Is there a service to help disabled people use French public transport?

Reader Question: I am a wheelchair user, and in the UK there are services that help me take trains by myself, which includes station workers laying out ramps for me. Does a similar service exist in France? 

France’s national rail operator the SNCF provides a similar service nationwide across the country, to help disabled passengers travel independently, and many trains have a dedicated space for wheelchair users to sit.

Help is offered via the ‘Assist‘enGare’ service, which allows travellers to inform station staff prior to a visit of the assistance they will require, including the use of ramps to board a train.

The SNCF can help passengers in a wheelchair, but the service is not limited to wheelchair users, and is available to others who may have difficulty travelling alone.

This includes carte mobilité inclusion and carte d'invalidité holders, pensioners, and war veterans, or other disabled people including the visually impaired.

Those wishing to use the service must have proof of their disability, either via the above cards or other official documents. 

Workers can assist and accompany a passenger from a meeting point in the station they are departing from, into their seat on the train. When they reach their destination another worker will assist in disembarking. 

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Service must be booked in advance

You must book the service at least 24 hours before your trip, but as it can be booked prior to this the SNCF recommends doing so as soon as you buy your tickets or, if you have a railcard for the trip, as soon as you know the dates of travel. 

Unlike in the UK, where you can contact individual stations, all requests are made directly through Assit’enGare. 

This can be done as follows: 

• Online, via a form

• By calling 3212 between 08:00 and 20:00 (if inside of France)

• Calling +33 9 72 72 00 92 if abroad

Those who are hard of hearing can find more information here.

Users must adhere to the following rules: 

• Turn up at least 30 minutes prior to the schedule departure of their train or 60 minutes for Eurostar services 

• Only have one piece of luggage, weighing 15 kgs or less 

• The wheelchair meet certain size and weight rules – weighing, with the person sitting, less than 300 kgs (for an electric wheelchair) (200 kgs if manual) and must not exceed 700mm in width, 1200mm in length and 1500mm in turning radius

Assistance may vary for those local services (metro, tram, bus etc) which are not run by a national operator. Contact the customer service department for the specific service to see what assistance they provide.