Assistance cards and lanyards

Our staff are trained to listen to our passengers with patience and to be mindful that not all disabilities are visible to others.

Below are items passengers can use to discreetly indicate that they may need additional assistance or time.

Travel Assistance Card

Our Travel Assistance Cards are free for anyone who may need that extra bit of help. The card can be useful for people with learning difficulties, memory loss, hearing impairments, or to support communication.

Travel assistance cards can be collected for free from our stations or by contacting our customer services team on 0333 311 0006 with 21 days’ notice who will send you one through the post.

Alternatively, you can request one by completing the form below:

Request a Travel Assistance Card
Which card would be suitable for your needs? (Please select up to 3 options).

Travel Assistance Card explained

Simply show the card to a member of our staff at the station or on the train and they will help you as much as they can.

There are a range of different designs available including:

  • I need help buying my ticket
  • Please be patient I am confused
  • Please can you help me to a priority seat
  • I lip read
  • Please can you assist me to the train
  • Please be patient I have a disability
  • Please face me and speak clearly
  • Where are the toilets?
  • I am Autistic please be patient
  • I need some help please
  • Please call my emergency contact and tell them where I am (space on rear to write emergency contact details)
  • Baby on board badge. You can wear this badge to show other passengers that you need a seat. It doesn’t guarantee a spot, but it’s a friendly nudge to help others give up theirs.

Other assistance cards and lanyards

If you find it difficult to stand, you’ll find priority seats available on all of our trains. Priority seats are primarily for disabled, older or pregnant customers. When asked politely, most people will be quite happy to move from the seat (unless they need it too) to allow you to sit there instead.

However, we understand that not everyone is comfortable or able to ask so we can give you a Priority Seating card to show that you have a real need for a seat.

To sign up for the scheme, download the Priority Seating Card Application Form and send the completed form to:

Priority Seat Card Application
Freepost
LONDON NORTHWESTERN RAILWAY
Customer Relations

If you can’t download and print the application yourself, our Customer Relations team will be happy to send you one through the post.

We support the Assistance Dogs Travel Scheme across all our services. The scheme helps assistance dogs and their owners travel comfortably and safely on our trains by giving a 'protected space' for the dog.

The highly visible and reusable ‘Assistance Dog Under Seat’ card can be placed on the seat next to you. This lets railway staff and other customers know the seat and the space under it should be kept free for your dog.

The Assistance dog under seat is available for download. You can also request a physical card by emailing [email protected] .

A JAM Card allows people with a learning difficulty, autism or communication barrier tell others they need ‘Just A Minute’ discreetly and easily.

You can request one from the JAM Card website .

The Sunflower Lanyard scheme is a way for passengers with non-visible disabilities to discreetly let others know they may need extra time or assistance on their journey. The scheme is widely recognised across the UK, for example by train companies, in large shops and at airports. You can wear the lanyard at any time and take it off when you choose to.

The Sunflower Lanyard website has more information.