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Vacation in a wheelchair: This makes your trip barrier-free and stress-free!
Find out how wheelchair-accessible travel can be achieved in Switzerland and around the world. Accessibility tips and vacation planning.
Vacation in a wheelchair: This makes your trip barrier-free and stress-free!
The anticipation of the summer vacation leads to intensive planning for many couples, but for Anja Kutter and her husband Philipp, who is paraplegic and active as a national councilor, the vacation organization is much more complex. For a five-day stay, the couple needs two days alone to make all the necessary preparations. Their destination is Savognin, a place they have visited many times, this time with issues of accessibility in the foreground.
Factors such as the availability of nursing staff and access to gondola lifts for electric wheelchairs are particularly important for Anja and Philipp. Since they are staying in Switzerland for their journey, they find the journey by car to be uncomplicated. However, with their future travel plans to Tenerife, which is considered barrier-friendly, they have concerns about transporting their electric wheelchair on the plane.
Accessibility in Switzerland
Although Switzerland has made progress in accessibility, it is ranked in the middle of the pack when compared internationally. Many hotels and restaurants that describe themselves as wheelchair accessible often do not meet the expectations that were communicated in advance. The definition of “barrier-free” therefore remains relative and not always clear. Anja Kutter recommends asking precise questions when planning your vacation and relying on organizations like the Claire & George Foundation to get the best possible information.
In her experience, Anja has received positive feedback from other people who have often been helpful. However, it is important to know that not everything always goes according to plan. According to that Wheeliewanderlust portal There is an increasing desire for travel and adventure, especially after longer periods of not traveling.
Travel planning tips
Organizing barrier-free trips requires precise planning. It often starts with basic questions about the destination, time and type of vacation. The choice is between individual planning or booking through specialized travel providers. These offer support and inspiration for people with mobility limitations.
- Reisen mit der Bahn: Schwerbehinderte können Freifahrten im öffentlichen Nahverkehr in Anspruch nehmen. Es ist wichtig, rechtzeitig Hilfe in Anspruch zu nehmen, um Mobilität an Bahnhöfen sicherzustellen.
- Reisen mit dem Flugzeug: Die rechtzeitige Anmeldung von Hilfsmitteln bei der Fluggesellschaft ist unerlässlich. Rollstuhlfahrer werden in der Regel bevorzugt ins Flugzeug gebracht.
- Unterkünfte buchen: Vor der Buchung sollten Hotels telefonisch oder per E-Mail auf Barrierefreiheit überprüft werden, um Enttäuschungen zu vermeiden.
Overall, traveling remains a challenge for people with disabilities, but this is made easier by modern means of transport and barrier-free accommodation. Anja Kutter and her husband show that despite the difficulties that can arise when traveling, the joy and opportunity to discover the world does not have to be lost. For them, careful planning remains crucial to making travel as pleasant as possible.