Wheelchair Accessible Adventure Travel

Slovakia

Although there is not yet enough effective legislation in Slovakia to force complete accessibility, disability bodies are pushing for this and recent European Union entry has helped speed up the process. If you want to thoroughly explore the country, you may need to compromise somewhat, but with some effort a rewarding visit is possible for all.

ACCOMMODATION

Many hotels have ground floor rooms and lifts, but only top of the range establishments can boast facilities to suit all abilities; Bratislava's Holiday Inn even has a lift into the swimming pool. The more adventurous your itinerary, or the smaller your budget, the more basic your lodgings will be. Tour operators and travel agents should be able to give you an idea of what to expect, and independent adventurers can discuss their needs with proprietors in advance by email.

GETTING AROUND

By air - Bratislava airport has aisle chairs, trained staff, wheelchairs and accessible toilets. It is essential that the help you will need be stated clearly on your ticket at the time of booking.
By bus & train - Even Bratislava there are only a few buses designed to cope with wheelchairs, and rail travel is equally inaccessible, with a five-day advance booking necessary on the only fully accessible routes (those to Prague and Vienna). Therefore, unless you are at least partially ambulant, you will need to depend on a lot of help to use these services.
By taxi & hire car - The following taxi companies can provide 'barrier free' services to and from Bratislava airport, although there is no guarantee that vehicles with lifts or ramps will be available.
Štefan Homola (tel: 0903 462 598), Tibor Pupák (tel: 0905 320 686), Ján Sekác (tel: 0905 632 807), P. Pavol (tel: 0907 767 690).
I found no car hire companies providing vehicles suitable for disabled drivers. Scott Rains (quadriplegic wheelchair user) said, "Our travels required a rental car. Germany had the nearest rental agencies offering cars with hand controls so we picked up a regular rental car in Vienna and my sister did all the driving."

PUBLIC BUILDINGS & ATTRACTIONS

Many banks, post offices and libraries are accessible to a degree, although you may need to take a detour around the rear of the building to find a ground level entrance or wide enough door.
Some museums and recreation facilities do have lifts, ramps and facilities for visitors with visual and hearing problems, and it is commonplace for disabled people and their assistants to enter at a reduced rate or free of charge. Scott Rains remarked, "Tourist sites are sparsely visited early in the season and I found staff more than willing to help me around their wheelchair obstacle courses."

TOUR OPERATORS

Enjoy Slovakia (tel: +421 33 6409026; fax: +421 33 6409029; info(at)slovakiatravel.com; web: www.slovakiatravel.com) is an operator based in Slovakia, and although they cater more to the general market, they can provide first hand information about accessibility.

FURTHER INFORMATION

The National Council of People with Disabilities in Slovakia has drawn up extensive lists of accessible hotels, museums and recreation facilities, and these can be obtained from Gordon Rattray (e-mail: gordon(at)able-travel.com).