County advice overview
Train services are becoming far more accessible, and many disabled people can use the rail network without help.
Northampton train station is mainly served by West Midlands Railway, which connect Birmingham to Northampton in 1h 2m and London to Northampton in 1h 12m.
Key tips
If you do require help its best to book your journey 6 hours in advance, for example if you:
- find it hard to get on and off trains
- use a wheelchair – on most trains you’ll need a boarding ramp and to reserve a wheelchair space
- use a mobility scooter – some train companies have restrictions
- have a visual impairment and need guidance at the station or help getting on and off the train
- have difficulty walking long distances – some stations have wheelchairs or electric buggies.
By booking your journey in advance, National Rail and the Trainline company can make it as easy as possible for you to travel. They can make arrangements if the station is not step-free or usually not staffed at the time.
You can find out about accessibility at stations on the National Rail information website
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/default.aspx
Just type the name of your station (or 3 letter code if you know it) and you can find out detailed information for that station under the various headings.
Operators
West Midlands Railway
Regular services to Birmingham international, Birmingham Moor Street, Birmingham New Street, Coventry, Leamington Spa, Hereford, Lichfield, Shrewsbury, Stafford, Stratford-upon-Avon, Worcester.
London Northwestern Railway
www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk/
Services to Birmingham, Coventry, Liverpool, London, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Rugby, and Watford.
Planning a journey
Help with costs
Senior Railcard
https://www.senior-railcard.co.uk/
A Senior Railcard is available to people over 60 and costs £30 for a year or £70 for three years. It gives a discount of 1/3 off rail journeys.
The Disabled Person’s Rail card
https://www.disabledpersons-railcard.co.uk/
The disabled person’s railcard costs £20 for a year and £54 for three years. It will entitle you to a saving of 1/3 off rail journeys.
You are eligible for the Disabled Persons Railcard if you:
- receive Personal Independence Payments (PIP)
- receive Disability Living Allowance (DLA) at either:
the higher or lower rate for the mobility component, or
the higher or middle rate for the care component
- have a visual impairment
- have a hearing impairment
- have epilepsy
- receive Attendance Allowance or Severe Disablement Allowance
- receive War Pensioner’s Mobility Supplement
- receive War or Service Disablement Pension for 80% or more disability
- buy or lease a vehicle through the Motability scheme
Travel pass for disabled people
If you are disabled, you could be eligible for a pass that gives you free and low-cost travel in Northampton and the rest of England under the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme. Depending on your disability, you could qualify for either a travel pass for disabled people or a travel plus pass for disabled people.
https://www.disabledpersons-railcard.co.uk/
Travel pass for older people
If you qualify for a state pension, you could be eligible for a pass that gives you free travel in Northampton and the rest of England under the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme.
Senior Railcard | Buy the Senior Citizen (60+) Railcard for £30 | Trainline (thetrainline.com)
Travel assistance
Passenger Assist is a national system used by all train companies, which allows them to make the necessary arrangements for your journey.
If you are planning on travelling on national rail services, you can request an assistance booking in advance – now up to 2 hours before your journey is due to start, any time of the day.
Passenger Assist includes:
- offering a helping hand to navigate the station
- support when boarding the train
- meeting you from your train and taking you to your next train or the exit
- arranging a ramp on or off your train
- assistance relating to a non-visible impairment
- carrying your bag(s) – up to three items of luggage as per the National Rail Conditions of Travel
The train company you’re travelling with will organise assistance for your entire journey, even if you travel with another train company as part of your journey.
You can also “turn up and go” without booking assistance in advance. If you require assistance at short notice, make yourself known to a member of staff or use a Help Point when you arrive at the station.
You can request assistance either via the train company you are travelling with or nationally through Network Rail
Requesting Passenger Assistance National Rail
There are a number of ways to request assistance.
- Passenger Assistance by Transreport– a new app which allows you to request assistance via an internet-enabled smartphone. You receive a confirmation email once your request has been checked and confirmed. You can find out more about the app on our Passenger Assistance by Transreport page.
- You can also call for free on 0800 0223720 or text 60083
- You can also book via individual train companies
National Rail Enquiries – Passenger Assist
Book passenger assistance via individual train companies
Travelling in a wheelchair
Wheelchair accommodation is not available in the First-Class compartment, so the rail service can refund the difference if you have a First-Class ticket. If you decide not to travel, then a full refund is available.
Scooters which are larger than the footprint can be carried if folded and stored as luggage. There are no restrictions on mobility aids such as rollators, providing, they fit within the maximum dimensions of a wheelchair
Trains accommodate wheelchairs which fall within the following standard dimensions:
- Width: 700mm
- Length: 1200mm
- Weight (including customer): 300kg
Requesting Passenger Assistance London Western Railway
Getting on and off the trains, ramps onboard every train in our fleet, so that Conductors can use this to help you get on and off trains. This is in addition to ramps stored on our station platforms and West Midlands Trains staff are always happy to help. If you are getting off the train at the station where your service terminates, they will attend to the needs of all customers who have booked assistance as quickly as possible, ensure that you wait no longer than 5 minutes to get off the train after its arrival.
Wheelchairs
All our trains have designated wheelchair accessible spaces which by law, wheelchair users take priority over everyone else in this area. Modern trains have been designed to accommodate wheelchairs which fall within the following standard dimensions:
- Width: 700mm
- Length: 1200mm
- Weight (including customer): 300kg
https://www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk/travel-information/accessible-travel
Assistance Dogs
Assistance dogs are very welcome on all trains, free of charge, and can travel in any part of the train. As trains operate without seat reservations, please ask a member of staff who assists you on-board if you need help to find a suitable space for you and your dog.