SPECIAL ASSISTANCE

Organising special assistance for an upcoming trip is simple. 

Book before you travel

We recommend pre-booking special assistance no matter where you’re travelling from or to. However, if you’re travelling between any of the stations below or have a connecting journey, you must book before you travel.

Stations where you must pre-book

• Disneyland® Paris (Marne-la-Vallée)
• Lyon Part-Dieu
• Avignon TGV
• Marseille Saint Charles
• Amsterdam Centraal
• Rotterdam Centraal
• The French Alps (Moûtiers, Aime-la-Plagne, Bourg-Saint-Maurice)

How to book special assistance

• Book your tickets
• At least 48 hours before departure, call us on +44(0) 3432 186 186 and choose option four or 02400 67 31 (Belgian number)
• Tell us about your needs and ask us any questions
• We’ll confirm your special assistance booking

If you need to catch a connecting train in the UK, you’ll need to book special assistance at nationalrail.co.uk/disabled_passengers.

When departing from the UK, you can ask for assistance on the day of your journey. However, please note that we will have to prioritise those who’ve pre-booked assistance.

On the day

At stations with Eurostar Assist you can turn up on the day without booking. You’ll need to arrive at the meeting point 75 minutes before your train departs and we’ll help you from there. Keep in mind, there might be a short wait and we may have to exchange your ticket.

If you’re travelling to a station without Eurostar Assist, we won’t be able to organise special assistance on the day. So, you should book special assistance before you travel.  

Stations where you can turn up on the day

• St Pancras International
• Ebbsfleet International
• Ashford International
• Paris Gare du Nord
• Brussels-Midi/Zuid
• Lille Europe
• Calais Fréthun

You can get in touch with our Eurostar Assist team every day between 8:00 and 17:00 by:

• Calling +44(0) 3432 186 186 (select option four) 
• Emailing

Special assistance is available at both ends of your journey, with our Eurostar Assist team or the local station team. We strongly recommend pre-booking special assistance no matter where you’re travelling to or from.

Stations with Eurostar Assist

• St Pancras International
• Ebbsfleet International
• Ashford International
• Paris Gare du Nord
• Brussels-Midi/Zuid
• Calais Fréthun

If you’re travelling between two of these stations, we’d recommend pre-booking but you don’t have to. You can turn up on the day and we’ll do our best to help.

Stations with local special assistance

• Disneyland® Paris (Marne-la-Vallée)
• Lille Europe
• Lyon Part-Dieu
• Avignon TGV
• Marseille Saint Charles
• Amsterdam Centraal
• Rotterdam Centraal
• The French Alps (Moûtiers, Aime-la-Plagne, Bourg-Saint-Maurice)

If you’re travelling to or from any of these stations, you must pre-book special assistance.

Connecting journeys
 

On the continent

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

In the UK

For onward journeys from St Pancras International, Ashford International or Ebbsfleet International, you need to organise special assistance directly with National Rail at nationalrail.co.uk/disabled_passengers

As special assistance is provided by local teams as well as our Eurostar Assist teams, it varies slightly from station to station. Rest assured, we work closely with these teams to make sure your journey goes smoothly.

Eurostar Assist

As well as taking you to and from the train, our Eurostar Assist team can help with your bags. Just make sure they weigh no more than 15kg.

Stations

Eurostar Assist is available at:  

• St Pancras International
• Ebbsfleet International
• Ashford International
• Paris Gare du Nord
• Brussels-Midi/Zuid
• Calais Fréthun

Your journey

You need to arrive at the Eurostar Assist meeting point 75 minutes before your train departs. The Eurostar Assist meeting point is always by the Eurostar ticket gates.

From there, we’ll take you through security and passport control 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. When your train arrives at your destination, we’ll meet you at the coach doors and guide you all the way through to Arrivals.

