example using the wheelchair-accessible taxi .  Then take a daytime TGV train from Paris to Turin & Milan as these have wheelchair places and wheelchair-accessible toilets, for details see the Italy page .

Then book TGV tickets from Paris to Milan with a wheelchair space at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com .  For English, scroll right at the bottom and select Europe (other countries) .  Then click on the first traveller and tick the Disabled passenger and Wheelchair user boxes.  That'll book you a wheelchair space.

You can see suggested timings on the London to Italy page , but allow longer between trains in Paris if you've a wheelchair.

After booking Paris-Milan with SNCF, arrange assistance on and off the train by filling in the Access Plus form, see www.sncf.com/en/passenger-offer/travel-for-everyone/accessibility/special-assistance .  You will need to enter the 6-character reservation code from your ticket booking.

Once in Italy, most fast trains including Frecciarossa , Frecciargento & Frecciabianca services between major Italian cities have wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-accessible toilets.  For train times and how to buy tickets, see the London to Italy page .  You can arrange assistance at stations and assistance on and off trains (and, I believe, get wheelchair spaces reserved on trains in Italy) at www.rfi.it/en/for-persons-with-disability.html .

...to Spain

You will need to arrange transport across Paris to the Gare de Lyon, for example using the wheelchair-accessible taxi . 

Then take a Paris-Barcelona TGV as shown on the London to Spain page , with wheelchair spaces & accessible toilets on board.

You'll then also find these facilities on the onward Spanish AVE trains from Barcelona to Madrid, Malaga, Seville, Cordoba, Alicante, Valencia and most other Spanish destinations.  However, there are no wheelchair facilities on the French overnight trains between Paris and Perpignan, Latour de Carol or the Spanish border mentioned on that page. 

To travel from London to Barcelona by Eurostar & TGV, first book from London to Paris at www.eurostar.com , just click Wheelchair under the passenger box on the journey planner on their home page.  This automatically alerts Eurostar to the need for assistance on and off the train.

You can see suggested timings on the London to Spain page , but allow longer between trains in Paris if you've a wheelchair.

lots of time in Paris, ideally 2-3 hours.

Then book TGV tickets from Paris to Barcelona with a wheelchair space at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com .  For English, scroll right at the bottom and select Europe (other countries) .  Then click on the first traveller and tick the Disabled passenger and Wheelchair user boxes.  That'll book you a wheelchair space.

After booking Paris-Barcelona with SNCF, arrange assistance on and off the train by filling in the Access Plus form, see www.sncf.com/en/passenger-offer/travel-for-everyone/accessibility/special-assistance .  You will need to enter the 6-character reservation code from your ticket booking.

There are also direct ferries from the UK to Spain, with disabled/wheelchair facilities.  See www.brittany-ferries.co.uk (Plymouth-Santander, Portsmouth-Santander & Portsmouth-Bilbao).

...to Germany

Take Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels Midi or Paris Gare du Nord , with wheelchair spaces & accessible toilets on board.

In Brussels it's a simple same-station change with lifts to/from all platforms.  In Paris, it's a 10-15 minute walk or wheelchair push from the Gare du Nord where Eurostar arrives to Paris Gare de l'Est where trains to Germany depart. 

From Brussels Midi , there are Eurostar (formerly Thalys) high-speed trains to Cologne all with wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-friendly toilets.  From Cologne, there are wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-friendly toilets on almost all the InterCity (IC) and InterCityExpress (ICE) trains to destinations all over Germany.  Boarding assistance can be provided at most major Germany stations.

From Paris Gare de l'Est there are TGV or ICE trains to Stuttgart, Munich , Frankfurt all with wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-accessible toilets.  For train times, fares & how to buy tickets, see the London to Germany page .  There is a handicap brochure with more information on the Germany Railways website, int.bahn.de .

You can see suggested timings on the London to Germany page , but allow longer between trains in Paris or Brussels.

First book from London to Paris or Brussels at www.eurostar.com , click Wheelchair under the passenger box on the journey planner on their home page.  This automatically alerts Eurostar to the need for assistance on and off the train.  Allow lots of time in Paris, ideally 2 hours.

If going via Paris, book tickets from Paris to Germany with a wheelchair space at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com .  For English, scroll right at the bottom and select Europe (other countries) .  Then click on the first traveller and tick the Disabled passenger and Wheelchair user boxes.  That'll book you a wheelchair space.

After booking Paris-Germany with SNCF, arrange assistance on and off the train by filling in the Access Plus form, see www.sncf.com/en/passenger-offer/travel-for-everyone/accessibility/special-assistance .  You will need to enter the 6-character reservation code from your ticket booking.

If going via Brussels, book by phone and arrange assistance by calling DB's mobility people: +49 (0) 030 65212888, fax: +49 (0) 30 65212899, email [email protected] Opening hours 06:00-22:00 Monday to Friday, 08:00-20:00 weekends and holidays.

...to Austria

Take Eurostar from London St Pancras to either Paris Nord , Brussels Midi or Amsterdam Centraal , with wheelchair spaces & accessible toilets.

Then travel by a Nightjet sleeper train from Brussels Midi to Vienna , Paris Est to Salzburg & Vienna , or Amsterdam Centraal to Munich , Innsbruck & Vienna .  Most Nightjets have a 2-berth accessible couchette compartment, adjacent to an accessible toilet, see the photos below.

You can find details of the timings via each of these routes on the London to Austria page .

Going via Brussels or Amsterdam means an easy same-station change from Eurostar onto the sleeper.  Going via Paris means a walk or wheelchair-push from the Gare du Nord to the nearby Gare de l'Est .

Book the Eurostar from London to Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam at www.eurostar.com , simply click Wheelchair under the passenger box on the journey planner on their home page.  This automatically alerts Eurostar to the need for assistance on and off the train.  Allow lots of time between trains, ideally 2 hours.

Then book a couchette in the wheelchair-accessible compartment from Brussels to Vienna, Paris to Salzburg & Vienna, Amsterdam to Munich, Innsbruck & Vienna at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at .  Select the first traveller, click Passenger with disabilities then tick the Wheelchair bay required box.

2-berth wheelchair-accessible PRM compartment on a Nightjet sleeper train.  Above left, the older type inherited from German Railways. Above right, the newer comfort type steadily replacing the older cars.  Photos courtesy of Andreas Pöschek, see @fuchur for travel inspiration...

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If you'd rather call someone

For journeys from London to France, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland & Italy, call International Rail on 0844 248 248 3   (lines open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday).

