Our staff are here to support you on your journey, including
- Providing boarding ramps if you are a wheelchair user
- A guiding arm in case you are a blind or visually impaired person
- We provide induction loops at our ticket offices
- Support tools if you have learning needs or an invisible disability, like our Travel support Card and Communication Guide
Aira - visual interpreting app
Aira is designed to provide visually impaired people with on demand access to visual information and increase their confidence traveling on our network independently.
How does Aira work?
The customer contacts an Aira trained agent through the app on their own phone, the agent will then utilise the camera on the phone to provide visual interpretation about the station environment. Assistance provided by the agent can range from reading information boards, providing navigational assistance within the station, or navigational support to find a member of staff.
Aira users can use the Aira service free of charge at GTR managed stations without the usual five-minute time limit. The call to Aira is free, although you may still be charged for data if you don’t have a data plan in place.
Aira can be easily downloaded directly from either Google Play (Android) or the App Store (iOS). Further details are available here; Aira – Visual Information On Demand.
To help us understand how useful Aira is for our visually impaired customers, please take a few moments to feedback your experience of using it at our stations here; Customer Feedback Survey
Please note: Aira availability may vary at some stations due to limited 4/5G or Wi-Fi coverage
SignLive – BSL Interpreting app
What is SignLive?
SignLive is an app designed to remove barriers for people who are deaf or have hearing loss when communicating with others. It connects users with trained interpreters who provide British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation via a smartphone when interacting with our colleagues.
How does this work?
If you are a BSL user, you can contact our customer service call centre or speak with one of our station or on-board colleagues using the SignLive app:
- Download and Sign Up: Install the SignLive app on your smartphone or tablet and create an account.
- Make a Call: Once logged in, access the SignLive directory to call Thameslink, Great Northern, Southern, or Gatwick Express free of charge (data or WiFi charges may apply).
- Connect with an Interpreter: A qualified BSL interpreter will join the call, communicate with our colleagues on your behalf, and interpret the conversation for you
You can use SignLive for anything you need support with, such as booking assistance, relaying station or on-board announcements, or general information for your journey.
*Please note: SignLive availability may be limited at some stations due to insufficient 4/5G or Wi-Fi coverage
Thameslink Class 700 train audio description guide
In partnership with Thomas Pocklington Trust and our Access Advisory Panel, we have developed an audio guide that describes our Class 700 Thameslink trains aimed at blind and partially sighted customers.
Class 700 Guide (PDF)
Class 700 Guide (Audio)
Easy Ticket Guide
Our Easy ticket guide is designed to provide straightforward tips to explain how you can easily purchase and use tickets on the rail network.
Download the Easy Ticket Guide
Download the Easy Ticket Guide (easy read version)
Easy Train Travel Guide
Our Easy train travel guide explains what information and help is available before and during your journey.
Download the Easy Train Travel Guide
Download the Easy Train Travel Guide (easy read version)
Easy Read Feedback Guide
Our Easy Read feedback guide explains how to contact us.
Download the Easy Read Feedback Guide
Travel Support Card
Do you need assisted travel to get from A to B, but find it hard to ask for help? Then a Travel Support Card might be right for you. It's free for anyone who finds it difficult to ask for help when travelling on our trains.
You can enter the following information on the card:
- Your journey details
- Who to contact in an emergency
- Anything else you need help with
Simply show Your Travel Support Card to us at the station or on the train, and we’ll give you the support you need.
For instance, we could help you get the right ticket, find the right train or platform, or help you to your seat.
And if there’s an emergency we’ll know exactly who we have to contact.
Who may find the card useful?
The Travel Support Card may be useful for people with:
- Memory loss
- Impaired hearing
- Learning difficulties
- Limited or no English
- or find communicating difficult
You can download a Travel Support Card below. Or, you can contact Customer Services and we’ll send you one by post.
Download a Travel Support Card
Assistance Dogs
We support the Assisted Dogs Travel scheme, supported by Assistance Dogs UK. The scheme helps assistance dogs and their owners to travel comfortably and safely on our trains by giving a ‘protected space’ for the dog.
Further details regarding this scheme including how to apply for a reusable ‘Assistance dog under seat’ card are available here.
Sunflower Lanyard scheme
We also recognise the Sunflower Lanyard scheme, which is widely used to highlight your request for support, including exemption from using a face covering. Network Rail has lanyards available at stations like Victoria, London Bridge, Charing Cross, Cannon St, Waterloo, Clapham Junction and Guildford.
Communication guide
If it could help you, our station staff can use a pictorial communication guide. The guide has pictures of several different key aspects of travel that passengers might ask about. It can be very useful for passengers who have:
- impaired hearing
- limited or no English
- or find communicating difficult
The guide is used at our ticket offices and many ticket barriers too. It can also be downloaded from our website if you want to take one with you or if you think it would be useful to a passenger you know.
Download our Communication Guide
We have worked with many organisations offering travel training and have created these aids to help with individual journeys. If you would like more information about assisted travel please contact customer services