Local special assistance

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

France and Belgium

The local team will take you to and from the train and help with one bag (up to 15kg). You can also request a wheelchair if you need one. Unfortunately, they don’t offer special assistance for single parents travelling with children.

• Disneyland® Paris (Marne-la-Vallée)
• Lille Europe
• Lyon Part-Dieu
• Avignon TGV
• Marseille Saint Charles
• The French Alps (Moûtiers, Aime-la-Plagne, Bourg-Saint-Maurice)
   

The Netherlands

The local team will take you to and from the train, but they won’t help with your bags. 

• Amsterdam Centraal
• Rotterdam Centraal

Local special 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 

On the continent

If you’re travelling on to another destination on the Continent, we’ll take you to the handover point where the local special assistance team will meet you.

In the UK

For onward journeys in the UK, you need to organise special assistance yourself at nationalrail.co.uk/disabled_passengers.

Our Eurostar Assist teams and the local special assistance teams can help all kinds of travellers.

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

Eurostar wheelchair spaces

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

Eurostar seats 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 on the luggage racks. We can’t guarantee that there’ll be a ramp to and from the train but you’re welcome to use it if we’ve got one in place.  

Travellers who use a mobility scooter

If you want to travel with your mobility scooter, you have to book a wheelchair space. If you want help getting to and from the train, you can book special assistance.

Mobility scooters

• You can only travel with a battery-powered scooter – scooters that use combustible fuel aren’t allowed on board
• Your scooter must fit in a wheelchair space – 70cm x 120cm
   

Travellers with reduced mobility

You’ll be helped to the train and Arrivals, but you’ll need to be able to board and leave the train by yourself. 

Deaf or hearing-impaired travellers

Book special assistance and you’ll be guided through the station to the train, then from the train to Arrivals.

Travellers with a mental health condition or a learning disability

If you have a mental health condition or learning disability, we can help you through the station at both ends of your journey.

Blind or visually impaired travellers

Organise special assistance and we’ll be waiting to guide you through the station to the train and from the train to Arrivals.

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-Thursday after 2pm
• Sunday before 2pm

 

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

Travellers who use an assistance dog

You can travel with an assistance dog on trains between the UK and certain stations on the Continent.

Stations in the UK	Stations on the Continent
St Pancras International Ebbsfleet International Ashford International	Paris Gare du Nord
	Brussels-Midi/Zuid
	Lille Europe
	Calais Fréthun

 

You need to book a space for your dog and you can also request special assistance. Your dog needs a few documents to travel – a pet passport and certification – which we’ll ask to see before and on the day you travel.

Go to our assistance dog page to find out more or get in touch with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) by:

• Visiting gov.uk/take-pet-abroad
• Emailing pettravel@ahvla.gsi.gov.uk

 

Pregnant or travelling solo with children under 4

If you think you need an extra pair of hands, you can pre-book assistance for your journey.

One of our team will be able to support you through the whole departure process, from going through the ticket gates to passing security and stepping on board.

We’ll also be able to help you once your train arrives in its destination.

If you only need assistance for part of the departure process, make sure you let our teams know so they can help you accordingly.

Please note that some of our local providers in France and Belgium can only offer assistance to pregnant women, but aren’t able to do so for adults travelling alone with children. Find out more about Family travel.

Elderly travellers

Our Eurostar Assist team can help you through the station and to your coach, then through to Arrivals at your destination.

Our stations have facilities that were designed with you in mind.

