Hello! I have a severely damaged ankle which won’t get better. One of my dreams is to visit Vienna. I saw the photo of the front of the Schonbrunn Palace and I am wondering how I would ever make it up the lawn. Vienna is suppose to be very accessible. I use a walker for anything more than a short distance and sometimes a wheelchair in museums. Any suggestions, please?
My first hit on an internet search:
https://www.visitingvienna.com/transport/accessibility/
It begins:
"For over 20 years, the city has pursued a “barrier-free” development plan. It’s not just a policy, but a practice, with accessibility embedded in building and other regulations.
These efforts have recived due international recognition. For example:
Vienna won the 2025 Access City Award given by the European Commission for prioritising accessibility for persons with disabilities."
Do some digging around and I am sure you will find some resources that will be useful. I don't know any details. Good luck.
Only a structure called the Gloriette is at the top of the hill (or lawn as you call it). The palace itself is on street level and easily reached with a walker when arriving by taxi or subway. There is no need to walk up to the Gloriette when visiting the palace.
This was a subject with which I made my living for nearly 40 years. So knowing what I know about Europe I went to Vienna Google Street View to confirm the rant I was about to go on. To my astonishment, Vienna isnt bad at all, by European standards. No, not one of the doorways that I saw would be legal in the US but for the most part with a minimum of assistance they all can be navigated. What I can not begin to guess from photos is where the restaurant toilets are located. If they are in the basement ......... well .......... sorry.
I have scoped out routes and accommodations and transportation and restrooms for people visiting here, maybe you can find someone who does the same in Vienna.
The City of Vienna is very active in providing good accessability in public space (streets, public transport).
You can even find the details in the official online map of Vienna: https://www.wien.gv.at/stadtplan/en/
On the left, "Show on the Map", you need to open the menu item "Barrier-free pedestrian route" first. Then you can select what to be displayed in the map by checking the appropriate box (e.g., road surface, dropped kerb, etc.).
This works only if the map is enlarged enough, i.e., to a scale of 1:5000 or larger, as given in the bottom line of the map.
Regarding access to the Gloriette, located on top of a hill within in the gardens of Schönbrunn Palace, there is a little train operated for people unable or unwilling to climb the hill: https://www.viennasightseeing.at/en/schoenbrunn/panoramabahn-schoenbrunn
The problem Mr. É has addressed, to wit, barrier free toilets in restaurants, does still exist in some restaurants, mainly those located in ancient buildings, although it is a legal requirement by the City of Vienna. Incidentially, last week Vienna's top rated restaurant (3 Michelin stars) was fined after a guest in a wheelchair had filed a complaint for not having had access to the toilet without help from a another person.
I am overwhelmed with the kindnesses so many of you have shown! I am very excited to do some digging into the information you gave me. I wish you happy travels!
wmt1, the US has a very high bar for accessibility and US citizens have a real awakening when they travel outside of the US. Its not just about public transportation and sidewalks. When I said Vienna was great, but I didn’t see any accessible doors. A bump in the path or at the door that is more than 6.35mm is illegal in the US. The ADA has minimum door width, minimum dimension right and left and in front of the door, maximum (very small) floor slope in the area of the door, and a maximum pull resistance on the door.
Then there are minimum requirements for space around toilets, lavatories, toilet paper dispenser heights and grab bar requirements.
But most with physical limitations can get from their home to the grocery to the bank totally independently. They can reach all the controls on the ATMs and all the light switches, all the important signage is in braille.
If anyone wants a little light reading: https://www.ada.gov/assets/pdfs/2010-design-standards.pdf Some states have greater requirements.
A gross overgeneralization of the American “ADA” vs the EU “EAA” is that ADA is about ensuring full independent inclusion in society while in the EAA is more about ensuring full access to services.
This is one thing that the US has done very well. Thank you George.
Again, I have scoped out routes and accommodations and transportation and restrooms for people visiting here, maybe you can find someone who does the same in Vienna or maybe one of the locals can do some research and find someone willing to to do the job.
Mr. É, there is no question about that the legal framework regarding accessability is much more stringent in the US than in Austria. I have some doubts about its enforcement outside big cities, though.
You also need to consider that a sgnificant share of buildings in Austria are older than 100 years, a lot additionally under monument protection, i.e., no visible changes allowed.