4.5
It's a fantastic service - but be prepared
As others have said - this is a great service and they do discounted seats for wheelchair users and a companion. My experience in London was similar to another reviewers, in the waiting area before boarding, we had uncertainty about whether someone would find us to take us up in the lift. You are supposed to be escorted from check in, but they did apologise and say there wasn't anyone available as it was a particularly busy time (just after Christmas) and I did have two companions with me, so instructions were to "wait by the lift". Staff came and went up and down the lift but said we couldn't go up (too early for boarding I think) and the lift was passcode only for staff. But once boarding started, a staff member using the lift saw us and let us go up! Once on the platform there was a member of staff pushing someone else in a wheelchair so I caught his attention and he said - yes follow me!
Once at our coach the ramp was there and all went well. We did book an extra seat so I could transfer to a seat during the journey, but honestly I found it the most uncomfortable seat ever ha ha. It was such a weird shape - so on the return journey I preferred just sitting in my scooter anyway.
I travelled on mobility scooter, which I need to use permanently. I can stand for a short time or walk three or four steps, but that is it, so I think I experienced it as a wheelchair user mostly. In fact I wished I had had a powerchair instead of scooter as my scooter turning circle isn't great.
My one comment though is about the ramps at the Paris end - they are smaller and a different design to the ramps in London. There was no way I could turn a 90 degree angle onto the ramp from the train, in order to exit the ramp. It was quite small/a tight space. The attendant was a little impatient and asked someone to lift the back end of the scooter round. On the way back I had a more patient attendant and did a five point turn and got round the corner! The London ramps are much easier.
So be prepared for that if you're using a scooter. I think a wheelchair would be ok with it. Also be prepared for some uncertainty when boarding in London, in the waiting area. There are no visible staff around but they come and go to the lift, and if in doubt, do what I did and say - hey we need to go up the lift - once everyone else has started going up boarding ramps - and once a member of staff arrives.
You go straight to the checkin on arrival and don't have to queue and are prioritised in that respect. Staff on the train were all nice, courteous and helpful. When the brought food and drink around.
I would recommend not booking an extra seat to transfer into as I found my scooter seat more comfortable, and the journey is only about 2 hours and 20 minutes - which is nothing after sitting on a scooter all day around Paris!
Edit: If you have mobility issues but don't use a wheelchair or scooter you need to understand how Eurostar booking works. They WILL ONLY provide a ramp if you book a wheelchair space. On their website it says - if you can't climb two steps and walk 200 yards then you need to book a wheelchair space. It's just how they work. A safety thing apparently - they want anyone disabled in that part of the train in case of evacuation. So if you don't use a wheelchair and can walk a bit, but can't do steps and need a ramp - you need to book a wheelchair space.
As others have said - this is a great service and they do discounted seats for wheelchair users and a companion. My experience in London was similar to another reviewers, in the waiting area before boarding, we had uncertainty about whether someone would find us to take us up in the lift. You are supposed to be escorted from check in, but they did apologise and say there wasn't anyone available as it was a particularly busy time (just after Christmas) and I did have two companions with me, so instructions were to "wait by the lift". Staff came and went up and down the lift but said we couldn't go up (too early for boarding I think) and the lift was passcode only for staff. But once boarding started, a staff member using the lift saw us and let us go up! Once on the platform there was a member of staff pushing someone else in a wheelchair so I caught his attention and he said - yes follow me!
Once at our coach the ramp was there and all went well. We did book an extra seat so I could transfer to a seat during the journey, but honestly I found it the most uncomfortable seat ever ha ha. It was such a weird shape - so on the return journey I preferred just sitting in my scooter anyway.
I travelled on mobility scooter, which I need to use permanently. I can stand for a short time or walk three or four steps, but that is it, so I think I experienced it as a wheelchair user mostly. In fact I wished I had had a powerchair instead of scooter as my scooter turning circle isn't great.
My one comment though is about the ramps at the Paris end - they are smaller and a different design to the ramps in London. There was no way I could turn a 90 degree angle onto the ramp from the train, in order to exit the ramp. It was quite small/a tight space. The attendant was a little impatient and asked someone to lift the back end of the scooter round. On the way back I had a more patient attendant and did a five point turn and got round the corner! The London ramps are much easier.
So be prepared for that if you're using a scooter. I think a wheelchair would be ok with it. Also be prepared for some uncertainty when boarding in London, in the waiting area. There are no visible staff around but they come and go to the lift, and if in doubt, do what I did and say - hey we need to go up the lift - once everyone else has started going up boarding ramps - and once a member of staff arrives.
You go straight to the checkin on arrival and don't have to queue and are prioritised in that respect. Staff on the train were all nice, courteous and helpful. When the brought food and drink around.
I would recommend not booking an extra seat to transfer into as I found my scooter seat more comfortable, and the journey is only about 2 hours and 20 minutes - which is nothing after sitting on a scooter all day around Paris!
Edit: If you have mobility issues but don't use a wheelchair or scooter you need to understand how Eurostar booking works. They WILL ONLY provide a ramp if you book a wheelchair space. On their website it says - if you can't climb two steps and walk 200 yards then you need to book a wheelchair space. It's just how they work. A safety thing apparently - they want anyone disabled in that part of the train in case of evacuation. So if you don't use a wheelchair and can walk a bit, but can't do steps and need a ramp - you need to book a wheelchair space.
