Travelling with visual impairment
We are here to help make your journey as comfortable and independent as possible. With NS Travel Assistance, guidance paths, tactile information, and clear facilities on our trains, you can travel safely and comfortably by train, metro, tram and bus. On this page, you will find how to prepare for your journey and the support available during your trip—both at the station and on the train.
Prepare at home
Would you like to prepare your journey at home? The NS app and Journey Planner show you immediately which facilities are available at your departure and arrival stations. The app is fully compatible with screen readers and informs you before arrival which side to get off on. Turn on notifications for additional travel information during your journey. You can download the app from the App Store or Play Store.
If you need assistance while travelling, you can easily book NS Travel Assistance via Mijn NS. You can also call 030–235 78 22 for this service. An assistant supports you at the station and during boarding, transfers, and alighting. This service is available at most stations.
If you are travelling to a major station, you can use the One Step Further service. An assistant will guide you from the train to the bus, tram or metro stop, the official taxi rank, or the pick-up and drop-off area.
If you are unable to travel independently, one companion can travel with you for free using an OV Companion Card. This card is registered in your name, so you decide who accompanies you on each journey.
With NS Flex for passengers who are blind or have partial sight, you can travel without a balance on your OV-chipkaart. You check in and out across all public transport and pay afterwards through direct debit.
If you wish to review routes with tactile guidance paths at home, you can find them in the travel advice on ns.nl by clicking the three dots next to the station name. You can also search for these routes directly via ‘Search guidance paths’.
If you find it difficult to read the signs above the platform, the free NS Platform Indicator app shows which train departs next from your platform.
At the station
Various facilities at stations help you travel safely and easily. Tactile guidance paths lead you to the platforms, the accessible NS Ticket Machine, the OV Service & Tickets shop, information points, and the check-in and check-out gates or poles. Each gate and pole features a braille symbol. The platform handrails and lift buttons have tactile signs.
If you need assistance at the ticket machine, you can find the machine number in braille and embossed at the top right of the machine, along with the free helpline 0800–0540, which is available 24/7. A member of staff will support you remotely.
At several major stations, the OV Service & Tickets shop offers tactile station maps to help you plan your route in advance. These are available at Amsterdam Central, Arnhem Central, The Hague Central, Leiden, Rotterdam Central, Utrecht Central, and Zwolle.
If there are no service staff present, you can always use the NS Service and Alarm pillar. Press the blue button to speak with a staff member, while the red SOS button is for emergencies. Both buttons are tactile and easily reachable, including from a wheelchair.
On the train
Our trains offer various features to make your journey comfortable and safe. The newest trains have an SOS button near the wheelchair spaces and in the toilet. This button is red with LED lighting, includes a tactile symbol, and provides audio feedback when pressed. The train driver receives an immediate alert and contacts the chief train conductor.
Sprinters and the Intercity Nieuwe Generatie (ICNG) feature a sliding step to reduce the gap between train and platform. This step has a metallic surface with a yellow edge, making boarding level and easier.
Class designations are made tactile. On Sprinters, you always board in 2nd class; after passing through a door, you enter 1st class. Intercity trains have tactile markings indicating the class layout and quiet zones. Double-deck trains offer tactile information on the handrails, while single-deck trains have it on or beside the door, such as on the handle. Quiet carriage doors are marked by a tactile ‘S’.
Every train has priority seats located near the doors for travellers who need extra support. These seats are identified by a sticker and a distinctively coloured headrest.
Some trains have level differences between compartments, marked with ramps, steps, or stairs. The first and last steps feature contrasting strips to make them easier to see.
If you want to know which side to exit on, the NS app provides this information during your journey and sends a push notification just before arrival.
Travelling with an assistance dog
If you travel with a clearly identifiable assistance dog, such as one in training, it may travel with you free of charge. Your assistance dog must wear a harness, cape or frame displaying the logo of an official assistance dog organisation. You will not need a Dog Day ticket in this case.
Safe travel
Emergencies on the train are fortunately rare, though it helps to know what to do if one occurs. On our Safe Travel with NS page, you will find clear advice and information to help you travel well prepared and with peace of mind.