You can also try www.ffestiniogtravel.com on 01766 512400 (09:00-17:00 Mondays to Fridays, 09:00-13:00 Saturdays) or www.trainseurope.co.uk on 01354 660222 (09:00-19:00 Monday to Friday, 10:00-15:00 Saturdays & Sundays).

For journeys from London to Germany, Scandinavia, eastern & central Europe, call Deutsche Bahn's English-speaking telesales line, on 00 49 (0)30 311 68 29 04 (lines open 08:30-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturdays & Sunday, UK time).

DB can make arrangements to assist you at Paris East, Brussels Midi, in Germany and in other countries too, but you may also need to call Eurostar ( 03432 186 186 or email them via www.eurostar.com ) to arrange assistance at London St Pancras & Paris Gare du Nord.

I am familiar with all these agencies for the sale or normal tickets, but I have not had any feedback on how well they handle bookings for wheelchair users or travellers with disabilities, or how well they handle arrangements for assistance at stations.  So if you use them, do let me know how you get on !

Traveller's reports

Traveller Andrew Farrow went from London to Croatia by train in a wheelchair:   I’m a permanent wheelchair user, with a 'normal' manual wheelchair.  I need a ramp to get on to a train.  I can, with assistance, transfer to a normal seat and my wheelchair can be folded away - people with bigger or electric wheelchairs might have a different experience. Because of the hassle of sorting out ramps and assistance, I’d allow a minimum of at least 30 minutes to change trains at any station, preferably a lot longer. And despite the European Community supposedly being a place of common rules and regulations, this does not seem to apply to rail travel in a wheelchair, where each country has its own approach. Each country has different rules about companions or carers and a different mechanism for dealing with wheelchairs.  From my  experience so far, you need to be willing to be lifted in and out of trains, to accept not always being able to get to a toilet, to have to transfer from your chair and to have a lot of patience.  That said, because of my wheelchair we met far more people and had far more wonderful encounters with strangers than we would have done otherwise.  Everywhere people were enormously friendly and helpful: partly as a result of my London–Split trip, I’ve decided I will now travel in Europe only by train.

I booked my Eurostar ticket online, a very easy process. The Paris–Split travel was all arranged by Deutsch Bahn. However, Deutsch Bahn could only arrange assistance in Germany, not Croatia.

1. London - Paris:  Eurostar is wonderful for wheelchair users. There are only two wheelchair spaces in the entire train, so it’s worth booking early if you have to catch a specific train. Assistance does not need to be booked in advance, you don’t need to turn up especially early and you can check in at the normal check in desks. A (very grand) ramp is provided in both London and Paris (Gare du Nord).

2. Paris - Munich:  Following your advice, we caught the overnight train from Paris Gare de l’Est [sadly discontinued from December 2014], leaving at 20:05, arriving Munich 07:10. This was a fantastic journey: we had an entire compartment to ourselves, although others could access the toilet! Instead of a four person couchette, our compartment was a two person couchette with a lot of extra room for wheeling about. Similarly, the toilet was enormous, with huge amounts of room. With this level of luxury, I doubt whether they can accommodate more than one wheelchair user, so book early. You need to get to Gare de L’Est at least half an hour before the train leaves and go to the Special Assistance office to find a staff member who will then find a ramp for you. We had to wait in Munich for a little while for a ramp to be found.

3. Munich – Zagreb:  Deutsch Bahn wouldn’t allow us to catch the suggested 08:27 from Munich to Zagreb as they said that there wouldn’t be enough time to make the change from one train to another (That actually turned out quite well, because when we arrived in Munich, we discovered it was Oktoberfest, so had time to walk down to the venue and experience literally tens of thousands of Germans in lederhosen celebrating and sampling enormous quantities of beer). Instead, they booked us on to the direct train to Zagreb leaving Munich at 12:27 and arriving Zagreb at 20:53, no changes necessary. Getting on the train in Munich was fine. However, this journey would not be possible for someone who cannot transfer from their wheelchair: I had to transfer from my chair to a seat at the end of the compartment as the corridor was too narrow to wheel down. There is no separate wheelchair space, and my chair had to be folded up. Given this experience, I doubt whether the toilet was accessible (I didn’t check). It was a comfortable train though, and the conductor very helpfully brought food and beer to our seats.

I was unsure what would happen when we got to Zagreb or Split. Whilst I had found contact details for Croatian Railways and did have an email conversation discussing what train times and carriages I was in (“We need these details so we could be able to organized your transportation”), I didn’t actually have confirmation that assistance or ramps would be available. In Zagreb, a ramp was eventually found and we descended. It’s an accessible station with no steps.  We stayed the night in the Esplanade Hotel, about five minutes walk from the station and a glorious Art Deco hotel with very reasonable prices. It used to be the preferred venue for travellers stopping off en route on the old Orient Express leg from Istanbul to Zagreb apparently. This allowed us a morning to explore Zagreb, where there’s an original carriage from the Orient Express that’s been turned into a bar.

4. Zagreb – Split:  We left Zagreb at 14:04, arriving Split at 20:37. We arrived at Zagreb station 45 minutes before the train was due to leave and after a lot of confusion and discussion at the information desk, got taken to a side office and eventually a ramp was arranged. Again, I had to transfer from my wheelchair. Again, I doubt whether there were accessible toilets on board. At Split, no ramp but lots of strong helpful men to get me down. An accessible station, no steps.

Traveller Jill Lindenbauer travelled from London to Valencia by train with her young son who uses a wheelchair .  She reports:  "I feel so lucky to have Ebbsfleet International on my doorstep, and the staff which assisted William and I certainly made us feel like VIPs.  It was no trouble boarding the train and as William's carer we were privileged to sit in 1st class as this is where the wheelchair seating is situated, even though we only paid 2nd class fares.  Immediately we were asked if we wanted a drink, and a meal was provided, which I wasn't expecting. It certainly got the holiday off to a good start, and whilst travelling I received a call from the English-speaking G7 Taxi service in France to say that our wheelchair-accessible taxi would be waiting when we arrived in Gare Du Nord.  This is a quick and easy service to use and I booked our taxi in advance from the comfort of my own living-room.

When William and I reached Gare Du Nord that sunny evening there was the same buzz of activity as the ramp was prepared for the wheelchair, and a porter took my bags. I soon spotted my name on a white piece of card, but I'm guessing the taxi driver spotted my son and I as we made our way along the platform. The taxi driver took my bag and led the way to his vehicle outside. He swiftly organised the ramp and pushed William in his chair inside, where he secured William's wheelchair to the car floor with belts. The politeness and assistance of the taxi driver made our short trip effortless and at Gare D'Austerlitz he escorted us to the Information Office.  The taxi cost 40-50 euros, but the meter was probably running as we are leaving the train and as we are about the last to leave as we wait for special assistance this is a small price to pay.

