Handicapped

Well Paul , many people do get to still tour around and see things, but I will admit that its most likely not something a solo traveller could do if confined to wheelchair.
So, do you have a travelling companion ( friend, wife , etc ?) If so you can still have a holiday abroad but yes, it will require more homework and research. I read a great blog once on Fodars about a couple who planned a trip to Spain and Italy, and they spent a lot of time making sure they got accessible hotels etc. but even with all their research they literally had one incident where lady had to be put on ground while hubby had to carry chair up and down stairs to connecting train platforms , then had to carry luggage, then had ask stranger to watch luggage and chair when he went back to carry wife. They also had to improvise on some things.. but they DID manage, and they did say they had a great fun trip. Also just wondering , do you have the ability to get up and take a step or two , say to get in and out of taxis or mount buses? There will be a lot of factors on determining what you can do , and what you may have to compromise on. I worked with kids in wheelchairs for years Paul, I always tried to figure out ways to make stuff happen for them, but its a lot easier transferring a 60 pound kid then a 200 lb man,, so... it really does help if you can handle transfers with just some minimal assists. A lot will come down to your travel companion.

Paul if you strike out in Germany and if you are the least bit interested in Budapest please let me know.

Heres a few sites to read. www.sagetraveling.com/ http://accessible.europe.com

You might take a look at these postings http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/archives/accessible.html

As for Germany, I'm sure you know, many of the historical sites are just not built for handicapped access. Cobblestones are also hard to maneuver in a wheelchair (my son was in one for 4 months last year, so I have recent experience trying to get him around town). My suggestion is if you have your itinerary and would like to see a certain castle or palace, contact them directly for information on handicapped access. Some will have their information on their website, but many do not have detailed information like that in their English options. I've found that calling directly you will find someone who speaks English and many times they will provide a personalized tour of their facility as well as reserved parking options. Also contact the tourist information office for the towns you are going to to inquire about access, it's really possible to see many of the great sites in a wheelchair. All public parking garages and most towns' street level parking have handicapped parking spaces available as well, you'll need the placard though.

You are reminding me of great times I had with my Mom. She was too fearful to go to Europe after she needed a wheelchair, but we had many trips, including to our hometown of Alexandria, Virginia (cobblestones aplenty). For trips, we changed to a transfer chair. Smaller, lighter, still stable, and had a back pouch. Because she was not big, and I was strong, I was able to carry her up some metal outdoor steps at a motel. These experiences were the best ever. Mom and I laughed for years about our crazy expeditions. Do you have a strong relative who could be your traveling companion? Yes, it costs more, but it more than doubles the security and fun. Had we been able to leave the continent, I would have called tour guides for specifics. Maybe a tour guide will be able to guide you or pick you up at a hotel and drop you off, if necessary.

Hi
Thank you everyone for your comments. I can't stand up but can using a transfer board, can transfer a little to a chair. Would sticking to say London and Berlin be easier for me. my wife will be with me Thgank you Paul

Below is the link to another good article by Rick Steves on the subject. It includes several links to related resources. Perhaps an escorted small-group tour would work well, as the tour operator would be likely to know in advance about the accessibility features at each destination; would choose accessible hotels, restaurants, site-seeing spots, etc.; provide porter assistance; etc. http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/easyaccess.htm Inclusive Britain is a good research site, as is Inclusive London. http://www.inclusivebritain.com/ http://www.inclusivelondon.com/defaultIL.aspx

Hi Paul, Unfortunately I can't comment on either Germany or Britain, but having had a recent visitor here in Switzerland who had mobility issues, I can give you the links we used, they might at least give you some idea of what is possible and what to ask about: City Guide for Bern Wheelchair friendly tour of Bern Taxi Service in Bern for Wheelchairs (only in German sorry) The BLS Train Service Zurich Airport Zurich Transport System As others have commented, the most difficult part was getting around old buildings where they are not allowed to make alterations. But even then we found that on several occasions, if we told them ahead of time that we were coming they arranged for us to get in a service entrance or even put up a special ramp that we could use. The easiest thing we found was the train trips through the alps, once we informed them we were coming they arranged everything - met us on the platform to help load the wheelchair, had teams ready to help us switch trains and again at the final destination they were there to unload us and see us out of the station. Good luck with your trip, Jim

In Germany, at least in many places public transit is much better designed for wheelchairs than many places in North America. It's not consistent everywhere, but in many cities, including Stuttgart, there isn't an U-Bahn station that doesn't have a ramp or elevator. Compared to places like, say, France, Germany on the whole is much easier to get around in for people in wheelchairs. That said, for specific attractions, you'll want to check with their websites. But I think you could do quite a lot in Germany, particularly in the cities. Boat crusies on the Rhine (great views of castles), the Mercedes and Porsche museums in Stuttgart, all the major museums in Berlin, many attractions in Munich should all be accessible to you.