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Passenger Assist on UK trains: how to book it and what to ask for
Last checked 26 October 2026. Written by the Divergent Products team, reviewed by Louise and Sam. How we pick.
How do I book Passenger Assist on UK trains?
Book Passenger Assist in the free Passenger Assistance app, at passengerassistance.com or by phone on 0800 022 3720, up to two hours before your journey. It is free, covers non-visible impairments and works across train companies. You can also turn up and ask staff or use a Help Point. Buy your ticket first.
If you only read this bit
- Booking and saving your access needsPassenger AssistanceSee it at App Store
- Buying the ticket before you ask for helpTrainline: Train & Bus TicketsSee it at Trainline
- Staff spotting you without bookingTriple Breakaway Lanyard with ID Card & CoverSee it at Hidden Disabilities Sunflower
Affiliate links. Prices change, so check the listing.
All 6 picks, in order
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Best for: Booking and saving your access needs
Passenger Assistance
By Transreport, sold by App Store
A free app from Transreport. Set up your access needs once, then request help for a journey and it goes to each train company involved. You get a confirmation email once it is checked.
Affiliate link -
Best for: Buying the ticket before you ask for help
Trainline: Train & Bus Tickets
By Trainline, sold by Trainline
National Rail's page advises buying your ticket before requesting assistance. Trainline is a free app for booking, keeping mobile tickets and live journey alerts.
Affiliate link -
Best for: Staff spotting you without booking
Triple Breakaway Lanyard with ID Card & Cover
By Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, sold by Hidden Disabilities Sunflower
About £6, or free from many member organisations. National Rail says every train company in Britain accepts it. Pair it with booked help so the people on the day know what you asked for.
Affiliate link -
Best for: Asking for a minute, with nothing to explain
JAM Card (card and app)
By JAM Card, sold by JAM Card
A free card and app. Show it to staff to ask for a little patience. It is recognised by JAM Card Friendly businesses and some train operators, so it is a prompt, not an entitlement.
Affiliate link -
Best for: A battery-free back-up for noisy stations
Loop Quiet 2
By Loop, sold by Amazon
Soft silicone earplugs. They also muffle announcements, so tell staff you are wearing them and keep an eye on the boards.
See priceat AmazonSee it at AmazonAffiliate link -
Best for: Keeping the confirmation email reachable
Anker Nano Power Bank (10K, 45W, Built-In Retractable USB-C Cable)
By Anker, sold by Anker
A 10,000mAh power bank with a built-in USB-C cable, about £49.99. Your booking, ticket and the staff phone number all live on your phone.
£49.99See it at AnkerAffiliate link
Passenger Assist is the national booking system for help at stations and on trains. Most of what is written about it is aimed at wheelchair users. It also covers non-visible impairments, which is the part many autistic and ADHD travellers need to know about. This guide covers the booking, what you can ask for and what to do if you turn up unbooked. Everything below comes from National Rail's own pages, checked on 26 October 2026.
How do you book Passenger Assist?
You book it as far ahead as you can, and National Rail says requests are accepted up to two hours before your journey starts, at any time of day. There are four routes:
| Route | Details | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger Assistance app | Free, by Transreport; confirmation email once checked | Saving your needs and rebooking quickly |
| Website | passengerassistance.com | The same booking on a laptop |
| Phone | 0800 022 3720, choose option 1 and give your journey details | Talking it through with a person |
| Text | 60083, Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:00 | When phoning is hard; you get a reply with a number to contact |
Each train company also lists its own Passenger Assist numbers on the National Rail page. Whichever route you use, buy your ticket first, because National Rail advises it before you request assistance.
How does the app work?
You search for your journey, choose your access needs and submit the request, and it goes to the train company, which confirms it and arranges the help. Transreport says the app also keeps you updated during your journey.
The useful part for repeat travellers is the saved profile. You can store your access needs securely and reuse them, so a second booking takes a few taps instead of a full form. The Transreport page does not say whether you must create an account, how much notice it needs or whether it costs anything, so rely on National Rail's two-hour figure.