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Call us on 0345 528 0253 - option 3  -  we're open 24 hours a day Monday to Sunday . Tickets can also be purchased using this service.

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If you need a hand on the day and haven’t booked, we will do everything that we can to help. Please speak to a member of our team. If there are no members of our team available, please contact us on social media @avantiwestcoast or by using the station help points.

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We recognise that not every disability is visible, and we hope all our customers can travel with dignity. That’s why we’ve partnered with The Sunflower Scheme. By wearing The Sunflower Scheme lanyard, you can discreetly indicate to our staff that you may need additional support, a little more time or that you’re unable to wear a face covering.

To find out more, please click here .

Alongside this, we also still recognise Just a Minute (JAM) cards. For more information about JAM cards, please take a look here: JAM cards

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We can help with your luggage, but we’d really appreciate if you could limit the amount you bring along to the essentials.

Wheelchair users

Space for wheelchairs can often be limited, so it’s usually best to let us know at least 24 hours before you travel. You’ll have peace of mind for the journey and we’ll be able to arrange for a member of the team to give you any help you need. Booking ahead will also help us plan with Network Rail and other train operators to improve your onward journey.

Wheelchairs and scooters carried

• Width: 700mm
• Length: 1200mm
• Weight: (including passenger) 300kg

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When you have booked assistance and it has not been delivered you will be eligible for compensation for your journey. When your assistance was booked for travel on one of our trains we will provide both the compensation and a response. You can claim this by contacting our Passenger Assist Team. If you were travelling on another train company’s service for all or part of your journey, you can choose to contact them directly, or we can liaise with them on your behalf.

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Moscow Public Transportation

The public transportation system in Moscow is moderately accessible, much to the surprise of many. Use of this transportation network will require some planning for disabled travelers, especially those in wheelchairs. An ability to understand and recognize the Cyrillic alphabet will also make its use much easier for travelers of all abilities. The city’s subway system is not accessible to wheelchairs. The vast majority of city buses and trolley buses offer step-free access.

Metro Subway

The Moscow Metro Subway is spread across 12 lines and serves 196 stations throughout the city. While some stations have recently had elevators installed, the system cannot be considered wheelchair accessible. Large gaps of up to 6 inches exist between the subway train and station platforms. Trains are often not level with the platform and require a step up of a similar distance.

Stations without elevators require travelers to ascend or descend long flights of stairs. I strongly recommend that you use the accessible city bus network and avoid the subway.

City Bus and Trolleybus System

Moscow is served by an increasingly modern city bus system with hundreds of routes/lines. Every major city street is served by at least one bus line. Busses are numbered and lettered with route information. The network consists of normal, gas-powered city buses and the largest electricity-powered trolleybus system in the world.

The majority of city buses and trolleybuses now have lowered floors and are wheelchair accessible. The door at the center of the bus is equipped with a manual ramp which the bus operator will extend for wheelchair users. These ramps can be quite steep, but the bus operator can assist with pushing the wheelchair up the ramp. Wheelchair accessible buses are equipped with a securement space for wheelchairs with tie downs/straps and a seatbelt. Priority reserved seating is available for seniors and persons with disabilities.

All wheelchair accessible buses are marked with the international symbol of access (the wheelchair icon) at the center door or on the front of the vehicle. Wheelchair entry is possible only through the center door, where the retractable or fold out ramp is located. Wheelchair travelers ride the city bus and trolleybus free of charge. You should flag down the approaching bus if wish to ride, so that the operator can maneuver the bus close to the curb for ramp deployment.

On-street rail trams

The City of Moscow is served by 44 on street tram lines, which run on recessed rails and are powered by electricity. All trams require riders to climb several steps in order to access the passenger cabin. There are no implements which make wheelchair access possible. Disabled travelers should plan to avoid any routes which require the use of a tram. City buses adequately serve all parts of the city in which the trams operate.

City Sightseeing Moscow Hop-on/off Tour Bus

Although it is not managed by the city, the City Sightseeing Moscow tour bus travels to all of the major sights in Moscow and allows patrons to hop-on and hop-off at nearly 40 stops. The bus stops at or near all of the sights I have reviewed on this website. The next bus is available 30-40 minutes after the one before and the entire route circle takes 60 minutes to complete. Buses are wheelchair accessible, with fold-out ramps at the rear doors. One dedicated wheelchair space is available on each bus.

Passengers are provided with a set of headphones which can be plugged in to the at-seat ports. An audio guide is available in multiple languages, including English. Tickets for adults, good for 24 hours from the time of purchase, are available for 700 RUB. They can be purchased online with credit card, or onboard the bus with cash.  Tickets are provided free of charge to wheelchair users and for other persons with proof of disability. Discounts are also available to seniors with identification. For additional information on the Moscow City Sightseeing Bus or to download route maps, visit  city-sightseeing.com .

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• Disabled people
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Transport support services for disabled people

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On mainline (intercity, suburban and cross-country) trains there’s space for your wheelchair. Put your chair in this space and use the brakes (or switch your wheelchair’s power off) when the train’s moving.

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In Transit: Notes from the Underground

Jun 06 2018.

Spend some time in one of Moscow’s finest museums.

Subterranean commuting might not be anyone’s idea of a good time, but even in a city packing the war-games treasures and priceless bejeweled eggs of the Kremlin Armoury and the colossal Soviet pavilions of the VDNKh , the Metro holds up as one of Moscow’s finest museums. Just avoid rush hour.

The Metro is stunning and provides an unrivaled insight into the city’s psyche, past and present, but it also happens to be the best way to get around. Moscow has Uber, and the Russian version called Yandex Taxi , but also some nasty traffic. Metro trains come around every 90 seconds or so, at a more than 99 percent on-time rate. It’s also reasonably priced, with a single ride at 55 cents (and cheaper in bulk). From history to tickets to rules — official and not — here’s what you need to know to get started.

A Brief Introduction Buying Tickets Know Before You Go (Down) Rules An Easy Tour

A Brief Introduction

Moscow’s Metro was a long time coming. Plans for rapid transit to relieve the city’s beleaguered tram system date back to the Imperial era, but a couple of wars and a revolution held up its development. Stalin revived it as part of his grand plan to modernize the Soviet Union in the 1920s and 30s. The first lines and tunnels were constructed with help from engineers from the London Underground, although Stalin’s secret police decided that they had learned too much about Moscow’s layout and had them arrested on espionage charges and deported.

