Public Transport: Accessible Travel, Fares and Passenger Support

• Check routes, times, connections and accessibility before leaving — including at every place you change.
• Allow extra time for unfamiliar journeys, and for connections where you may need help.
• Check for engineering work, diversions, replacement buses and lift closures. Replacement buses are not always accessible in the same way as the train.
• Save your journey details or take screenshots in case mobile internet or your battery fails.
• Carry essential medication, identification and emergency contact details where that is appropriate for you.

Accessibility information can change. A lift that was working last week may be out of service today. Where the journey matters, telephone or message the operator shortly before you travel and confirm.

• Most modern buses have a boarding ramp, at least one wheelchair space and priority seating.
• You can ask the driver for reasonable assistance — for example deploying the ramp, lowering the bus, waiting until you are seated, or telling you when your stop is coming.
• Reasonable assistance does not normally include physically lifting a passenger or lifting heavy mobility equipment. Drivers are not trained or insured to do this.
• For coach travel, ask about assistance at the time of booking — accessible coaches and boarding lifts often need to be arranged in advance.
• Many, but not all, buses have audio and visual next-stop information.

Please do not assume every vehicle, route or stop is fully accessible. Some rural routes, older vehicles and unmade stops are not.

If a ramp is broken, the wheelchair space is unavailable or assistance is refused: note the date, time, route number and, if visible, the vehicle number. Ask when the next accessible service is due, and report it to the operator. If the operator does not put things right, Bus Users UK can help — and in London, London TravelWatch.

Passenger Assist is free. It is available to disabled people, older people and people with a temporary mobility difficulty — for example after an operation or while using crutches. You do not need a Disabled Persons Railcard to book it.

Assistance can usually include:

• help boarding and leaving the train, including a ramp
• help changing platforms or making a connection
• help finding a reserved or suitable seat
• help with luggage, where the operator offers it

You can still ask for assistance without booking ahead — this is often called "turn up and go". Staff will do their best, but it can depend on station conditions and how many staff are on duty at the time.

• Check station accessibility, lifts, step-free routes and any planned platform changes before you travel.
• If a station is not accessible to you, the operator's Accessible Travel Policy sets out what alternative accessible transport should be provided, usually to the nearest accessible station.

• Check size and weight restrictions before travelling — buses, trains and coaches each set their own limits for the space and the ramp.
• Reserve a wheelchair space where the operator requires or offers reservations.
• Apply the brakes, or switch powered equipment off, while the vehicle is moving when staff instruct you to.
• Some operators run a scooter permit or assessment scheme. Where they do, you may need the permit before your first journey.
• Follow the boarding and securing arrangements staff describe — positions and anchor points differ between vehicles.

Policies differ between operators and even between vehicles on the same route. It is not the case that every mobility scooter must be accepted; some are too large or heavy for a particular vehicle.

Trained assistance dogs are generally permitted on public transport, including buses, trains, coaches, taxis and private hire vehicles. This is different from ordinary pets and from emotional-support animals, which are not covered by the same arrangements.

• Check the operator's arrangements before an unfamiliar journey, especially for coaches, ferries and airport transfers.
• Ask where there is space for the dog to settle safely and out of the gangway.
• Allow extra time at transfers, and check that replacement transport during disruption can carry the dog.

Eligibility, how to apply, when you can travel and whether a companion can travel free all differ across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Please use the link for your own nation — England-only rules are not UK-wide rules.

• England: apply through the GOV.UK service, which asks for your postcode and directs you to your council.
• Scotland: the National Entitlement Card schemes for disabled and older people.
• Wales: the Transport for Wales concessionary travel card.
• Northern Ireland: free and concessionary bus and rail travel through nidirect.

Older person's passes exist across the UK, but the qualifying age is not the same everywhere — please check your nation's rules rather than assuming.

Local councils and transport authorities may add extra local concessions — for example earlier travel times, tram or rail add-ons, or companion passes. These are local decisions and are not guaranteed anywhere else.

• Disabled Persons Railcard — discounts for the cardholder and an adult companion, subject to the eligibility criteria and evidence required.
• Senior Railcard — for people aged 60 and over.
• Other railcards exist for particular ages, regions and circumstances, such as 16–25, 26–30, Two Together, Family & Friends and Veterans.
• Some wheelchair users who stay in their wheelchair, and some blind or visually impaired passengers travelling with a companion, may be able to claim a discount without a railcard. Ask at the ticket office or check the operator's policy.

Eligibility rules and evidence requirements apply to every railcard. A railcard does not always produce the cheapest fare — compare advance, off-peak and split ticket options for your particular journey before buying.

• Dial-a-Ride and community transport schemes offer bookable door-to-door journeys for people who cannot easily use ordinary buses.
• Councils and voluntary organisations may run accessible minibuses, shopper buses or volunteer car schemes.
• Availability, eligibility, how far ahead you must book and any charges vary a great deal locally. Some schemes have waiting lists or serve only certain postcodes.

Hospital and healthcare journeys — including non-emergency patient transport — are covered on our separate page rather than repeated here.

• Ask for a wheelchair-accessible vehicle when you book, and say whether you will stay in your wheelchair.
• Explain your mobility and assistance needs at the time of booking — for example help with a folded wheelchair, a walking frame, or getting to the door.
• Where the legal duties apply, drivers must carry assistance dogs and provide reasonable mobility assistance, and must not add an extra charge because of a disability.
• Some drivers hold a valid medical exemption issued by the licensing authority; they should display an exemption notice.

If something goes wrong, note the vehicle and licence details and report it to the licensing council as well as the operator. We give general information only and cannot advise on an individual legal case.

Many conditions are not visible — anxiety, autism, dementia, learning disabilities, hearing or sight loss, and difficulties with speech or communication.

• Ask staff for clear, step-by-step explanations or a little extra time. It is perfectly reasonable to say "please could you explain that again more slowly".
• Carry a communication card or a written journey plan you can show instead of speaking.
• Travel at quieter times where practical — mid-morning and early afternoon are often calmer.
• Schemes such as the Sunflower lanyard can signal that you may need patience or extra help. They are voluntary and do not guarantee any particular treatment, priority or assistance.

• Check the operator's current live information first.
• Ask staff what accessible replacement transport is available — a rail replacement bus is not always suitable, and an accessible taxi may have to be arranged.
• Keep tickets, receipts, photographs and screenshots. They are often needed for a claim.
• On the railway, Delay Repay and other refund arrangements may apply.

Eligibility and claim deadlines vary between operators. Not every delay qualifies for compensation — thresholds, causes and time limits differ, so check the operator's own scheme.

• Speak to staff at the time if it is safe and possible to do so — many problems can be put right there and then.
• Record the details: date, time, route or train number, station or stop, vehicle details, staff involved and exactly what happened.
• Contact the transport operator first. Almost every complaints process requires this step before anyone else will look at it.
• For unresolved rail complaints, the Rail Ombudsman provides a free, independent service once the operator has issued its final response or a set period has passed.
• For bus and coach matters, contact Bus Users UK, or London TravelWatch for London, or the relevant transport authority.

If you would find it hard to put a complaint into writing, our free letter service can help you set out what happened clearly.

• Is the station or stop step-free?
• Are the lifts working today?
• Can my wheelchair or scooter be carried on this vehicle?
• Do I need a permit or a reservation?
• Can assistance be provided at each connection?
• Is an accessible toilet available on the vehicle or at the station?
• What happens if the service is cancelled?
• Can a companion or carer travel at a reduced fare?
• Who should I contact if assistance does not arrive?

Please use the official sources below, and check each organisation's own website for the latest information before you travel.

Related Sixpence Support UK pages: