lafemmex

Hi Folks,

I'm taking my Mom to London on September 5th for 6 nights in London. We'll be staying at the Mint Hotel in Westminster. Does anyone have any tips for tube stations and ways to get around given that my Mom will need a wheelchair most of the time? She can walk short distances or get up from the chair in order to walk onto a bus or something. The chair itself is very light so I can lift with ease. Do many of the sites have wheelchair access? We're only interested in seeing the most popular tourist attractions (Buckingham Palace, the Eye, Big Ben, Hyde Park, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, Harrods, Picadilly Circus, seeing a West End show, Tower of London Jewel House, etc.) Thanks for any tips or suggestions you can provide. I'll post my itinerary in a few days to see if you think it makes sense for us given her restriction.

Gratefully,
Melissa

PatrickLondon

I'm no expert on this, but the tube would be a real issue. There are lots of unexpected steps and stairs, especially in central London stations. TfL does a map showing stations with step-free access, but the picture is patchy. Buses, on the other hand, are less of an issue, overcrowding apart, and you'll likely be using them most of the time:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/...lity/1167.aspx

This is the official view of accessibility for visitors:
http://www.visitlondon.com/maps/accessibility/

janisj

Totally 100% forget about the tube. Sure there are a few easy stations -- but most any journey will involve nasty connections.

Buses are easier -- is she ambulatory and is it a folding chair? You can get on the buses --roll on and roll off. And the cabs are great - fold up the chair and pile in. Roomy enough for both of you and the chair.

I'd also forget about Harrods. It is normally very crowded and can be difficult to navigate on two good legs . . .

The Tower might be a problem -- My mom only has a transport chair so it is harder to push up inclines and over uneven surfaces. If you can easily push her up hills/over bumps-- then the Tower would be OK.

But honestly -- I'd invest the extra £ in a few journeys by cab.

You may not want to hear this --but for someone w/ mobility issues, I'm not sure I'd pick that hotel. From there to the Tower by bus would take nearly an hour including a transfer. For the British Museum - an hour w/ two transfers.

The TFL website journey planner will help you work out routes. Plug in the hotel's postcode (SW1P 4DD) and you can click "no stairs", "no escalators", etc.

http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/use...T2?language=en

janisj

I didn't see Patrick's post - I was interrupted and end up finishing after he posted.

Basically we agree -- the tube is a no go.

If you can, I'd seriously consider moving hotels to someplace a bit more convenient. For able bodied folks it would be fine. But if you stayed nearer Trafalgar Sq, Piccadilly Circus or Marble Arch - most every bus route goes through those areas so you could get just about anywhere on one bus.

avalon

A Fodor's poster flygirl, did a report awhile ago on lOndon in a wheelchair, SHe was part of a project for some mobility site. I'll ask her if it still available.

flanneruk

In your position, I'd think hard about your strategy.

Taxis are extraordinarily expensive, and traffic can be slow so you can run up a lot of extra cost while the taxi's stuck at a traffic light.

Many things in London work hard to make a Roman/medieval/Victorian infrastructure work for people who can't get around easily. But London itself is inherently disability-unfriendly: our pavements are narrow, and crowded both with faddish street furniture and busy people (themselves increasingly space-demanding since the invention of roller suitcases, which double or treble the square foot footage their owners take up, while increasing the amount of time they occupy the space). Worse, rapidly growing tourism increases the number of pedestrians selfishly walking in groups.

Parts of your target list (especially and incomprehensibly Piccadilly Circus, which is just a tacky crossroad, but Traf Sq and Big Ben as well) can only be seen from crowded pavements, which can be a nightmare to navigate in a wheelchair. By comparison, most "attractions" (like the Tower or the British Museum) are stuffed with accessibilty aids.

I'm certainly not trying to put you off. But you might consider using a specialist tour (some featured on the Accessible London website) for "walking about" sightseeing. Apart from anything else, they can park in, and get to, places taxis and other vehicles can't.

Thousands of Londoners happily commute or take long-distance trains by themselves in wheelchairs, and have limited difficulty going to Westminster Abbey or the National Gallery. Virtually none of them ever try negotiating Piccadilly Circus: it's too narrow, too crowded and too pointless.

