Steve from I-Can-Travel provides a great resource for disabled travellers, especially in the USA. Steve asked me how I got involved in accessible travel in Germany and asked me to write a blogpost for his website. So I started writing…
“One day I was standing in Berlin, with my two small children. I waited for an hour for a taxi with two car seats. This was impossible to find, so I headed by foot to a hotel, where I had confirmed a reservation for a family room. When I arrived I found out that the room had only a single bed, where my children were expected to… read more on I-Can-Travel
Photo by Tours for disabled travellers to Berlin
http://www.i-can-travel.com/accessible-travel-germany-nicole-bosch/
Travelhands is a marketplace for accessible travel products in Germany. Because we want to make services available in the entire “travel chain” (from accessible transfer to accessible accomodation) we had a discussion in our team if having services involving Segways on Travelhands falls under accessible travel yes or no.
I found this article Accessible Travel on a Segway by Candy B. Harrington (@cbharrington) and there I found my answer: Segway travel is the latest in accessible travel for people with mobility impairments! It is the story of Marsha Altschuler who just loves her Segway. She’s been using it because she has problems walking due to her MS. Marsha takes her assistive device everywhere -including vacation. If you want to discuss accessibilty and Segways, visit the disability group at this forum about Segways.
The Segway is classified in Germany as an “electronic mobility aid”. The use of a Segway is generally allowed on bicycle paths and public roads within city limits since 25 July 2009. It made me realise that surely not everyone has the possibility to enjoy a ride on a Segway, but that it can improve accessibility and accessible travel in Germany as well!
Especially the possibility in Berlin to rent a Segway for yourself (without booking a tour) makes travelling in Berlin a little bit more accessible. Touring Berlin with a Segway with a supplier who can advice you when you are travelling with reduced mobility is also very worthwile!
So we decided to leave the Segway offers on Travelhands and I hope some of you will be able to enjoy them once you visit Germany!
PS A “normal” Segway is not an option for wheelchair travellers, but I didn´t come across options to rent wheelchair Segways like these Demonstration Segway wheelchair Rehacare or the Leanseat. If you know someone that rents out these Segway wheelchairs, please let us know!
Düsseldorf Marketing & Tourismus GmbH und Travelhands.eu erleichtern die Suche nach barrierefreien Reiseprodukten und bilden eine starke Partnerschaft zum Wohle aller Reisenden.
PRESSEMITTEILUNG
Mobilitätseingeschränkte Reisende können ab sofort Informationen und Angebote für barrierefreies Reisen in Düsseldorf auf dem Online-Marktplatz Travelhands finden. Auf einer speziell entwickelten Düsseldorf-Seite www.travelhands.eu/de/Duesseldorf sind unterschiedliche Angebote aufgelistet und direkt buchbar. Vom Rollstuhltaxi über Stadtführungen für Gehörlose und Reiseassistenz bis zu behindertengerechten Hotels.
Für mobilitätseingeschränkte Reisende, die gerne selbstständig einen Urlaub planen, gleicht die Suche nach barrierefreien Zimmern oder Freizeitangeboten häufig einem frustrierenden Hürdenlauf: Einzelleistungen sind schwierig zu finden und zu buchen. Diese Lücke schließen DMT und Travelhands.
„Unser Hauptanliegen ist es, alle notwendige Reiseprodukte für mobilitätseingeschränkte Individualreisende im Internet so einfach buchbar zu machen, wie das z.B. für Flüge heute schon online selbstverständlich ist. www.travelhands.eu/de/Duesseldorf ist ein wichtiger Schritt, eine Reise z.B. nach Düsseldorf unbeschwert im Voraus zu planen. “, erklärt Nicole Bosch, Geschäftsführerin von www.travelhands.eu
www.travelhands.eu ist ein Marktplatz für barrierefreies Reisen. Wer Dienstleistungen für mobilitätseingeschränkte Reisende in Deutschland anbietet, ist eingeladen selbständig barrierefreie Angebote auf der Plattform einzustellen. Travelhands legt Wert darauf, Einzelleistungen auffindbar zu machen: ein Hotel kann sich zum Beispiel nur mit seinen rollstuhlgerechten Zimmern präsentieren oder ein Fahrradverleih nur seine Elektrofahrräder einstellen. Interessenten können über Travelhands direkt Kontakt mit den Anbietern aufnehmen.
Als neuer Kooperationspartner nutzt die DMT diese Plattform als zusätzlichen Vertriebsweg, um Gästen der Stadt Ihre barrierefreien Stadtführungen anzubieten. Aktuelle Highlights sind spezielle Führungen zur REHACARE am 22. und 23. September 2011, der internationalen Fachmesse für Menschen mit Behinderung und Pflegebedarf.
Angesichts einer immer älter werdenden Bevölkerung ist barrierefreier Tourismus zum Zukunftsmarkt geworden. Mobilitätseingeschränkte Menschen machen in Deutschland heute rund 30 % der Bevölkerung aus. Tendenz steigend. Im Jahr 2020 wird die Zahl der Urlaubsreisenden in Deutschland zwischen 65 und 75 auf über 40% steigen. In Europa gibt es schon jetzt mehr als 127 Millionen mobileingeschränkte Reisende.
Nicht nur behinderte Menschen, sondern auch Familien mit Kindern, Senioren oder Menschen mit vorübergehend eingeschränkter Mobilität nutzen barrierefreie Angebote. “Es wird also deutlich, dass in Zukunft viele Reisende besondere Bedingungen im Hinblick auf Barrierefreiheit an die Destination ihrer Wahl stellen werden. Die Partnerschaft von Düsseldorf und Travelhands ist damit zukunftsweisend“, sagt Bosch.