The beauty of its stations (if not its trains) is well-documented, and certainly no accident. In its illustrious first phases and particularly after the Second World War, the greatest architects of Soviet era were recruited to create gleaming temples celebrating the Revolution, the USSR, and the war triumph. No two stations are exactly alike, and each of the classic showpieces has a theme. There are world-famous shrines to Futurist architecture, a celebration of electricity, tributes to individuals and regions of the former Soviet Union. Each marble slab, mosaic tile, or light fixture was placed with intent, all in service to a station’s aesthetic; each element, f rom the smallest brass ear of corn to a large blood-spattered sword on a World War II mural, is an essential part of the whole.

The Metro is a monument to the Soviet propaganda project it was intended to be when it opened in 1935 with the slogan “Building a Palace for the People”. It brought the grand interiors of Imperial Russia to ordinary Muscovites, celebrated the Soviet Union’s past achievements while promising its citizens a bright Soviet future, and of course, it was a show-piece for the world to witness the might and sophistication of life in the Soviet Union.

It may be a museum, but it’s no relic. U p to nine million people use it daily, more than the London Underground and New York Subway combined. (Along with, at one time, about 20 stray dogs that learned to commute on the Metro.)

In its 80+ year history, the Metro has expanded in phases and fits and starts, in step with the fortunes of Moscow and Russia. Now, partly in preparation for the World Cup 2018, it’s also modernizing. New trains allow passengers to walk the entire length of the train without having to change carriages. The system is becoming more visitor-friendly. (There are helpful stickers on the floor marking out the best selfie spots .) But there’s a price to modernity: it’s phasing out one of its beloved institutions, the escalator attendants. Often they are middle-aged or elderly women—“ escalator grandmas ” in news accounts—who have held the post for decades, sitting in their tiny kiosks, scolding commuters for bad escalator etiquette or even bad posture, or telling jokes . They are slated to be replaced, when at all, by members of the escalator maintenance staff.

For all its achievements, the Metro lags behind Moscow’s above-ground growth, as Russia’s capital sprawls ever outwards, generating some of the world’s worst traffic jams . But since 2011, the Metro has been in the middle of an ambitious and long-overdue enlargement; 60 new stations are opening by 2020. If all goes to plan, the 2011-2020 period will have brought 125 miles of new tracks and over 100 new stations — a 40 percent increase — the fastest and largest expansion phase in any period in the Metro’s history.

Facts: 14 lines Opening hours: 5 a.m-1 a.m. Rush hour(s): 8-10 a.m, 4-8 p.m. Single ride: 55₽ (about 85 cents) Wi-Fi network-wide

Buying Tickets

• Ticket machines have a button to switch to English.
• You can buy specific numbers of rides: 1, 2, 5, 11, 20, or 60. Hold up fingers to show how many rides you want to buy.
• There is also a 90-minute ticket , which gets you 1 trip on the metro plus an unlimited number of transfers on other transport (bus, tram, etc) within 90 minutes.
• Or, you can buy day tickets with unlimited rides: one day (218₽/ US$4), three days (415₽/US$7) or seven days (830₽/US$15). Check the rates here to stay up-to-date.
• If you’re going to be using the Metro regularly over a few days, it’s worth getting a Troika card , a contactless, refillable card you can use on all public transport. Using the Metro is cheaper with one of these: a single ride is 36₽, not 55₽. Buy them and refill them in the Metro stations, and they’re valid for 5 years, so you can keep it for next time. Or, if you have a lot of cash left on it when you leave, you can get it refunded at the Metro Service Centers at Ulitsa 1905 Goda, 25 or at Staraya Basmannaya 20, Building 1.
• You can also buy silicone bracelets and keychains with built-in transport chips that you can use as a Troika card. (A Moscow Metro Fitbit!) So far, you can only get these at the Pushkinskaya metro station Live Helpdesk and souvenir shops in the Mayakovskaya and Trubnaya metro stations. The fare is the same as for the Troika card.
• You can also use Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.

Rules, spoken and unspoken

No smoking, no drinking, no filming, no littering. Photography is allowed, although it used to be banned.

Stand to the right on the escalator. Break this rule and you risk the wrath of the legendary escalator attendants. (No shenanigans on the escalators in general.)

Get out of the way. Find an empty corner to hide in when you get off a train and need to stare at your phone. Watch out getting out of the train in general; when your train doors open, people tend to appear from nowhere or from behind ornate marble columns, walking full-speed.

Always offer your seat to elderly ladies (what are you, a monster?).

An Easy Tour

This is no Metro Marathon ( 199 stations in 20 hours ). It’s an easy tour, taking in most—though not all—of the notable stations, the bulk of it going clockwise along the Circle line, with a couple of short detours. These stations are within minutes of one another, and the whole tour should take about 1-2 hours.

Start at Mayakovskaya Metro station , at the corner of Tverskaya and Garden Ring,  Triumfalnaya Square, Moskva, Russia, 125047.

1. Mayakovskaya.  Named for Russian Futurist Movement poet Vladimir Mayakovsky and an attempt to bring to life the future he imagined in his poems. (The Futurist Movement, natch, was all about a rejecting the past and celebrating all things speed, industry, modern machines, youth, modernity.) The result: an Art Deco masterpiece that won the National Grand Prix for architecture at the New York World’s Fair in 1939. It’s all smooth, rounded shine and light, and gentle arches supported by columns of dark pink marble and stainless aircraft steel. Each of its 34 ceiling niches has a mosaic. During World War II, the station was used as an air-raid shelter and, at one point, a bunker for Stalin. He gave a subdued but rousing speech here in Nov. 6, 1941 as the Nazis bombed the city above.

Take the 3/Green line one station to:

2. Belorusskaya. Opened in 1952, named after the connected Belarussky Rail Terminal, which runs trains between Moscow and Belarus. This is a light marble affair with a white, cake-like ceiling, lined with Belorussian patterns and 12 Florentine ceiling mosaics depicting life in Belarussia when it was built.

Transfer onto the 1/Brown line. Then, one stop (clockwise) t o:

3. Novoslobodskaya.  This station was designed around the stained-glass panels, which were made in Latvia, because Alexey Dushkin, the Soviet starchitect who dreamed it up (and also designed Mayakovskaya station) couldn’t find the glass and craft locally. The stained glass is the same used for Riga’s Cathedral, and the panels feature plants, flowers, members of the Soviet intelligentsia (musician, artist, architect) and geometric shapes.

