Lovely staff, super steep underpass, broken toilet
3
3
Date of visit: November 2025
I am a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: a hidden impairment and moving around.
I use or have experience of: hidden impairment, powerchair, walking aid, wheelchair
Overall Rating
Average
I changed trains at Darlington between Edinburgh and Middlesbrough and had some time to look around the station. The station itself is in the nice brick and iron style of many older central stations with arched ceilings and skylights. While it is quite long, it only has two platforms with a building for bathrooms and waiting rooms in the middle, which makes it fairly easy to find your way around. Before you go through the ticket gates, you can find a Costa Coffee with some seating, a café, WHSmith, a tourist information and of course the travel centre, ticket office and ticket machines. There is an information booth with the assistance meeting point on the other side of the access gates, opposite the entrance to the waiting room on platform 4. The waiting room is not very large and was quite busy when I was there, but it has plenty of seating and some vending machines. There is a separate first class lounge off platform 1. The toilets are past the waiting room and lounge, accessible and women’s off platform 4 and men’s off platform 1. Here is an interactive map where you can search for facilities, zoom in and look from different angles: https://studio.prod.goodmaps.io/public-viewer?building=927ef4ea-5e1a-4b8a-8b6e-c337821d8424®ion=UK
Disabled Access In and Around
Average
While there is step-free access throughout the station, there are some long and steep inclines to brave unless you are dropped off at the concourse. The access from Parkgate is at an incline, coming from below the railway tracks up to their level. If you are using the side entrance at the intersection of Victoria Road, Blue Rose Lane and Park Lane you will have to go through an underpass that has a steep ramp with a camber on the street side and another ramp or stairs on the station side. There are handrails on both sides of the subway and the stairs. There are 22 black steps with white contrast markings on the edges. The subway ramps are smooth but have no contrast markings. There is a combined visual and tactile map between the concourse and the top of the ramp from the underpass that is colour-coded and has raised writing as well as Braille. Signage throughout the station is via white overhead signs with dark writing. The ticket desk has a hearing loop and the counter sticks out so that you can fit your legs under it if you are in a wheelchair. The ticket machines are at an okay height to reach from a seated position apart from the card payment keypad. The contactless interface is however below the touchscreen and within reach. The parking payment machines require you to key in your licence plate number on the touch screen at the top of the terminal, which is too high up for wheelchair users. The doors to the waiting room and lounge are automatic single doors activated with a button press. Most of the seating is in the waiting room, but there are some metal benches with backrests and armrests between every seat on the platforms.
Accessible facilities: Step-free entrance, Single-level venue
Parking & Transport
Poor
I travelled to this place by train
There is a concourse with a drop-off point and taxi rank off Parkgate. The drop off point has a lowered curb with tactile markings. There is currently no parking available at the station because of building works, but usually there would be a small car park off Park Lane and along the street into the station off Parkgate. There is a bus stop on Parkgate (2, 2A, 6, 6B, 13A, 13B, 18), but it is still a 0.2-mile/4-minute walk or wheel uphill to the station entrance proper from there. There is another on by the side entrance on Victoria Road/Park Lane (831, 858, X26, X27), which is a shorter walk, but involves an underpass with steep ramps. There are decent lowered curbs with tactile markings and a zebra crossing by the side entrance to the station.
Accessible facilities: Drop-off or pick up point
Accessible Toilets
Average
The accessible toilet is located off of platform 4. There is overhead signage with a wheelchair symbol and an arrow by the entrance to the corridor that has the disabled bathroom at the end. The bathroom was clean and up-to-date, but crucially also out of order when I visited. I will post a more detailed review separately.
Facilities: Accessible toilet
Staff
Excellent
I had arranged assistance with leaving and boarding the train in advance via the Passenger Assistance app. The staff was friendly and well-prepared. I had quite a bit of time on my first journey, so I had a nice chat with them and they were happy for me to go away and meet them again closer to the time of my next train. On my way back, my first train was delayed and I was starting to worry that I would not be able to make my connection, but the staff were really on it and got me onto the onward train quickly and efficiently while still making me feel safe and welcome.
