My Travel Experience in Vienna with a Wheelchair and Electric DriveAccessibility Information
My Travel Experience in Vienna with a Wheelchair and Electric Drive
I left from Italy, Milan Malpensa airport, with a Ryanair flight, taking with me the manual wheelchair and the electric motor.
From the airport to Vienna by train
From Vienna-Schwechat airport I arrived at Vienna Central Station (Hbf) with the OBB train.
I bought the tickets online at a cost of €4.50 each, the date and time of departure are indicated on the ticket. It is also possible to leave at different times, within two hours of the next one, but the departure cannot be brought forward.
Also online, I filled out the forms to request assistance at the stations (one form for the outward journey and one for the return journey)
Assistance to board the train
After disembarking, I followed the signs to the train station inside the airport. I didn't see any rooms dedicated to disabled assistance, so I went to the ÖBB counter to ask for information.
Assistance to board the train is provided directly by the on-board staff.
Upon request, they activated a lifting platform located inside the first-class carriage with the wheelchair symbol.
The platform is compatible with manual wheelchairs, but larger electric wheelchairs cannot use it, and the electric motor must also be disconnected before boarding.
Vienna Central Station
At the entrance to the Central Station, the desk dedicated to disabled people is clearly visible. Here, the staff accompany travelers to the platform at the precise point to board the train. Using the lifting platform, the wheelchair is brought on board.
To use the service, it is advisable to arrive at the station at least an hour in advance.
It can happen, as happened to me, that the online request is not immediately displayed, so it is always better to arrive early and check.
Getting around Vienna in a wheelchair with public transport
Subway
The Vienna subway is marked with the U symbol and is quite accessible, I write quite because not all vehicles have an entrance level with the platform.
The cost of the ticket for each ride is €2.40, if over 65 the cost is €1.50. There are no discounts for disabled tourists. The automatic ticket machines are located in every station, they are lowered to wheelchair level and easy to use.
There are no turnstiles, you can enter and exit without any problems, but be careful... 😉 there can be surprise checks at the exits and the fines are steep. Don't forget to validate the ticket before entering. The inspectors I saw at work were wearing a yellow vest
Accessible carriages: how to recognize them
On the U1 U2 U3 U4 subway lines, several trains have carriages with barrier-free access, that is, without a difference in height or distance from the platform. These trains are recognizable by the dash that appears on the display that signals the arrival of the trains.
The accessible entrance has the wheelchair symbol on the entrance door, the entrances are equipped with an automatic ramp that eliminates the difference in height and the space between the carriage and the platform, furthermore, the interior is more spacious.
These doors are always located at the beginning and end of the train.
Almost all subway stations are accessible via elevators or ramps.
Tram
Most trams are accessible, they have a low floor and a ramp that allows the wheelchair to enter, the ramp is manual and is operated by the driver. The wheelchair-accessible entrance is the first door near the driver.
The wheelchair space is quite spacious, I entered with the electric drive attached.
In the wheelchair space there is a blue button to get off at the next stop.
At the tram stop you can see the accessible tram on the display by the wheelchair symbol.
The tram ticket, like the metro, costs €2.40 and can be bought at the metro machine (it is the same ticket), you can also buy it on the tram but it costs more €2.60. On the tram you have to validate the ticket in the appropriate machine.
Bus
I never used the bus during my stay in Vienna, but from what I saw they are equipped with a ramp. The accessible entrance is in the second door, the one where the driver can activate the ramp.
Tickets
The ticket for public transport is the same for everyone (metro, tram, day and night bus) the single ride costs €2.40 for everyone and lasts 80 minutes from the moment of validation. Then there are the 24-hour, 48-hour, 72-hour, 7-day tickets, which can be purchased at the ticket machines located in the metro stations. Or there is the Vienna City Card that combines public transport with other tourist services. Unfortunately, disabled non-residents do not have discounts on public transport.
Accessible public toilets
Apart from the various museums in Vienna that all have accessible toilets, many subway stations have disabled toilets.
However, the disabled toilets in the stations are closed and you need the Eurokey to enter. Around Vienna, the newer places such as bars, cafes, restaurants, shopping centers have accessible toilets, here are some where I have been:
the Aida Cafè chain
Cafè Central
Billa supermarket in Kupferschmiedgasse
Steffl shopping center toilet on the 5th floor is located in the center at 16 Karntner Strasse
Accessible places I have visited
Schönbrunn Palace
I bought the ticket directly at the ticket office on the left when entering, disabled people always have priority, so I didn't have to wait in line. The ticket for disabled people is discounted, but for the companion it is free. They asked me for a disability document but they didn't verify the need for a companion, also because the wheelchair already shows it.
At the ticket office there is an accessible bathroom. I left the electric motor to the staff who checks the tickets to enter and visited the palace without difficulty.
How to get to the Gloriette
I got to the top by riding the electric device all the way, I took the path on the left which in my opinion is less steep. In some places, however, I had to be pushed.
Another way is to use the little train, also accessible with a wheelchair. The little train stops in several places and you can get on and off whenever you want. The ticket costs €15 per person.
The starting point and the ticket office are not well signposted, they are located near the entrance to visit the Palace, near the outdoor tables of the Gerstner restaurant.
Kunsthistorisches Museum
The accessible entrance is at 5 Burgring, I bought the ticket on site without booking, disabled people have a discounted ticket and companions free.
Belvedere Palace Museum
Accessible entrance from the main entrance, I bought the tickets on site at the ticket office outside entering from the gate at 27 Prinz-Eugen Strasse.
The café inside the museum is inaccessible, there are steps from both the internal door and the external door.
The accessible entrance to the ticket office is from the shop.
To go to the accessible bathroom, you have to ask the staff to put a ramp to overcome the steps of the shop, then after passing the shop, you continue along a walkway that leads to the bathroom.
Albertina Museum
Accessible entrance with elevator located next to the escalator. Ticket bought on site, reduced price for disabled people, free for companion.
Austrian National Library
The library is located in Josefsplatz a short distance from the Hofburg, this area has an ancient stone pavement not easy to navigate in a wheelchair. The ticket can be bought on site, reduced price for disabled people, free companion.
Palace of Justice
Accessible entrance on the right side of the building, you pass through a walkway marked by the wheelchair symbol.
You enter through a small door that allows you to reach the elevator. The elevator takes you to the hall of the building where the security staff is located, then with a lifting platform you overcome the steps to reach the imposing staircase.
With an internal elevator, you can reach the first balcony and reach the bar restaurant with an outdoor terrace on the fifth floor, there is a bathroom for disabled people.
Free entry for everyone. Visiting hours from 9.30 to 15.30
Austrian Parliament
The accessible entrance is on the left of the building indicated by the wheelchair symbol, you must then pass the security checks to be able to enter.
To visit the rooms and the majestic parliament you must join the groups with the guided tour, you cannot visit independently.
I booked the guided tour directly on site, the tour lasts about an hour and you can easily follow it with a wheelchair. The elevators are large and the guide is very helpful. There are bathrooms for disabled people. Free entry for everyone.
Stephansdom Cathedral accessible from the main door
St. Peter's Church accessible with a walkway on the side at the front
Karlskirche Church accessible side entrance on the right
Votive Church accessible entrance on the left side
Café Central accessible entrance passing through the shop in Herrengasse, then with a ramp you reach the café room.
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