We’ve previously written about taking your Quingo scooter on the train by making use of the Passenger Assistance scheme.

Prefer to plan and book your journey yourself?

It’s not always possible, or desirable to book your journey in advance and you may prefer to organise this yourself. If this applies to you, here are some key points to consider before you start your journey:

• As with travelling by bus, your scooter must be Class 2 type and meet certain size limits. The size of acceptable mobility scooters varies between operators. As a rule of thumb, your scooter must be able to fit in the wheelchair space.

• Your scooter will also need to fit on any ramps used for boarding the train, be within the weight limits prescribed by the individual train company and be able to manoeuvre into the wheelchair space. This won’t be a problem with your Quingo scooter – the 5 wheel configuration offers unequalled agility and allows for tighter turning in confined spaces.
  

• Some companies run permit schemes for mobility scooters. If you apply for one, you’ll be asked for details about the dimensions and other features of your scooter so that the train company can assess whether or not it’s acceptable. You will need one permit per scooter.

Finding out more

The Disability Aboard website, run by the Association of Train Operators (ATOC) has a handy list of travel tips, including things like how to avoid the barriers at stations and how accessible the station is. This can help with planning how to get in and around the station.

If you are unsure whether your Quingo meets the criteria, or if you have any other train travel queries, we recommend contacting National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50. They will be able to provide you with up to date travel and accessibility information.

Where have you been?

Have you been anywhere exciting on your Quingo? If you have, we want to hear about it, send your stories and any photos to [email protected] and we can post them on our blog.

If you have any questions about your Quingo, please complete the enquiry form and one of our friendly and knowledgeable team will get back to you. Alternatively you can call our customer service line on 01582 430 900.

In the second of a series of articles about accessible public transport, today the Quingo team present our guide to trains.

Getting out and about

You already know how easy it is to get out and about on your Quingo, but did you know that more and more people with limited mobility are now travelling by train?

The government’s ‘Railways for All’ strategy came into effect in 1998 and has already gone some way to improving the rail travel experience. This means it’s now easier than ever to take your Quingo on a train and by 2020, the government aims to have a totally accessible rail fleet.

The regulations regarding travelling by train with your Quingo vary, so it’s important to check with your train company for full information. The National Rail website has a comprehensive list of all Train Operators.

Passenger Assistance

By far the easiest way to plan your journey is to make use of the Passenger Assistance scheme. This free service is provided by train companies to anyone who needs help with any part of their journey.

Staff can help you to plan your journey, book your tickets, make reservations and assist you at the station and when boarding trains. They will make sure that you have the assistance you need at each point in your journey, even if this involves multiple train companies.

Bookings should be made at least 24 hours in advance, this gives the train company time to provide you with the best possible experience on the day.

To book, you need to contact the train company you are using for the first leg of your journey. You can find contact details on the National Rail website, or if you prefer, you can call National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50 and an operator will connect you to the Passenger Assistance team for your route.

Coming up

It’s not always possible or desirable to make a booking in advance. Look out for our next post, which provides tips on how to plan and book your journey yourself.

Finding out more

We want you to have the best possible experience when using your Quingo and hope you have found this blog post useful.

If you have any questions about your Quingo, please complete the enquiry form and one of our friendly and knowledgeable team will get back to you. Alternatively you can call our customer service line on 01582 430 900.