Go two stops east on the 1/Circle line to:

4. Komsomolskaya. Named after the Komsomol, or the Young Communist League, this might just be peak Stalin Metro style. Underneath the hub for three regional railways, it was intended to be a grand gateway to Moscow and is today its busiest station. It has chandeliers; a yellow ceiling with Baroque embellishments; and in the main hall, a colossal red star overlaid on golden, shimmering tiles. Designer Alexey Shchusev designed it as an homage to the speech Stalin gave at Red Square on Nov. 7, 1941, in which he invoked Russia’s illustrious military leaders as a pep talk to Soviet soldiers through the first catastrophic year of the war.   The station’s eight large mosaics are of the leaders referenced in the speech, such as Alexander Nevsky, a 13th-century prince and military commander who bested German and Swedish invading armies.

One more stop clockwise to Kurskaya station,  and change onto the 3/Blue  line, and go one stop to:

5. Baumanskaya.   Opened in 1944. Named for the Bolshevik Revolutionary Nikolai Bauman , whose monument and namesake district are aboveground here. Though he seemed like a nasty piece of work (he apparently once publicly mocked a woman he had impregnated, who later hung herself), he became a Revolutionary martyr when he was killed in 1905 in a skirmish with a monarchist, who hit him on the head with part of a steel pipe. The station is in Art Deco style with atmospherically dim lighting, and a series of bronze sculptures of soldiers and homefront heroes during the War. At one end, there is a large mosaic portrait of Lenin.

Stay on that train direction one more east to:

6. Elektrozavodskaya. As you may have guessed from the name, this station is the Metro’s tribute to all thing electrical, built in 1944 and named after a nearby lightbulb factory. It has marble bas-relief sculptures of important figures in electrical engineering, and others illustrating the Soviet Union’s war-time struggles at home. The ceiling’s recurring rows of circular lamps give the station’s main tunnel a comforting glow, and a pleasing visual effect.

Double back two stops to Kurskaya station , and change back to the 1/Circle line. Sit tight for six stations to:

7. Kiyevskaya. This was the last station on the Circle line to be built, in 1954, completed under Nikita Khrushchev’ s guidance, as a tribute to his homeland, Ukraine. Its three large station halls feature images celebrating Ukraine’s contributions to the Soviet Union and Russo-Ukrainian unity, depicting musicians, textile-working, soldiers, farmers. (One hall has frescoes, one mosaics, and the third murals.) Shortly after it was completed, Khrushchev condemned the architectural excesses and unnecessary luxury of the Stalin era, which ushered in an epoch of more austere Metro stations. According to the legend at least, he timed the policy in part to ensure no Metro station built after could outshine Kiyevskaya.

Change to the 3/Blue line and go one stop west.

8. Park Pobedy. This is the deepest station on the Metro, with one of the world’s longest escalators, at 413 feet. If you stand still, the escalator ride to the surface takes about three minutes .) Opened in 2003 at Victory Park, the station celebrates two of Russia’s great military victories. Each end has a mural by Georgian artist Zurab Tsereteli, who also designed the “ Good Defeats Evil ” statue at the UN headquarters in New York. One mural depicts the Russian generals’ victory over the French in 1812 and the other, the German surrender of 1945. The latter is particularly striking; equal parts dramatic, triumphant, and gruesome. To the side, Red Army soldiers trample Nazi flags, and if you look closely there’s some blood spatter among the detail. Still, the biggest impressions here are the marble shine of the chessboard floor pattern and the pleasingly geometric effect if you view from one end to the other.

Keep going one more stop west to:

9. Slavyansky Bulvar.  One of the Metro’s youngest stations, it opened in 2008. With far higher ceilings than many other stations—which tend to have covered central tunnels on the platforms—it has an “open-air” feel (or as close to it as you can get, one hundred feet under). It’s an homage to French architect Hector Guimard, he of the Art Nouveau entrances for the Paris M é tro, and that’s precisely what this looks like: A Moscow homage to the Paris M é tro, with an additional forest theme. A Cyrillic twist on Guimard’s Metro-style lettering over the benches, furnished with t rees and branch motifs, including creeping vines as towering lamp-posts.

Stay on the 3/Blue line and double back four stations to:

10. Arbatskaya. Its first iteration, Arbatskaya-Smolenskaya station, was damaged by German bombs in 1941. It was rebuilt in 1953, and designed to double as a bomb shelter in the event of nuclear war, although unusually for stations built in the post-war phase, this one doesn’t have a war theme. It may also be one of the system’s most elegant: Baroque, but toned down a little, with red marble floors and white ceilings with gilded bronze c handeliers.

Jump back on the 3/Blue line  in the same direction and take it one more stop:

11. Ploshchad Revolyutsii (Revolution Square). Opened in 1938, and serving Red Square and the Kremlin . Its renowned central hall has marble columns flanked by 76 bronze statues of Soviet heroes: soldiers, students, farmers, athletes, writers, parents. Some of these statues’ appendages have a yellow sheen from decades of Moscow’s commuters rubbing them for good luck. Among the most popular for a superstitious walk-by rub: the snout of a frontier guard’s dog, a soldier’s gun (where the touch of millions of human hands have tapered the gun barrel into a fine, pointy blade), a baby’s foot, and a woman’s knee. (A brass rooster also sports the telltale gold sheen, though I am told that rubbing the rooster is thought to bring bad luck. )

Now take the escalator up, and get some fresh air.

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21 Things to Know Before You Go to Moscow

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If you need to catch a connecting train in the UK, you’ll need to book assistance with National Rail .

Turn-up-and-go assistance

When departing the UK, if you’ve been unable to pre-book your assistance, you can ask for assistance at the station on the day of your journey.

Please arrive at least 60 minutes before your departure, and we'll aim to meet your assistance request in time for your train. However, please note we cannot guarantee you’ll travel on your initial departing train. We may need to move you to a later departing train, free of charge.

Whether you’ve pre-booked assistance or not, you’ll need to arrive at the designated meeting point at least 60 minutes before your train departs, and we’ll help you from there. Keep in mind, there might be a short wait and, if you haven’t pre-booked, we may need to exchange your ticket free of charge for a later departing train.

Our train managers make regular announcements to share important information during your journey. The same information will be displayed on digital screens in your coach.

If you have any questions, you can speak to the train manager or ask our onboard team. They’re always on hand, but they can’t help with medicines, mealtimes, or toilet trips.

To find out more about onboard safety, pick up a safety leaflet at the end of your coach.

Where and how we can help

Eurostar Assist

Assistance is available at both ends of your journey. Our own Eurostar Assist team is based in London and we use external assistance providers in all our other stations. This means that assistance may vary slightly from station to station. Don’t worry though, we work closely with these teams to make sure your journey goes smoothly.

