Major train stations/trains in Europe mobility type assistance

[mrsterryn]

Looking at doing Xmas markets maybe in this year . Anticipating going to
Frankfurt
Vienna
Budapest
Prague
Hamburg
At this stage. Husband has a few mobility issues with intermittent right side paralysis. He is on a cane alone
Wondering if people have suggestions or directions in regards to the main stations and the trains OOB ICE etc and their mobility access
No night trains going forward only looking at day trains
Thanks for the information

 

[OZDUCK]

Looking at doing Xmas markets maybe in this year . Anticipating going to
Frankfurt
Vienna
Budapest
Prague
Hamburg
At this stage. Husband has a few mobility issues with intermittent right side paralysis. He is on a cane alone
Wondering if people have suggestions or directions in regards to the main stations and the trains OOB ICE etc and their mobility access
No night trains going forward only looking at day trains
Thanks for the information

Most of the Intercity trains I came across had very non level boarding. I would think that your husband would definitely need some help on these trains. The U Bahn and some regional trains seemed better.

However, D Bahn has a section dealing with accessible travel Accessible travel with some FAQ's about accessible travel. In short it seems that help is a lot easier to obtain than I thought. But, of course, until you use it the actual amount of assistance available will be unknown.

There is some information on this OBB page ÖBB Cityjet

Czech Railways have a similar site - but maybe less useful. Ordering assistance or a trip for passengers using wheelchairs | České dráhy

The Christmas Markets are often in cobbled streets/market places so he will need to be careful.

 

[mrsterryn]

Thank you appreciate the information and links @OZDUCK also hoping to see if there is some extra grippy shoes/boots we can get him
We have in past gone on those trains and those entry steps are steep and that was back pre his health issues
Just trying to make it easier for us both hopefully .

 

[OZDUCK]

Thank you appreciate the information and links @OZDUCK also hoping to see if there is some extra grippy shoes/boots we can get him
We have in past gone on those trains and those entry steps are steep and that was back pre his health issues
Just trying to make it easier for us both hopefully .

No worries. I remember trying to get our suitcases up those steep steps on the German trains on our Christmas Market trip in 2023. I have some knee problems on steps and that was bad enough.

Maybe something similar to these 'industrial' anti-slip shoes could be an idea? Certainly not cheap. https://www.stitchkraft.com.au/coll...pS6VbglEF3jivGZYO51xQifeelOJDV6GrypmvDZl-Sx1K

 

[mrsterryn]

ttps://www.stitchkraft.com.au/collections/anti-slip-shoes-boots?srsltid=AfmBOoqa6xYpS6VbglEF3jivGZYO51xQifeelOJDV6GrypmvDZl-Sx1K

Thank you I have passed that along to husband
Trying to avoid falls for him they tend to end up with him on hospital

 

[Melburnian1]

No worries. I remember trying to get our suitcases up those steep steps on the German trains on our Christmas Market trip in 2023. I have some knee problems on steps and that was bad enough.

I don't have any mobility problems but with a 23kg suitcase, hauling it from European trains to platforms or vice versa can be hard work.

If I "look" like I'm struggling (bearing in mind I also carry a backpack), I've often found, including recently, that someone else steps in and quickly assists. This seems common in Europe given many locomotive hauled trains in particular do not have their carriages aligned with high level (i.e. what we'd consider 'normal') platforms.

 

[RooFlyer]

@mrsterryn here is a Trip Report I've just completed on using German and Austrian trains to visit Christmas markets (Cologne, Strasbourg, Salzburg and Vienna). There is discussion on grippy shoes there, and pics of the trains at the stations. In my experience yes there are one or two 'big' steps to climb aboard.

Thread 'Christmas markets in Europe and Caribbean cruise (RTW)'

Nov 8, 2024

I'm commencing this TR very early (a month to go) as, unusually I don't have my days mapped out to the Nth degree, and will welcome any suggestions, tips or cautions on what I'm broadly going to do. I have leaned on @OZDUCK 's TR O Tannenbaum - A tour of German Christmas Markets and @Mattg 's A tour of Germany's Christmas markets and other posts here, but any new ideas/comments welcome. Day trips, sights to see, don't do, whatever.

The genesis of this trip was my cruise to Antarctica last Christmas - I didn't miss Christmas at home, and enjoyed my first SilverSea...

• RooFlyer
• Replies: 273
• Forum: Trip Reports

• 

If you can, go First Class as more room in the carriage for person and luggage and better all round. There are discount cards etc available - see the TR or PM me. Get familiar with the DB Explorer app - it will be invalable, as well as necessary when you are on the German trains. Also the OBB Austrian trains app.

All the stations I used had escalators and lifts for the concourses up to the platforms (not always obvious) but there were some very long walks from the street within the stations - several '00m, often. The stations are often very busy.

There wasn't snow and ice at the markets this year (unlike the previous year), so walking around was easy, but if there was ice, I wouldn't have done nearly as much as I did.

Think about adding Strasbourg top the itinerary - my favourite of the trip