Train travel with a disability

Your rights in brief

If you have a disability or reduced mobility, the rules intended to protect you includes that a train company:

• may not deny you travel on the grounds of your disability

• may not charge you if you need assistance

• must try to give you the assistance you need for the train journey

• must give you information you need and can understand

• must allow your assistance dog to accompany you

• must compensate you if your mobility equipment is damaged because of the train company.

Right to buy a ticket

The train company must not deny you from buying a train ticket because of your disability or reduced mobility, if it's not strictly necessary to comply with the company's access rules.

Right to adapted information

Everyone who travels by train has the right to certain information from the train company. If you have special needs, such as those due to impaired vision or hearing, the train company must adapt the information to you so that you can understand it just as well as everyone else.

The train company must also provide information on:

• What assistive devices are on-board the train.

• How you can get on and off of the train if you need extra help to do so.

• Accessibility of the station.

Assistance on the train journey

You have the right to free assistance while getting on and off the train, on the train, and on the station before and after the train ride.

• If you have a disability or reduced mobility and need assistance, you must notify the travel company no later than 24 hours before the assistance is needed. If you do not notify the travel company, they must still try do make all reasonable efforts to provide you assistance. The assistance is free of charge. Read more about assisted travel at stationsledsagning.se

• To get the help you need, you must be at the place and time that the travel company indicates.

• If the train company requires you to be accompanied by an assistant (ledsagare in Swedish) that person should be able to travel free of charge and be seated, if possible, next to you.

• An assistance dog is permitted to accompany you.

Damaged or lost assistive devices or assistance dog

The train company is liable if they are the reason that your assistive device or assistance dog is damaged or missing. The train company should provide compensation without undue delay. The compensation should include:

• The cost to replace or repair the equipment that was lost or damaged.

• The cost to replace or treat the damage if the assistance dog was lost or damaged.

• Reasonable costs of temporary replacement if the train company did not provide it.

The train company should rapidly make all reasonable efforts to provide you with a temporary replacement. You can keep the replacement until you have received compensation for the damage.

Delayed and cancelled train

If a train journey is cancelled or delayed, you are entitled to help from the train company. If you have a disability, you must be able to get the same assistance as other passengers, such as help with other transportation if the train journey is interrupted. Read more about your rights and compensation in the event of a delayed or cancelled train

Report to the Swedish Consumer Agency if the rules are not followed

The Swedish Consumer Agency and the Swedish Transport Agency have a joint responsibility for ensuring that the rules that protect passengers with disabilities are followed. If you think that a travel company is breaking the rules, you can report it to the Swedish Consumer Agency.

A report to the Swedish Consumer Agency does not mean that your individual case will be investigated. However, it is important information for the Swedish Consumer Agency when they review how the companies are following the rules.

File a complaint to the Swedish Consumer Agency

Read more about travelling with a disability on the Swedish Transport Agency’s website