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If you’re travelling to or from London St Pancras International, you are advised to pre-book assistance at least 24 hours before your booked train departure. If it's not possible for you to pre-book, you can turn up on the day at least 60 minutes before departure. If you do not pre-book assistance, we'll aim to meet your assistance request in time for your train. However, please note, we cannot guarantee you’ll travel on your initial departing train. We may need to move you to a later departing train free of charge.

As well as taking you to and from the train, our Eurostar Assist team in London can help with up to two bags, at a maximum weight 15kg per bag. If your bags weigh more than 15kg, we’ll be unable to help.

Please arrive at the Eurostar Assistance Booth 5 meeting point at least 60 minutes before your train departs. The Eurostar Assistance meeting point is located on the left as you enter the main customer concourse area from inside the main hall of London St Pancras International.

From there, we’ll take you through security and passport controls to the departure lounge, where you can take a seat in our priority seating area. When your train’s ready for boarding, we’ll take you to your coach and designated seat. When your train arrives at your destination, the assistance team will either meet you at your seat or outside your coach and guide you all the way through to arrivals.

External assistance providers in Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands

External assistance providers are available at the following stations:

• Paris Gare du Nord
• Brussels-Midi/Zuid
• Liège-Guillemins
• Köln Hbf/Cologne
• Düsseldorf Hbf
• Dortmund Hbf
• Duisburg Hbf
• Lille Europe
• Amsterdam Centraal
• Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
• Antwerpen-Centraal
• Rotterdam Centraal

Our seasonal stations include the French Alps (Moûtiers-Salins-Brides-les-Bains, Aime-la-Plagne, Bourg-Saint-Maurice), as well as Marseille Saint-Charles, Avignon TGV, Aix-en-Provence TGV and more. If you're travelling to or from London, you’re advised to pre-book assistance at least 24 hours before departure. If you do not pre-book, we’ll still aim to meet your assistance request. However, we cannot guarantee that assistance will be for the initially booked train. We may need to move you to a later departing train, free of charge. If you need assistance at the station and/or during boarding, please contact our call centre on the following numbers:

• The UK, the Netherlands and Germany: +44 (0)3432 186 186
• France: +33(0) 1 70 70 60 99
• Belgium: +32(0) 2 400 67 76

The local assistance service you get depends on which country you’re travelling from.

France and Belgium

The external assistance provider will take you to and from the train and help with two bags at a maximum weight of 15kg per bag. If your bags weigh more than 15kg, we’ll be unable to help. You can also request a station wheelchair if you need one to get you to or from your designated seat. Please note, in Lille, they don’t offer assistance for single parents travelling with children.

The Netherlands

The external assistance provider can only help customers who require wheelchair assistance or who are blind or visually impaired. They’ll take you to and from the train. Please note, they won’t be able to help you with your bags.

Local assistance meeting points

Each station is a little different. So, when you get there, follow the signs to find the meeting point or ask the station team to show you where it is.

Connecting journeys

If you’re travelling to another destination in Europe, you need to pre-book assistance at least 24 hours before departure. At your connecting station, we’ll take you to the handover point and, from there, you’ll be guided by the local assistance team.

For onward journeys from London St Pancras International, you need to organise assistance directly with National Rail .

London St Pancras International

If you need help with your bags at a station, our own Eurostar Assist team can help. We accept up to two bags that weigh no more than 15kg per bag. If your bags weigh more than 15kg, we won’t be able to help.

Stations with an external assistance provider

Our external service assistance teams can help with up to two bags that weigh no more than 15kg per bag, in all stations excluding those in the Netherlands.

More about Eurostar luggage

Who we can help

Travellers requiring assistance

Our Eurostar Assist team in London and external assistance teams in all other stations can help travellers requiring assistance. This includes:

Wheelchair users

Whether you’ve booked a wheelchair space or you’re going to fold and store your wheelchair while you travel, you can get assistance.

Eurostar wheelchair spaces

If you’re unable to walk 200m without help, you’ll need to travel in one of the four spaces on board. All these spaces are close to accessible toilets and there’ll be a ramp for you to get on and off the train.

Your wheelchair must fit in a wheelchair space that is:

• No more than 700mm (70cm) wide
• No more than 1200mm (120cm) long (including the footplate)
• A maximum weight of 300kg (this includes the weight of the customer)

Eurostar spaces for wheelchair users

If you can walk 200m and get on and off the train without help, you can travel in a seat and store your foldable wheelchair or other mobility aid on the luggage racks. We can’t guarantee that there’ll be a ramp to and from the train but if you require one, please pre-book assistance at least 24 hours before you are meant to travel.

Travelling with your own wheelchair

If you're travelling in your own wheelchair without a companion, for departures or arrivals at London St Pancras, we'll ask you to transfer to a station wheelchair if you request assistance at the station. Our team will ensure that your own wheelchair accompanies you to board or disembark the train. Once on board you can transfer and travel in your own wheelchair.

Station wheelchair and ramp assistance

If you require a station wheelchair and a ramp, please pre-book your assistance request at least 24 hours before you travel. If you don’t pre-book and ask for wheelchair and ramp assistance on the day, we can’t guarantee that we’ll be able to help you travel on your initial departing train. We may have to move you to a later train free of charge.

Please arrive at least 60 minutes before your train is due to depart.

Find out more information

Electric wheelchair or mobility scooter

Travellers who use an electric wheelchair or mobility scooter

If you want to travel with your electric wheelchair or mobility scooter, you have to book a wheelchair space. If you want help getting to and from the train, you must pre-book assistance at least 24 hours before your journey.

Electric wheelchairs or mobility scooters

You can only travel with a battery-powered wheelchair or mobility scooter as long as they:

• Are no more than 70cm (700)mm wide
• Are no more than 120cm (1200mm) long
• Are a maximum weight of 300kg (this includes the weight of the customer)
• Have an anti-tip device

We also have a few restrictions when it comes to powered scooters.

Some powered scooters are only meant for road use and cannot be used on our trains , so we ask customers to carefully check the dimensions to ensure their mobility scooter will fit on board. If a mobility scooter exceeds the above dimensions, we will not be able to accept it on board.

For safety reasons and to comply with Channel Tunnel requirements, scooters that use combustible fuel are not permitted on our trains. Only battery-operated mobility scooters are permitted to travel on board.

Mobility scooters and combustion engine-powered wheelchairs are not allowed on board.

Travelling with your own wheelchair or electric scooter

If you're travelling in one of our wheelchair spaces and would like us to assist you with any other needs, we recommend you pre-book assistance at least 24 hours before you travel. If you’re unable to pre-book assistance, we’ll do our best to provide assistance on the day of travel, but we can’t guarantee you’ll leave on your initial departing train. We may have to move you to a later train free of charge.

