Passenger Assistance started with a simple idea: train travel should be clearer, easier and more accessible for everyone.
Technology has changed so much of everyday life. We can order food, book appointments and listen to almost any song in seconds.
But technology has not always moved as quickly when it comes to accessibility.
For Disabled passengers, older people and people with access needs, travel can still involve extra barriers. Information can be hard to find. Support can feel unclear. Passengers may need to explain the same access needs more than once.
Passenger Assistance was created to help change that.
Why Passenger Assistance was created
In 2017, Transreport founder Jay Shen wanted to make transport more equal.
He believed technology could help transport operators better understand and respond to passengers’ access needs.
That idea became Transreport.
Today, Transreport supports rail operators with the Passenger Assistance Management System technology designed for transport environments. Its platform helps operators manage assistance requests, oversee delivery and support more consistent accessible travel services.
Passenger Assistance was created by the Transreport team to give passengers a clearer way to request assistance before they travel.
Through the Passenger Assistance app or website, passengers can share journey details, request support and keep assistance information in one place.
Making assistance easier to request
Before Passenger Assistance, requesting support could take more time and energy.
Some passengers had to make phone calls or email, repeat the same information and explain their access needs again for each journey.
Passenger Assistance gives passengers another option.
It allows Disabled passengers, older people and people with access needs to request assistance in a way that can feel simpler and more manageable.
Passengers can choose their journey, share the support they would like and send the request to the train company.
The app is the easiest way to keep requests, profile details and journey information together.
Working with Disabled people
Passenger Assistance has been shaped with Disabled people, not just for Disabled people.
That detail matters to us.
Accessibility should never be designed without the people who will use it.
From early workshops to user testing, Disabled people have helped shape the Passenger Assistance experience.
Together we have developed how the app works, how information is shared and how passengers can request support in a way that feels clearer.
Transreport has also worked with accessibility panels and people with lived experience to keep improving the service.
Passenger Assistance today
Passenger Assistance now supports accessible rail travel across Great Britain and Japan. Transreport’s website describes its platform as supporting over 30 railway companies globally and helping operators manage assistance at scale.
In the UK, passengers can use the Passenger Assistance app or website to request support before they travel.
In Japan, Passenger Assistance works slightly differently. Passengers use the PA Passenger Web App, which allows assistance to be requested online through a browser. Hankyu Railway has used Passenger Assistance across 87 stations, with more than 970,000 assistance requests coordinated through the Staff App since 2024.
Passenger Assistance is also supporting aviation through Transreport’s work with East Midlands Airport.
The aim remains the same: to make assistance easier to request, easier to manage and easier to coordinate.
Travel should still be your choice
Passenger Assistance does not replace Turn Up and Go.
Disabled passengers still have the right to travel by train without requesting assistance in advance.
Some people prefer to plan ahead. Some people travel spontaneously. Some people use Turn Up and Go. Others decide what they need on the day.
All of these choices are valid.
Passenger Assistance simply gives passengers another option if planning ahead helps them feel more prepared.
What comes next
The Passenger Assistance story is still being written.
Accessible travel is not only about ramps, lifts and station facilities.
It is also about clear information, choice, confidence and control.
Passenger Assistance will continue to grow, improve and support more passengers across different types of transport.
The goal is simple: to help make travel feel clearer, more accessible and more manageable for the people who need support.
To request assistance for your next train journey, visit passengerassistance.com or download the Passenger Assistance app.