Mehr Informationen finden Sie unter www.travelhands.eu/de/Duesseldorf
Pressekontakt:
Nicole Bosch
Geschäftsführerin Travelhands
Tel.: 06321 382 621
Tel.: 0177 82 36 626
service@travelhands.eu
http://www.travelhands.eu
oder
Düsseldorf Marketing & Tourismus GmbH
Abteilung Unternehmenskommunikation
E-Mail: presse@duesseldorf-tourismus.de
Tel.: 0211 / 17202-863
www.duesseldorf-barrierefrei.de
Über Travelhands
Travelhands vermittelt seit Mai 2011 Dienstleistungen rund um barrierefreien Tourismus im Internet. Auf www.travelhands.eu finden Reisende alles um eine barrierefreie Reise selbst zusammen zu stellen. Von Rollstuhlverleih, Großraumtaxi, Blindenführungen, Reiseassistenz bis hin zu behindertengerechte Unterkünfte in Deutschland.
Über die Düsseldorf Marketing und Tourismus GmbH (DMT)
Düsseldorf für alle erlebbar zu machen ist das ehrgeizige und langfristige Ziel der Landeshauptstadt Nordrhein-Westfalens. Auf Initiative der DMT ist die Broschüre “Düsseldorf Barrierefrei” sowie das Internetportal www.duesseldorf-barrierefrei.de entwickelt worden, die im Sommer 2010 erstmals erschien bzw. online ging. Das Nachschlagewerk sowie die Website eröffnen hör- bzw. sehbehinderten Gästen sowie Menschen mit Mobilitätseinschränkung Informationen über die Zugänglichkeit von touristisch relevanten Einrichtungen wie z.B. Hotels, Restaurants, Öffentliche Verkehrsmittel u.v.m.
Is it wheelchair hire or wheelchair rental in Berlin? Or wheelchairs for rent in Berlin?
Is this an american/english thing or is it just different ways of searching for a wheelchair?
Is it electric wheelchair for rent in Berlin or is it motorized wheelchair for hire in Berlin? I guess I need some help from the English speaking community 
Looking forward to your comments!
When we researched Travelhands, we talked to many travellers in a wheelchair in Germany. In their top ten lists of services they need while travelling: accessible toilets. So I thought let´s write a blogpost about accessible public toilets in Germany. Not realising that it is not as easy as I thought!
To access accessible toilets in Germany you need a Eurokey. Information about this Eurokey is hardly available. So how can wheelchair travellers to Germany obtain this Eurokey? What you need to know: the organisation that provides this key in Germany doesn´t have English information available, but some of the staff members speak a little English .
The Eurokey is a locking system used throughout Europe, which can be opened with a special universal key. It guarantees accessibility to public facilities with specific room and hygiene requirements to people with a disability, as well as the protection of these facilities.
You can order the Eurokey before you travel, it costs 18 euro. A good idea is to order this key together with a booklet called “Locus”, that gives the location of 9000 toilets you can use this key throughout Europe. The booklet however is in German.
For more information you can contactCBF Darmstadt
mail: info@cbf-da.de
We would like CBF to offer this key on Travelhands, so this key will be more accessible for all travellers , but until then you can order it by email.
The Eurokey can be used in lifts, stair lifts, toilets, cloakrooms etc. throughout Germany. Who is entitled to use a Eurokey?
People who are dependent on the use of special facilities (wheelchair users, people with a visual disability or a walking disability, and people with chronic incontinency problems).
Eurokeys are given directly to the user and not to institutions, temporary carers etc. Only one key per person is provided. Tourists may also make use of a key.
With regards to this theme, I found this blog: The initiative Access to Toilets Now! (”recht auf klo”) wants to achieve that all persons have the right for accessible facilities: Independent whether they are pedestrians or wheelchair users. Especially air carriers generally don’t offer accessible toilets for persons with reduced mobility (PRMs). The blog Accessible toilets now is written with humor, but unfortunately there is a bitter truth behind it.
I know it has nothing to do with accessible travel in Germany , but I have seen some extroadinary video´s of Aaron Fotheringham. He is the first known person ever to do a wheelchair backflip.
This video is ment to show not only people ON chairs but EVERYONE that when life gives you limits, push them.
Here you can read an English and German interview with Aaron Fotheringham.
Travelhands is a marketplace for accessible travel in Germany.
You’ll find on travelhands anything to arrange your accessible trip independently. From wheelchair rental, xl taxi, tours for blind travellers, travel assistance to accessible accommodation in Germany.
Accessibility is not only a requirement for handicapped travellers to have a stress-free stay. Also families with children, seniors or travellers with temporarily reduced mobility, profit from better access to travel services that are tailored to their needs.
Accessible travel means Comfort and Quality for all
If you need extra help and arrangements during a trip, specific offers are not easy to find online and often only separate bookable. Our goal is to make travel products for independent travellers with less mobility as easily bookable online as a hotel room!
Travelhands offers therefor suppliers a single, low-threshold platform, where they can offer their accessible travel products themselves and where travellers can get in contact directly.
Travelhands helps:
Travellers > to find and book accessible travel services easily.
Suppliers > reach new service-oriented customers.
Cities and regions > enhance their image as service-oriented destinations.
Other stakeholders along the travel service chain > by partnering with or linking to Travelhands, promote accessibility.
We ask suppliers to describe their accessible travel services honestly and transparent. Travellers can discuss their special needs with suppliers beforehand to avoid disappointment and misunderstandings.
Travelhands is still in Beta. The number of suppliers that offer accessible travel products and travellers booking travel products, goes up daily. We hope that you like our service and are open for any feedback.
And we need help: please recommend to us suppliers of accessible travel services in Germany! Suppliers can post their offers in German, Dutch and English.
