Why Berlin Tops the List for Accessible Travel in Germany
Why Berlin Tops the List for Accessible Travel in Germany
Berlin's public transport system is pretty good (if they fix their lifts)
You can listen to the main articles in this newsletter (read by myself).
Hello everyone,
When recommending a destination in Germany, Berlin always tops my list, especially for disabled people. Last week, I had the pleasure of revisiting Berlin and had a fantastic time. I attended the Re:publica conference, which I highly recommend for anyone interested in current political discussions in Germany, AI, and other innovations.
For me, Berlin is the most accessible city in Germany. Of all the capitals in Europe, it ranks well, too.
Berlin’s public transport
Berlin's public transport system is—in theory—highly accessible. From the yellow low-floor trams to the efficient U-Bahn and S-Bahn networks, accessibility is ingrained in the system. Most stations have lifts. After the wall came down, Berlin had the best building regulations on accessibility compared to other regions in Germany, which is still noticeable today. The only downside is the high number of lifts that aren't working, and for reasons I don't understand, the local transport provider BVG and Deutsche Bahn take relatively long to fix them. And they don't even have the excuse that parts are difficult to get after Brexit.
Whenever I compare the number of lifts currently out of service in Berlin and London, London wins, and that's not a good sign.
The new U-Bahn trains have level boarding, and if there is a step into an old train, the driver gets up and puts the ramp down. The ramp is stored on the platform next to the driver's door. The buses have ramps, some even at two doors. They are all manual ramps, and the driver has to get up to provide step-free access. Most drivers do that in a friendly way, but Berlin is famous for the "Berliner Schnauze" (Berlin gob) and not exactly for its friendliness. The iconic double-decker buses have two wheelchair spaces and more space than London buses.
The weirdest wheelchair space
Audio announcements and visual displays keep passengers informed, which is essential for deaf and visually impaired travellers. During my trip, I took several trains where the displays showed the wrong location. There is tactile wayfinding everywhere, which helps blind people navigate safely through stations.
The S-Bahn has the weirdest wheelchair space I have ever seen. Poles in the space are not ideal.
Berlin has a call-out bus if a lift is out of service. I never used it. When stranded in front of broken lifts, I always decided to roll to the next station, which I considered quicker, especially with a Triride.
While Berlin's public transport is pretty good, the crisis-ridden airport was the most annoying part of the journey. The ramps to the airbridge are so steep that warning signs had to be installed. Elisha Otis invented the lift in 1854. A modern airport should make use of it.
The security called the police because I told them I was sure I couldn't stand up. They asked me three times, and I said they had to check me while sitting. They were concerned about my wheelchair cushion. I suggested swapping it and touching it from below the wheelchair, as hundreds of other airports had done before, and the drama ended.
Despite some challenges, Berlin remains a fantastic destination for disabled travellers. The vibrant culture, rich history, and great food everywhere make it worth a visit. And yes, there are some cobblestones, but not as bad as in other parts of Germany.
Some interesting links
It’s no surprise to wheelchair users who have been to Paris: The Metro is pretty inaccessible, and despite big promises, the Olympic and Paralympic Games won’t change that.
The idea that an app will improve accessibility is one of the most annoying developments of the past years. In railway, that looks like this: I search for a journey in app 1, I buy a ticket in app 2 (because it is cheaper than in app 1), I book assistance in app 3 (or again in app 1, depending on which train operator’s app I use), and some stations have a 4th app to tell the station staff you have arrived, and 5th app for navigation through the station. This text explains why sending people to apps is a barrier, not a solution.
Winnipeg is using different seat colours to improve the accessibility of its buses, and they are not subtle; they are bright yellow and green.
Something to read
The announcement of a General Election in July and the Dissolution of Parliament on 30 May have ended the work of the Transport Committee in the current Parliament.
This means that the Committee has not been able to conclude its work on ‘Accessible transport: legal obligations’ before the election. I gave evidence to the committee last year. The written evidence accepted by the Committee and the transcripts of the oral evidence heard during the inquiry remain available on their website.
The Committee also published a short report about the work that was in progress when Parliament was prorogued on 24 May. It includes some remarks about the accessible transport inquiry and some interesting word clouds.
![Figure 1: Word cloud of responses to open-ended question: Are there any other situations that have caused you or the person you travel with who is disabled or has specific accessibility needs difficulty whilst travelling? [Q4] Biggest words are Train Wheelchair accessible drivers stations travel ramp space need assistance](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5ce54bbd-2fec-44ea-9510-b8243367ec3e_1246x862.png "Figure 1: Word cloud of responses to open-ended question: Are there any other situations that have caused you or the person you travel with who is disabled or has specific accessibility needs difficulty whilst travelling? [Q4] Biggest words are Train Wheelchair accessible drivers stations travel ramp space need assistance")
Something to watch
If you consult only the non-disabled parents of non-disabled children, you have only consulted non-disabled people.
Some final words
“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.” (Lao Tzu)
The Accessible Link is a reader-supported publication. So, if you like what you’re reading, consider to
As a paid subscriber you will receive an additional edition every two weeks with best-practice tips on improving accessibility in your organisation.
Who is writing this newsletter?
I’m Christiane Link, and I improve the customer experience in aviation, transport, and travel. I worked as a journalist for over two decades and travelled extensively for business and leisure. I’m a wheelchair user.
Work with me
Whether you're a Customer service director, a Head of Customer Experience, a corporate Accessibility manager, a DEI leader, a transport planner, or a disabled employee resource group member, I can help you to make your organisation more inclusive. You can book me for speaking engagements or hire me as a consultant for your accessibility or DEI strategy, communications advice and other related matters. I have worked for airlines, airports, train operators, public transport providers, and companies in other sectors.
If you want to read more from me, follow me on LinkedIn, Twitter, Bluesky or Mastodon. You can also reply to this email if you want to contact me.
.