Guide and assistance animals

Travelling with a guide dog, assistance dog, or assistance cat? We accept up to four on board each of our trains. But they’re subject to approval through our contact centre and in our stations prior to travel.

Remember to call us at least 24 hours before your train departs. Your guide dog, assistance dog, or assistant cat must have a valid ticket for their journey.

Travelling with a companion

We have special ticket options for your companion or carer. For journeys between Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands, see our ticket options . For journeys to or from London, call us or use our contact form.

For all journeys, email us using this contact form to learn more and organise assistance if you need it. Please select the accessible travel button to ensure your query gets to the right person.

If we need more information, we’ll call you directly.

Otherwise, call us on the following numbers (select your language, then option 4):

Travellers with autism

Let us know if you or someone you’re travelling with has autism and we’ll guide you through the station, to the train and to arrivals at your destination. If you’d prefer to travel when there are fewer people in our stations and on board, we recommend travelling at one of these times:

• Monday to Thursday after 14:00
• Sunday before 14:00

It’s also particularly busy on bank holidays, during school holidays and special events. We recommend travelling outside of these dates.

If you would like any more information, please call us on the following numbers (select your language, then option 4):

Travellers with specific medical needs

If you have specific medical needs, talk to your doctor before travelling. Although we’ll do our best to get everyone on board, we might not be the best way for you to travel. Feel free to call us at least 24 hours before you plan to travel and ask any questions. We’re happy to help.

Who else we can help

We can offer help to a wide range of passengers, including:

• Pregnant women
• Older people
• Passengers with visual or auditory impairment
• Hearing impaired
• Passengers with communication impairment
• Passengers with learning disabilities
• Passengers with sensory, psychological or intellectual impairment
• Passengers whose mobility is impaired by temporary or long-term conditions

Please note that some of our external assistance providers in France can only offer assistance to pregnant women and are unable to support adults travelling alone with children.

If you have any other requirements or questions on how we can help, please email us using this contact form , or call us on the following number (select your language, then option 4):

More information

Assistance guides.

For more information about Eurostar assistance, please download our guide:  Making rail accessible: Helping older and disabled passengers (PDF)  and our  Making rail accessible: Helping older and disabled passengers (audio version)  is also available. For more information about our onboard accessibility features, including priority seats, download our  rolling stock guide (PDF) and our rolling stock guide (audio version) is also available. The guides are also available in large print and braille – you can get a copy in any of these formats by:

• Emailing us using this contact form and selecting the accessible travel button. If we need more information, we will call you directly.
• Requesting a copy through any of our social media channels
• Visiting our ticket offices
• Calling us on the following number (select your language, then option 6): The UK, the Netherlands and Germany: +44 (0)3432 186 186 France: +33(0) 1 70 70 60 99 Belgium: +32(0) 2 400 67 76

To find out more about accessibility at Eurostar, download our  Accessible Travel Policy (PDF) and our Accessible Travel Policy (audio version) is also available. This document is applicable only for travel from or to London. The creation of an Accessible Travel Policy document for travel on our other routes is in progress.

Our team is available during the following UK hours:

• Monday to Friday – 08:00 - 18:00 (UK time)
• Saturday and Sunday – 08:00 - 15:00 (UK time)
• UK Bank Holidays – 08:00 - 15:15 (UK time)

Email us using this contact form and click the accessible travel button. If you have an urgent assistance request outside of office hours, please select accessible travel , then urgent assistance . If we need more information, we will call you directly.

Our contact centre is exceptionally busy, so selecting the correct category will ensure that your request is prioritised and goes to the right person.

Or, write to:

Eurostar Assist team 2nd Floor Kent House 81 Station Road Ashford Kent TN23 1AP UK

It’s easy to organise free assistance when you’re travelling on our routes between Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Germany.

Book before you travel

• From Belgium: (+32) 2 400 6776
• From France: (+33) 1 70 70 60 88
• From the U.K.: (+44) (0)3432 186 186
• From Germany: (+49) (0) 30 700 70000
• From the Netherlands: (+31) 20 5323232

You can also book assistance in a French station by calling SNCF Assist’en Gare on the following numbers: From France: 3212 From abroad: +33 (0)9 72 72 00 92 You can also book via the online form at least 24 hours before your departure : https://www.garesetconnexions.sncf/en/assistances-psh-pmr

• A maximum weight of 200kg for a manual wheelchair (this includes the weight of the customer and pieces of luggage)

If you want to travel with your electric wheelchair or mobility scooter, you have to book a wheelchair space. If you want help getting to and from the train, you must pre-book assistance at least 24 hours before your journey. You can only travel with an electric wheelchair or mobility scooter as long as they:

• Be no more than 700mm (70cm) wide
• Be no more than 1200mm (120cm) long (including the footplate)
• Weigh a maximum of 300kg (including the weight of the customer and pieces of luggage)
• Combustion engine-powered wheelchairs are not allowed on board.
• Not be charged on board or in our stations

Related links

Come prepared to get on board with your guide or assistance dog and find out which travel documents are required.

Wheelchair user space bookings

Everything you need to know about booking a wheelchair space on our trains.

Eurostar destinations

Between Amsterdam's canals, Paris' botanical gardens, Bruges' architecture, and London's royal parks, Eurostar has something for everyone.

Introducing Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport

• About Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport

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About Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO)

One of three major airports in Moscow, Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport is located to the northwest of the Russian capital. Our Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport guide includes information on terminal facilities, public transport routes and nearby hotels, as well as contact details for the airport.

Information:

Information desks and touch screen terminals are located in the main halls; these provide up-to-date flight information (tel: +7 495 578 6565) and details about the airport and transport to the city.

Driving directions:

The main road leading to Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport is Leningradskoe Highway, which flows into the M10 motorway from Moscow.

Transfer between terminals:

Public buses, express buses and free airline shuttles are available for transfer between Sheremetyevo's terminals, which are split between two separate sites. Terminal A is used solely for business and private flights.

Airport Info

Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport is located 29km (18 miles) northwest of Moscow.

+7 495 578 6565.

Public Transport

Public transport road:.

Bus: Regular express buses run 24 hours a day to central Moscow from bus stops outside Terminal B and the bus station on the arrivals level of Terminal F. Bus 851 links to Rechnoi Vokzal metro station, while bus 817 runs to Planernaya metro station. Fares vary between services.

Coach: Coach services operate between Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport and Moscow Central Air Terminal, which is located between the Dinamo and Aeroport metro stations.

