NS Travel Assistance during the coronavirus pandemic
You can still request NS Travel Assistance for your journey, but due to the nation-wide coronavirus control measures, some changes have been made to the process. The travel assistant will try to avoid physical contact as much as possible. This means travellers with a visual impairment will receive verbal assistance and guidance at the station. Since 1 June, travellers in a manual wheelchair who need help boarding the train can once again rely on the assistance they need.
Passengers with a mobility impairment who use a mobility aid
- As always, the travel assistant will guide you from the meeting point to the departing train, while you change trains or to the exit following your arrival.
- When you get on/off the train, the travel assistant will position the travel assistance aid (ramp) ready for you to use.
- You will board or exit the train independently if possible. If you have a manual wheelchair, the travel assistant will help you as needed.. For your safety and ours, the travel assistant will avoid making physical contact as much as possible..
- Despite the 1.5-meter social distancing measures on the train, wheelchair spaces, wheelchair-accessible toilets and priority seats will remain available on the train,.
Travelling with a visual impairment.
- In the train there are green stickers on the windows to indicate the seats that passengers are permitted to use. These are all the seats by the windows. This predictable pattern makes it easier for passengers to find a seat, particularly if they have a visual impairment.
- At stations there are pictograms and distance markets & in the colours yellow and black, because these colours offer the greatest possible contrast for people who are colour blind or have a visual impairment. The stickers and signage have been placed in a way that keeps the guide lines unobstructed.
- For passengers who are unable to see the changed route signage, we offer NS Travel Assistance. The travel assistant will guide you only by means of verbal instructions, from the meeting point to the departing train or, upon arrival, to the exit (or in the case of ‘1 Stap verder’ (1 step further), to the next form of public transport.
Travellers with other impairments
- As always, the travel assistant will guide you from the meeting point to the departing train, while you change trains or, following your arrival, to the exit. In doing so the travel assistant will not touch you.
If you are unsure about whether these measures will make it possible for you to travel, then please, while these measures are in place, make your own arrangements to let someone guide you during your journey. If this is not possible, then we would urge you to refrain from travelling with NS Travel Assistance.
We are aware of the possible impact that this measure may have. We monitor the developments with respect to the coronavirus on a daily basis and the effect of these on our timetable and our employees. As soon as it appears that these measures are no longer necessary, they will be lifted immediately. Until then, we would like to thank you very much for your understanding.