Parking
 

Stations	Operated by	Total number of spaces	Disabled bays	Accessible set-down and pick-up point
London St Pancras International	CP Plus	315	13	Pancras Road
Ebbsfleet International	CP Plus	2536	74	Next to the west entrance/exit
Ashford International	CP Plus	1850	40	Eurostar entrance
Paris Gare du Nord	Vinci Park	1220	24	Rue de Dunkerque
Lille Europe	Vinci Park	711	12	Bd de Turin, opposite
Calais Fréthun	Free public car park next to the station	Unknown	8	Station entrance
Disneyland  (Marne-la-Vallée)	Vinci Park	1370	28	Place des Passagers du Vent, at   the front of the station
Brussels-Midi/Zuid	Q-Park	1650	30	Place Horta

 

In the station

Types	London St Pancras	Ebsfleet International	Ashford International	Paris Gare du Nord	Brussels Gare de midi	Lille Europe	Calais Fréthun	Disneyland (Marne-la-Vallée)
Welcome point	Eurostar Assist desk at Eurostar check-in	Eurostar  check-in	Eurostar check in	Eurostar check-in	Eurostar check-in	Eurostar check-in	Ticket office or Eurostar check in	SNCF information desk or Eurostar check-in
Staff availability	Full time	Full time	Full time	Full time	Full time	Full time	Full time	Full time
Step-free from concourse to platform	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Seating in departure lounge	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Accessible toilets	Yes (radar key not needed)	Yes (radar key not needed)	Yes (radar key not needed)	Yes (radar key not needed)	Yes (radar key not needed)	Yes (radar key not needed)	Yes (radar key not needed)	Yes (radar key not needed)
Ticket facilities	Ticket counter and e-ticket machines	Ticket counter and e-ticket machines	Ticket counter and e-ticket machines	Ticket counter and e-ticket machines	Ticket counter and e-ticket machines	Ticket counter	Ticket counter	Ticket counter
Customer announcements	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Places to buy food before check-in	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Wheelchair available	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ramp for train access	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Induction loops	Yes	Yes	Yes	No*	No*	No*	No*	No*
Accessible set-down and pick-up point	Pancras Road	Next to the west entrance/exit	Eurostar entrance	Rue de Dunkerque/Rue de Maubeuge	Place Horta	Bd de Turin, opposite the Suite Hotel	Station entrance	Place des passagers du Vent, at the front of the station
Automatic doors	Yes (all doors)	Yes (all doors)	Yes (all doors)	Yes, but not all doors	Yes (all doors)	Yes (all doors)	Yes (all doors)	Yes (all doors)

                             *Eurostar ticket counters are unglazed to aid communication, so induction loops are not installed. 

 

 

Stations with Eurostar Assist

If you need help with your bags at a station with Eurostar Assist, make sure they weigh no more than 15kg each. This is because our Eurostar Assist teams can’t help with bags that weigh more than 15kg.

Eurostar luggage allowance  

• Adult ticket-holders: two bags (up to 85cm long) and one piece of hand luggage
• Child ticket-holders: one bag (up to 85cm long) and one piece of hand luggage
   

Stations with local special assistance

If you’re travelling from or to a station without Eurostar Assist, luggage assistance is decided by the local team. In France and Belgium, they’ll help with one bag (up to 15kg). In the Netherlands, they won’t help with any of your bags.

More about Eurostar luggage

If you're travelling in one of our wheelchair spaces - in coaches 3,9,10 or 14 - there'll be a ramp for you to get on and off the train. If you use a wheelchair but you're not travelling in a space, we can't guarantee that there'll be a ramp. However, if there's one in place, you can use it to get on board and then walk through the train to your seat.

If you have special medical needs, talk to your doctor before travelling. Although we’ll do our best to get everyone on board, Eurostar might not be the best way for you to travel.

We have special ticket options for your companion or carer. Call us on +44(0) 3432 186 186 (option four) or 02400 67 31 (Belgian number) and we can go over these with you and organise special assistance, if you need it.

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 at Café Métropole, our bar buffet, 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.

For more information about special assistance and Eurostar Assist, download our special assistance guide. The guide is also available in large print, audio and braille – you can get a copy in any of these formats by:

• Calling our team on +44(0) 3432 186 186 (select option four) or 02400 67 31 (Belgian number)
• Requesting one via any of our social media channels
• Visiting one of our ticket offices

To find out more about accessibility at Eurostar, download our Making Rail Accessible policy.