Help from staff

All our staff are trained to offer you assistance and support.

Staff assistance

We have staff at all Tube, Elizabeth line and London Overground stations whenever services are running. Some piers, all boats, the IFS Cloud Cable Car and Victoria Coach Station are staffed too.

Trams and buses are staffed by the driver.

Most DLR stations are unstaffed, but Passenger Service Agents are on trains. If you need assistance at a DLR station during your journey, call 0343 222 1234 (TfL call charges) before you travel so we can check whether it can be provided.

On most of our rail services, piers and boats, staff can give advice, information and assistance. Ask them if you need help planning a route or buying a ticket.

Turn up and go service

We offer a turn up and go service on the Tube, London Overground and Elizabeth line.

Everyone is welcome to use our turn up and go service - it's popular with customers with visual impairments, mobility impairments and groups, including school groups. There is no need to pre-book the turn up and go service, just turn up at the station and ask staff for assistance.

Our staff is trained to give assistance to customers, including guiding visually-impaired customers by the arm and assisting wheelchair users by pushing the chair if needed.

As part of our turn up and go service, our staff will:

  • Let you know if there are unplanned disruptions and suggest alternative step free access routes
  • Accompany you from the ticket hall to the platform and help you board the train
  • Help you get off the train at any interchange stations and board the next train
  • Help you get off the train when you arrive at your final destination, and accompany you back to the ticket hall
  • Arrange a boarding ramp, if required (and available)

If for any reason we are not able to offer you physical turn up and go assistance, we will arrange an accessible taxi to take you to your destination station within the Greater London area. This could be a Tube, London Overground, Elizabeth line or National Rail station.

Step-free access and boarding ramps

In some places we have boarding ramps available to help customers get on and off our trains. Speak to a member of staff if you want to use a boarding ramp.

If you aren't sure whether you need a boarding ramp on your journey, use the TfL Go app or the Step-free Tube guide to check, or look out for messages in Journey Planner. Staff will also be happy advise you.

All DLR stations have step-free access from the street to the train with lifts or ramps at every station. Trams, piers, the IFS Cloud Cable Car and buses are all step-free too.

Changes to stations, queuing and lifts

Check before you travel on the TfL Go app or our Journey Planner tool. You can find out about quieter stations and travel times too.

If there are queues outside a Tube station, customers who identify themselves as disabled should be allowed to enter the station without queueing - this includes carers and assistants accompanying you. Make yourself known to a member of staff.

Check planned works that are affecting stations, lifts and escalators.

Booking staff assistance from Passenger Assist

You can book assistance in advance on the London Overground and Elizabeth line as part of the national Passenger Assist service.

You need to book Passenger Assist assistance at least 2 hours ahead of your journey.

You can book Passenger Assist by:

Passenger Assistance by Transreport app

If you use the app to book, you will still need to pay for your journey separately in the usual way.

Passenger Assistance by Transreport lets you

  • Book assistance for your rail journey
  • Manage your customer profile
  • View your travel history
  • Browse rail journeys using the online journey planner

The app can be used to request assistance for future journeys across the whole National Rail network.

Find out more on National Rail's help and assistance page.

Staff help illustrative image

How to find staff

On the Tube, London Overground and Elizabeth line, station staff are encouraged to offer help to anyone who looks as though they might need assistance. If you cannot immediately see a member of staff, they can usually be found in the ticket hall or gateline, or on platforms at busier times.

On the DLR and trams, most stops and stations are unstaffed, although you can find a member of staff on the train or tram. Staff are available at Victoria Coach station, IFS Cloud Cable Car terminals and on piers and boats.

Help points can be found throughout our networks. You can use them to contact staff for information and assistance or in an emergency. Many have induction loops to work with hearing aids.

Staff help on buses

All bus drivers are trained to help customers who need assistance.

Drivers will:

  • Pull in close to the kerb to reduce the gap
  • Lower the bus to reduce the step up
  • Lower the access ramp if needed
  • Ask customers to make space for wheelchair users, unless it is unreasonable for them to do so
  • Wait until you're seated or holding on before pulling away

Ask the bus driver if you need any further information or help.

As you board the bus, touch in to pay your fare as indicated.

Wheelchair and mobility aid users have priority in the wheelchair area.

The wheelchair space can be shared with a buggy owner, providing the driver believes the space is big enough and the wheelchair user or mobility scooter user agrees to do so.

Travel support card

We produce a travel support card to help people communicate any assistance or information requirements they have with staff.

There is space on the card to write down what assistance or information you need. You can use a travel support card on all our services.

Order your Travel Support card.

Alternatively you can download and print your own copies.

Did you know?

If you have mobility impairments and have trouble using public transport, you may be able to get subsidised taxi and minicab travel in London through the Taxicard scheme managed by London Councils.

Apply for Taxicard

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