I was already a huge fan of rail travel (the space, the relaxation, the food & drink).

So when I discovered that rail travel is just SO accessible too, I was a very happy wheelchair user indeed.

I must admit to feeling rather nervous when I embarked upon my first ever rail journey as a wheelchair user though (Ayr to Glasgow);

“would I be able to board OK – as train doors are higher than platforms in the UK?”;

“would there be a wheelchair accessible toilet on board?”;

“would there be assistance to get off the train – or was I doomed to travel the Ayrshire Coast Line for eternity?”

I needn’t have worried at all though – as I had booked the ScotRail “Passenger Assist” service, and had turned up 30 minutes before my train was due to depart (as advised).

A very helpful member of the ScotRail station staff at Ayr though, looked at my ticket, looked at the time of the train, told me that there was an earlier train departing in a few minutes time, contacted the ScotRail station staff at my destination (Glasgow Central Station) to ensure that assistance would be waiting for me if I took that earlier train (it was of course), pushed me over to the platform where the earlier train was departing from, affixed a ramp to the train door, pushed me on board the train, then pushed me to the wheelchair space (ensuring that it was vacant first).

Since then, I have made numerous rail journeys in Scotland. And on every occasion, the ScotRail assistance has been better-than-perfect.

ScotRail really do make accessible travel in Scotland as simple as possible.

First Class travel (where this is an option) is only available to wheelchair using passengers who are able to transfer to a seat though, as the ScotRail website indicates that “First Class areas don’t have spaces for wheelchair users and there’s no wheelchair access to accessible toilets from First Class”.

Photo: The VERY helpful ScotRail staff at Kyle of Lochalsh