Taxi: Taxis to Moscow are available 24 hours a day from the arrivals level of Terminal F and from outside Terminal D and E; passengers should join the taxi queue for fixed-rate taxis, rather than accepting offers from drivers.

Public transport rail:

Rail: Aeroexpress (tel: +7 800 700 3377; https://aeroexpress.ru/ ) trains connect directly from Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport to Belorussky Railway Station in central Moscow (journey time: 35 minutes). Free bus links connect the rest of the airport complex to the Aeroexpress station.

Terminal facilities

Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport offers banking and bureaux de change facilities. Currency exchange services are available in departures in Terminal D,E and Terminal F, while ATMs are located in Terminals D,F and the arrival area of Terminal E.

There is a wide choice of restaurants, cafés and bars in each passenger terminal. These encompass a range of international and locally branded establishments, from a Teremok cafe in Terminal D to a sushi bar in Terminal F.

A good selection of shops is available in each of the main terminals. These include duty-free outlets, gift shops, pharmacies and newsagents.

Luggage trolleys can be hired in the arrivals hall of Terminal F, and luggage packing facilities are also available. A porter service is available to assist passengers on request. Luggage rooms can be found in Terminals D, E and F. A lost property office (tel: +7 495 578 4782) can be found in Terminal C. A lost property office (tel: +7 495 578 7464) is also on hand to assist passengers who have misplaced (or recovered) items in the airport complex.

Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport has a medical office, shower rooms and baby care facilities. There are travel agencies in Terminal F to assist with tour information and bookings.

Airport facilities

Conference and business:.

The VIP and business lounges in Terminals D, E and F offer a selection of facilities, such as showers, refreshments and communication services. Additionally, the on-site Novotel Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport (tel: +7 495 626 5900; www.accorhotels.com ) has nine meeting rooms and offers fax and copying services. Terminal A is used exclusively for business travellers and includes a large conference room.

Communication Facilities:

Free Wi-Fi internet access is available in all terminals. Additionally, there are postal, fax, photocopying and international dialling services in Terminals F.

Disabled facilities:

Wheelchair transfer and special assistance is available between the aircraft and the terminal building on request – passengers requiring such services should make a request by submitting an application online and inform their airline prior to travel. The Sirius Lounge, in the departures area of Terminal E, is accessible to departing passengers from Terminals D, E and F, while The Saturn Lounge is located in the public area of Terminal D. Both lounges are equipped with individual service rooms, internet facilities for the visually impaired, and disabled toilets. There are designated parking spaces, which can be booked in advance, free of charge (+7 495 988 0448). The Aeroexpress train is accessible to the physically disabled, with assistants on hand to help where required.

Car parking:

Short-term parking facilities are available close to the terminals.

Car rental:

Car hire companies Sixt, TIScar, AVIS and IDrive have offices in Terminal D.

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Russia: Pass Laws to Protect Disability Rights

Bills Show Commitment but Additional Steps Needed

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(Moscow) – The Russian State Duma should pass amendments that will protect the rights of people with disabilities. The Duma should also introduce further amendments to protect the rights of people with cognitive disabilities and ensure that the disability rights laws are effectively enforced.

The Duma, the lower house of parliament, is scheduled toconsider a series of amendments to 25 federal laws related to disability rights throughout May 2014. The amendments include a prohibition against disability-based discrimination and an expanded list of changes to be made so that public transport and other facilities and services are physically accessible.

“These draft amendments bring Russia one step closer to ensuring that people with disabilities are no longer excluded from society,” said Andrea Mazzarino , Europe and Central Asia disability rights researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The ban on disability-based discrimination helps lay the groundwork for a more inclusive society.”

Russiaratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in September 2012. In doing so, it made a commitment to bar discrimination and ensure access for people with disabilities to the physical environment and to services, among other obligations.

The draft amendments detail the kinds of “accommodations” – adaptations to secure accessibility – that many Russians with physical and sensory disabilities need to live independent lives.For example, people who are deaf would have access to automated text messages at train stations with information on schedules, fares, and ticket booth hours. All citizens with disabilities would have unhindered access to polling places, as well as assistance at voting booths, where needed.

However, the draft amendments do not address certain key legislative gaps. Most significantly, they do not revise existing legislation to ensure that people with intellectual, developmental, and psychosocial disabilities benefit from the protections, benefits, and services guaranteed to people with physical and sensory disabilities under the main disability rights law, “On the Social Protection of the Disabled,” and other relevant laws.

“We’ve spoken with children and adults with Down’s syndrome in Russia who were denied the chance to go to mainstream schools by administrators who do not see their potential to learn and who have no legal obligation to include them,” Mazzarino said. “The new amendments should explicitly include accommodations addressing the needs of people with all types of disabilities.”

The draft amendments also lack information about how the government will enforce its accessibility laws. Current laws delegate enforcement to regional and city governments and do not spell out specific mechanisms for making sure the laws are carried out.

As an example, a young man with a physical disability, Nikolai Titkov , remains trapped in his inaccessible apartment in a city just outside Moscow, despite having won a court case in 2012 mandating that city authorities relocate him to an accessible apartment. Human Rights Watch documented this case and other obstacles to accessibility for people with disabilities across Russia in a September 2013 report .

“The antidiscrimination amendment is a big step forward in protecting the rights of Russian citizens with disabilities, but too often, guarantees exist only on paper,” Mazzarino said. “The State Duma should consider additional changes to make sure that disability rights laws have teeth so that people actually benefit from them.”

The amendments under consideration follow a series of important reforms that Russian authorities undertook in 2013 and 2014 to improve the rights of people with disabilities. These reforms include an April 2014 federal order requiring employers to adapt workplaces to the specific needs of employees with disabilities. In February, Moscowauthorities committed to equipping 38 of the city’s metro stations with tactile markers on the edges of train platforms, which help people who are blind and with low vision to locate the platforms’ edges.

In another important move to improve accessibility in transport, the Moscow city government began to implement a GPS data system that would allow blind people to access bus, trolley, and tram schedules and locations on their smartphones in November 2013.

“If the new amendments are implemented properly and expand protections to people with all types of disabilities, they will be another big step in the right direction for disability rights in Russia,” Mazzarino said.

In its September 2013 report , “Barriers Everywhere: Lack of Accessibility for People with Disabilities in Russia,” Human Rights Watch documented barriers faced by people with various types of disabilities in six cities across Russia. Human Rights Watch called on the Russian government to establish meaningful mechanisms to enforce disability rights laws; to ensure the right to accessible infrastructure and services to people with intellectual, developmental, and psychosocial disabilities in its programs and policies; and to explicitly ban discrimination based on disability.

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