Bangor railway station is one of 48 stations across Wales set to benefit from new Help Points as part of a £1 million investment announced by Transport for Wales.
The new equipment will give passengers direct access to live travel support and real-time information at the press of a button.
Located on station platforms or concourses, the Help Points can be used to check train times, request assistance or report an issue. Calls will connect directly to Transport for Wales Customer Information Controllers based in Wales, most of whom speak Welsh.
The investment is intended to give passengers greater confidence, particularly during disruption when they may otherwise struggle to find information.
Teleri Evans, Customer Information Manager at Transport for Wales, said: “We want customers to feel safe, confident and connected when out on our network.
“While there are a number of ways to find out what’s going on, including our website, customer information channels and the information screens we operate at every station, we know we need to do more.
“There’s nothing worse than being at a station and not knowing what’s going on during disruption. So, we’re committing to installing these Help Points, starting with those stations with limited phone signal and ones that previously had BT payphones.”
Other North Wales stations included in the programme include Conwy, Llandudno Junction, Porthmadog, Pwllheli, Bodorgan and Holyhead.
Existing Help Points that have reached the end of their working life will also be replaced at Prestatyn, Abergele and Pensarn, Colwyn Bay, Holyhead and Conwy, helping to ensure bilingual assistance remains available across the network.
Transport for Wales currently manages 248 stations across Wales and the Borders, but fewer than half have Help Points installed.
Project manager Adam Zak said the work was being planned with Network Rail, with installation dates expected to be confirmed over the coming months.
He said: “Installing new Help Points is a large undertaking and we are working hard with our partners in Network Rail to ensure the project can go ahead smoothly.
“We expect to get some dates confirmed in the next few months and to begin the work this financial year.”
Help Points are not solely for emergencies, and passengers are encouraged to use them whenever they need information or assistance during their journey. According to the Office of Rail and Road, almost half of calls made through railway Help Points are from passengers asking when their next train is due.
