Shiyu

I am Shiyas from India. My friend and his wife planning to visit Europe for 7-8 days. He is slightly disabled, and with crutches he can walk around 100 mtr at a stretch. He can use stairs with support, but a bit slow. Visiting Europe is his long time dream. But he has many doubts regarding accessibility, Train journey in Europe, Public transport, sight seeing etc. I am doing some research in these things to help him. Someone please help me by answering following questions.

1. Eastern Europe countries like Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland or Swiss-France-Germany-Italy? which will be more suitable keeping in mind his disability and budget?
2. For a 7-8 days trip, how many countries can be covered? (He is slow walker)
3. Which would be the cheapest but accessible countries? (he is looking for a budget trip)
4. Is these Gondola rides in Mt. Titlis etc accessible for disabled? (he is slightly disabled)
5. What would be the cheapest transportation inside cities?

StCirq

With only 7-8 days, a disability, and a low budget, one country would be about all he could manage. The countries of Central Europe (Poland, Hungary, Czeckoslovakia) will be cheapest. Switzerland is terrifically expensive.

Every city has its own transportation network. Once he's decided which city to visit, he can go online and investigate how to use it. Accessibility of transportation also varies by country, so he'd have to research that as well.

bilboburgler

Most of the poorer countries in Europe are still failing to achieve Brussels legal standard on access to facilities. StCirq gives the countries that are fundementally cheap to stay in and of course outside the capital is always cheaper than in the capital

Budapest has a small underground train system, some buses and trams. Prague has lots of trams. I'd drop Warsaw.

I would visit one country, I might look at Prague as a core visit and buy a 7 day tram ticket. The centre of the city gets very busy in high summer. Try and focus on early spring or autumn. booking.com is a good site for hotel booking. I don't know about hostels but further out from the centre prices of B&B come down very fast. So I guess the trick is to find a B&B on a regular tram line.

thursdaysd

Not surprisingly, the cheaper countries have worse infrastructure. However, many of the buildings and streets everywhere in Europe are old, and cannot easily be retrofitted for people with disabilities. I would suggest that he look for a guidebook specifically written for people with mobility issues before choosing a country/city to visit. I have seen references to a few such books, and have seen articles on the subject, so a search should turn up something.

Christina

I haven't been in Hungary much so won't comment on that too much, but I have been in the CR and Poland quite a bit, and both are certainly relatively cheap compares to Western Europe. Given he only has a week and the disability, I don't think one should get into the idea of traveling all around the country, let alone more than one country!!! I see budget is an issue, but you could choose one city for a base and then do some day bus tours (I've done several from Prague). They are relatively cheap there and very convenient as they handle all the transportation, you won't have to get from hotel to train station, get on and off train, etc. Having said that, I think a day trip is usually more physical and involves a lot of walking than would maybe work for them, anyway. Unless it were a trip to one particular tourist site, but even then I can't think of a good example.

I don't know what kind of disability is involved, but generally disabled people in the US do not ever just walk around on crutches all the time outside the home as that is difficult. Crutches are usually for temporary breaks or problems.

IN any case, I would think a good bus or tram system would work better in this case than an underground system. Prague has buses and trams, but they can't go in the old historic center, and one part of Prague is very hilly (the side with the old castle). But you could take the tram from the flat side of the river on up to the castle tram stop and from there into the castle is relatively flat, but may be more than 100m. Of course one could only spend time in the flat area around Old Town Square, but that certainly wouldn't be that enjoyable for so long, not that much to see. But I think Prague is do-able.

Are these countries his particular interest or was there some other reason for picking them? Because some other cities might actually be easier for the circumstances regarding terrain and transportation, and communication.

KTtravel

Where in Europe has he always wanted to go? I would focus on one or two places he has always had his heart set on visiting and then the issues of accessibility and budget can be researched.

nukesafe

Even though it is not the cheapest, I have found the bus system in Paris to be superb for the mobility challenged. The buses run all over the city on frequent schedules, the stops are usually relatively close together, there are special seats reserved for those who need them near the doors, and the French are both kind and understanding, IME.

I am having problems with lots of stairs as I age and find myself avoiding the Metro, with its many levels, and relying almost exclusively on the bus or taxi when in the City of Light.

Another advantage of Paris is that it is relatively flat, especially near the river where many of the iconic sights are located. You will also find that the larger venues that require lots of walking, like the Louvre or Orsay are very accommodating in providing wheel chairs on request.

nukesafe

I neglected to attach a link you might find helpful:
http://en.parisinfo.com/practical-pa...g-around-paris

Shiyu

Thank u all..