Eurostar is reporting a sharp rise in demand for accessible and assisted travel services, with assistance-related contact increasing by more than 15% year on year.
The international rail operator reveals that assistance requests rose 15.34% from 28,080 to 32,998 in 2025 compared with 2024.
Figures also show a 48.65% increase against 2023 levels, rising from 21,854 to 28,080 when comparing January to November figures.
At London St Pancras International, demand for assistance services increased by 16.6% across the same period, while Paris recorded a 10% uplift in 2025 versus 2024, despite the “halo effect” created by the 2024 Paralympic Games.
Eurostar says the increase reflects growing awareness and uptake of accessibility support services, with more customers seeking help for a broader range of needs beyond mobility, including neurodiversity and non-visible disabilities.
The operator has updated its accessibility guide for customers travelling across its network, providing information on pre-booked assistance, station facilities and onboard support. The guide is also available in alternative formats including large print, audio and braille.
Support currently available to passengers includes dedicated accessibility teams in stations and contact centres, free assistance across borders, guidance through stations and onto trains, companion fares, priority check-in on London routes and onboard accessibility features such as wheelchair spaces and accessible toilets.
Eurostar also says it is continuing to work with the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Scheme and has introduced upgraded accessible waiting areas in Brussels and Amsterdam, additional station wheelchairs and enhanced assistance services across international routes.
The company says its accessibility strategy is shaped through feedback from more than 4,500 customers with accessibility needs each year, alongside collaboration with disability organisations and specialist accessibility panels.
Kirsty Hollywood, Customer Accessibility Manager at Eurostar, explains: “We know that accessible travel is about far more than mobility. Customers are increasingly telling us they want journeys that feel clear, supportive, and confidence-building from start to finish.
“Whether that’s physical assistance, better information, support for non-visible disabilities or simply knowing help is there if needed.”
She adds that staff interactions remain one of the biggest drivers of customer confidence and satisfaction, with all Eurostar employees receiving regular accessibility awareness training.
More on Eurostar’s accessibility offering here: eurostar.com
