London Travelers With Disabilities

Traveling by public transport in London with a disability is getting easier. While the Underground is almost exclusively accessible via numerous stairs and can be extremely crowded during peak travel times, new stations are beginning to incorporate lifts: Jubilee line trains are wheelchair-accessible at all new stations between Westminster and Stratford. The Docklands Light Railway has lifts, escalators, and/or ramps at every station, and all platforms are level with the train for free-step access; there is also a designated wheelchair area on each train. The National Rail website (www.nationalrail.co.uk) provides general information for travelers with disabilities as well as assistance phone numbers for individual rail companies. All buses, except for routes 9 and 15, have wheelchair-accessible ramps and designated spaces for riding while on board. The wheelchair-accessible Stationlink buses follow a similar route to the Circle Line; routes 205 and 705 travel from Paddington, Euston, St. Pancras, and King’s Cross to Liverpool St., London Bridge, Waterloo, and Victoria. All black taxis are wheelchair-accessible. Those with disabilities should inform airlines and hotels of their specific disabilities when making reservations. When in doubt, call ahead to restaurants, museums, and other facilities to find out if they are wheelchair-accessible. Guide dog owners must have their dog fulfill a six month quarantine before entering the UK with the animal, see http://www.nfb-nagdu.org/laws/uk/pets.html for full details.

The London Tourist Board’s London For All leaflet, available at London Visitors Centres , includes information on disabled access in London. Access in London, by Gordon Couch (Quiller Press; US$12) is an in-depth guide to accommodations, transport, and general accessibility in London. The London Tourist Board has information on programs and events specifically for disabled people (http://na.visitlondon.com/city_guide/disabled).

Access Abroad, www.umabroad.umn.edu/access. A website devoted to making study abroad available to students with disabilities. The site is maintained by Disability Services and the Learning Abroad Center, University of Minnesota, University Gateway, Ste. 180, 200 Oak St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA (☎612-626-7379).
Accessible Journeys, 35 W. Sellers Ave., Ridley Park, USA (☎800-846-4537; www.disabilitytravel.com). Designs tours for wheelchair users and slow walkers. The site has tips and forums for all travelers.
Artsline, 54 Chalton St. (☎7388 2227; www.artsline.org.uk). Euston. Information on access to entertainment venues for disabled people.
The Guided Tour Inc., 7900 Old York Rd., Ste. 114B, Elkins Park, USA (☎800-783-5841; www.guidedtour.com). Organizes travel programs for persons with developmental and physical challenges in the UK.
Magic (www.magicdeaf.org.uk). Association of 14 museums in London that runs events and facilities for deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors.
Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation, 12 City Forum, 250 City Rd. (☎7250 3222; www.radar.org.uk). Old St. Umbrella organization for disabled volunteer groups. Info and links for resources throughout the city.
Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality (SATH), 347 5th Ave., Ste. 605, New York, NY 10016, USA (☎212-447-7284; www.sath.org). Publishes free online travel information and reviews of past trips and highlights through the OPEN WORLD link on their website. Annual membership US$49, students and seniors US$29.
Transport for London: Access and Mobility, (☎0845 300 7000, Tube access 7941 4600, bus access 7918 4300; www.tfl.co.uk). Can provide information on public transportation accessibility within the city.