Exeter St Davids Railway Station

Date of visit: September 2023

I have experience of challenges around: moving around

Overall Rating

Exeter St David is a mainline railway station which serves inter-city and local trains. The station has very good accessibility and amazing special assistance staff. This review is based on 5 journeys I made during my holiday. The first was London Waterloo to Exeter St David when I received special assistance. Journeys 2, 3 and 4 when I didn't need assistance as I was travelling to/ back from Exeter Central Station. Journey 5 was Exeter to Torquay with special assistance.

Disabled Access In and Around

There are automatic doors into the station. The station is large with several platforms which are accessible by lift. There is plenty of seating on the platforms. There is a cafe in the entrance of the station with step free access.

Parking & Transport

The station is well served by local buses and there is a taxi rank outside the station.

Accessible Toilets

0

I did not use but they have them on the platform.

Staff

Staff were exceptional. I had travelled from London Waterloo where I had been told that the special assistance I had booked by app and had been confirmed by email over a month ago was not on their system. I was therefore apprehensive about what support I might receive from Exeter. When my train arrived I was met. I was given the option of a ramp. A wheelchair was provided and my case was taken for me. They asked where I wanted to go but I was just needing to walk across the road to my hotel. They made the whole things so easy for me. I didn't need staff support when making local journeys. However, on my final day I booked special assistance with about 1 hour 50 minutes notice, instead of the 2 hours required. I also arrived early at the station. Sadly there had been a fatality on the line. The trains had been disrupted and were still not running on schedule, but even with all that I received a lovely welcome. They checked when the next train was due to leave to Torquay and took me over to the platform. They also phoned Torquay and asked if staff could meet me, and was told that the ticket office was closed before I arrived and I would require assistance from train staff to disembark. They then ensured I boarded the train when it came and informed the train staff of my requirements. Outstanding service.

Additional Information

Very impressed with the special assistance and would be very happy to use the station again. Sorry there is no photos, when I am travelling I am sometimes so caught up in it that I forget to take photos.

Add commentThanks