Attractions generally have their own wee problem. Though almost always rated disability-friendly, most were built before such things were thought of. Inevitably, that often means wheelchair-friendly entrances aren't in the same place as most people go in by. It's a wise precaution to research almost anywhere you're planning to visit before leaving your hotel, so you don't spend hours pushing your mother against advancing crowds as you're trying to find the way in for you both.

avalon

Found my friend's report

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ure-begins.cfm

janisj

You haven't been back to the thread so you may not see this but just in case, here is a thread by someone else staying at the Mint. The discussion about the location/lack of places to eat might figure into your plans:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...estminster.cfm

lafemmex

Hello All,

Thanks again for all the wonderful suggestions! I've been busy plotting out where to go and what to do given my Mom's wheelchair limitations. Thanks JanisJ. I did see that thread and found myself a Tesco Express, which I'm sure I will visit for snacks, etc. We'll eat away from the Mint, that's for sure. Kindly comment the first draft of my itinerary (my Mom doesn't really care for museums or art so if there's ONE place like that we just can't miss please advise so I can add to the list below - British Museum?):

Day 1 arrive at 12:05pm and rest.

Day 2 (Wednesday, September 7th)
+ Westminster Abbey (morning)
Walk past the following:
+ Houses of Parliament
+ Big Ben
+ 10 Downing Street
+ Trafalgar Square

Then do:
+ London Eye

Day 3 (Thursday, September 8th)
+ Changing of the Guard at 11:30am - how early should we
get there to have a chance at seeing it pretty closely?
+ Buckingham Palace at 2:45pm - already bought my tix and
reserved our spaces. They were so great about
accommodating my Mom. I get in free just because I'm her
caretaker. Imagine that?

* Can you recommend a low-key place for lunch around
Buckingham. Nothing too unreasonable?

Day 4 (Friday, September 9th)
+ Tower of London – Jewel House only (in the morning)
+ Buy 1/2 price tix at Leicester at Tkts and go to matinee
or evening show

Day 5 (Saturday, September 10th)
+ St. Paul’s Cathedral
+ Not sure where else to go, is Covent Garden to far or
too busy?

Day 6 (Sunday, September 11th)
+ Explore one of the parks (Hyde, Kensington, or St.
James)
+ High tea somewhere we don't have to dress up
(Orangerie?)


Is this too much? Or too little? Should I do a boat cruise? If so, will we get seasick? Thanks for any comments you can give so I can re-tool. After I've nailed down the sights, I'll start asking for restaurant recommendations in each area...

Most gratefully,
Melissa

janisj

just some random comments:

"<i>They were so great about accommodating my Mom. I get in free just because I'm her caretaker. Imagine that?</i>"

You will find that at some other for-pay sites. It is pretty common and is a wonderful help.

Sorry --but I'd really REALLY skip the Changing of the Guard. You will have to get there quite early to get a reasonable view.

"<i>Day 2 (Wednesday, September 7th)
+ Westminster Abbey (morning)
Walk past the following:
+ Houses of Parliament
+ Big Ben
+ 10 Downing Street
+ Trafalgar Square

Then do:
+ London Eye</i>"

Sort of out of order. The Eye is directly across the river from Parliament/Big Ben and close to the Abbey. Trafalgar Sq is in the opposite direction. (BTW -- There is absolutely NOTHING to see at 10 Downing St. Just a couple of cops and an Iron Fence.) So maybe start at Trafalgar Sq, then past Horseguards, into St James's Park to the Abbey, then across the street to Big Ben and across the river to the Eye.

Not sure about just doing the Jewel Tower. It is deep in the interior of the complex so it will be quite a walk to just see one bldg. And most of the route is cobble stones so VERY difficult w/ a chair. They do allow you free admission as a care giver - but it will not be an easy visit.

At St Paul's - again, you get in for free, but only one door is wheelchair accessible. It is on the south side(the side nearest the river)

Westminster Abbey is free admission for <B>BOTH</B> of you.