What help can you ask for?
National Rail lists these:
- help finding your way around the station
- help getting on and off the train
- being met from your train and taken to your next train or the exit
- a ramp, where one is needed
- assistance for non-visible impairments
- help with up to three items of luggage
- an Assistance Dog Under Seat card, requested by email
"Assistance for non-visible impairments" is the line to quote if you are not sure the service is meant for you. National Rail does not define it further. What you ask for within it is up to you and the member of staff. The sensible approach is to say what would make the journey workable: being met at the barrier, being taken to the right platform and carriage, someone to check in with at a change.
We could not find a National Rail page promising quiet waiting areas or a particular seat, so see those as requests staff may or may not be able to meet at that station. If you want a seat reservation, that is a separate booking made with your ticket.
What if you turn up without booking?
You can still travel and still ask for help. National Rail says to tell a member of staff or use a Help Point when you arrive, and staffed stations will help if they can, though it may take longer. If they cannot help straight away, they should explain why.
This matters for anyone whose need changes with the day. Booking is better because the station expects you. Walking up is a fallback, not a failure.
How does it work with a lanyard or a card?
A lanyard or card tells staff something when they see you, and the booking tells them something before you arrive. National Rail says every train company in Britain accepts the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard, and says you can ask for one at your local station in England, Scotland or Wales.
Some operators go further. Southeastern, for example, offers a Travel Support Card for anyone with a non-visible condition or who needs extra help, available at a ticket office, from customer services or as a printable PDF, with every field optional. It also accepts the JAM card and the Sunflower lanyard and says you do not need a specific diagnosis for either. That is one operator's scheme, so check yours.
None of these is a booking. A lanyard on a platform where nobody knows you are coming is a prompt for a member of staff, not a guarantee.
What does National Rail say for autistic passengers?
National Rail has a dedicated page of advice for autistic passengers. It links to An Autism Friendly Guide to Travelling by Train, a PDF produced by the rail industry with the National Autistic Society and an industry accessibility working group. The page describes it as covering what to expect before and during a journey, with tips, images, sounds and links. We could not read the PDF text, so we have not summarised its advice here. It is worth a look before a first long journey, and it is not written for everyone.
Things to know
- Buy the ticket first. The help is for the journey you have a ticket for. If an impairment stops you buying before travel, National Rail says you will not pay more than you would have before boarding, discount included.
- Two hours is the minimum, not the aim. Earlier is better for a change at a big station or a journey across several train companies.
- Keep the confirmation. The app sends an email. Keep it where you can reach it with a low battery.
- Luggage rules vary. The three-item limit is National Rail's general figure. Train company policies differ.
- We have not used the service. This is what the published pages say, not a report from a journey. Staff experience varies from station to station.
- Checked on 26 October 2026. Numbers and times come from the National Rail and Passenger Assistance pages on that date.
Questions people ask
- Do I need a diagnosis to use Passenger Assist?
- The National Rail page lists assistance for non-visible impairments and does not mention a diagnosis. We did not see the booking form itself, so we cannot say what the app or phone line asks you.
- Can I use Passenger Assist without booking?
- Yes. National Rail says you can travel without booking. Tell a member of staff or use a Help Point at the station. Staffed stations will help if they can, though it may take longer, and staff will explain if they cannot.
- Is Passenger Assist free?
- The help itself carries no charge on the National Rail page, but you still need a valid ticket. If an impairment stops you buying one before you travel, you should not pay more than you would have before boarding.
- Can I text instead of phoning?
- Yes. National Rail gives 60083 for text, Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:00, and you get a message back with the number to contact.
- Can staff carry my luggage?
- National Rail says staff can help with up to three items that one person can manage, booked in advance or asked for on the day. Luggage policies vary by train company, so check yours.
- Do I have to book for every journey?
- The app lets you save a profile of your access needs and reuse it, so later requests take a few taps. Each journey still needs its own request.
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