Getting around Belarus as a disabled traveller

If you are visiting Belarus and use a wheelchair, you will find that access to public transport and some facilities is restricted. The more recently built Minsk metro stations have been built with disabled access, but the older ones may be less well equipped. So before you set out on any journey, its advisable to check with your Belarus hotel on what facilities might be available where youre going. Some trains, especially international lines passing through Belarus, do have disabled facilities on board. Your travel agent should be able to give you more information about:

hotels with the best accommodation and facilities for disabled travellers train services which provide disabled travel assistance buses that are equipped to take wheelchairs (if there are no suitable buses, a special taxi can be ordered) restaurants or cafs within the city that can best accommodate disabled travellers museums, cinemas and theatres within the city that can best accommodate disabled travellers facilities are best for holding business meetings to accommodate disabled travellers

Facilities in smaller towns may be more restricted but Minsk and other larger cities can provide better facilities for disabled travelers.

General information for disabled travelers in Belarus

As a rule, Belarus hotels and the tourism industry in general are not widely experienced in dealing with people with specific needs. That said, they will do all they can to assist. Minsk National Airport can provide traveler assistance to get disabled passengers boarded on their plane. Not all Belarus hotels have disabled facilities so it is vital that you check before booking. An increasing number of public buildings such as museums, theatres, banks and shopping centers do cater for disabled people, especially new buildings such as the National Library in Minsk. Belarus offers a number of Sanatorium services with facilities for disabled travelers. Including the following:

Bus : Low-floor buses, which are equipped with a ramp at doors to provide easy access for wheelchairs or strollers, are now in operation. Unfortunately, there are only a few buses in operation providing such facilities. A low-floor bus has a separate space for wheelchairs for the disabled and senior citizens to make travel more comfortable. All buses in Korea have priority seating for senior citizens and the disabled. Airport : Airports provide parking spaces designated for the disabled. They also have wheelchair rental services (may vary depending on an airport) and toilets for the disabled. Every airliner provides various services for the disabled and senior citizens. Although services may vary at different airports, airlines, and air routes, they are generally as follows: - For departure: Priority check-in and assistance, assistance in filling out departure documents, escort service onto the plane - Aboard: Assistance for filling out embarkation documents, special care services - For arrival: Assistance with entry procedures and baggage inspection, escort service to transportation - Electric cart service: A vehicle is available at passenger terminals for passengers who may experience difficulties moving, including passengers in wheelchairs, senior citizens, pregnant women, and visually impaired passengers Tourist sites Major tourist sites and cultural facilities offer discounts or free admission for the disabled. However, some small organizations or tourist sites may not apply the disabled discounts to foreigners. In order to benefit from discounts for the disabled, you need to show proper certification highlighting the disability. Tourist attractions such as Cheonggyecheon Stream, Seoul Forest, and Han Riverside Park Ttukseom District (weekends only) and cultural facilities including Seoul Museum of Art, National Museum of Contemporary Art, and National Museum of Korea offer wheelchairs, usually free of charge. To use a wheelchair, you need to provide identification, such as a passport. Other convenient facilities Toilets for the disabled: Major tourist sites and transportation facilities have toilets for the disabled. They have entrances and stalls larger than those of regular toilets, and safety bars are installed. Ramps: Major public facilities and tourist sites have ramps or elevators instead of stairs to provide easy access for wheelchairs and strollers. Shopping Traditional markets have narrow aisles and are usually crowded with people, so disabled visitors are advised to go the department stores or large shopping malls as they may be easier to navigate. The main location of Lotte Department Store and Yeoju Premium Outlet provide wheelchair services free of charge. If you are are in need of medicine or medical equipment, try visiting the street that runs from Jongno 5-ga Station of Subway Line 1 to Dongdaemun Station of Lines 1 and 4. The area is lined with shops selling various medical devices. You can buy small medical devices to measure blood pressure, body fat, and blood sugar levels at home, as well as many other products such as electric wheelchairs, portable massagers, and bathroom scales. Recommended destinations Cultural facilities such as the Seoul Museum of Art, National Museum of Contemporary Art, and National Museum of Korea have spacious hallways and free wheelchair service. If you want a more active tour, try a theme park. Theme parks like Lotte World Adventure and Everland rent wheelchairs. At Everland, attractions are recommended to those who can ride with assistance from guardians. For blind visitors, American Venture is more appropriate. Most theme parks

also have medical units. In case of an emergency, assistance is readily available. If you come to Korea to experience traditional Oriental medicine or have medical treatment, Chorakdang in Uljin and Ggotmaeul Oriental Medicine Clinic in Gyeongju are recommended. In addition to addressing your health issues, they will make your trip entertaining as they offer programs combining sightseeing and medical treatment. While Malaysia promotes itself as a tourist destination, it should also provide amenities for disabled tourists. MALAYSIANS greeted the New Year with greater expectations than usual as it marked the very important start of Visit Malaysia Year (VMY). The national tourism campaign for 2007 is estimated to bring in an extra five million visitors from overseas in addition to the 15 million foreigners who come into Malaysia each year. What makes this VMY even more special is that it coincides with our nations 50th anniversary as a sovereign nation. Among the tourists who will be visiting Malaysia will inevitably be people with disabilities and their families. How will travel and accessibility into buildings and on the streets affect them? I posed this question to Antony Leopold last week. Leopold, 55, has more than 15 years experience in the travel industry and now runs his own travel agency with his wife in Kuala Lumpur. Leopold contracted poliomyelitis on both legs when he was a child. Now the father of three gets around with crutches or in a wheelchair, when necessary. First, it must be pointed out that it isnt easy for disabled persons to travel not only in Malaysia but also in many parts of the world, said Leopold, adding that some countries go all out to provide facilities for handicapped travellers. Travelling in developing countries in especially a problem, and it is advisable for disabled people travelling in such countries to travel with an able-bodied companion. Malaysia is no different. Leopold went on to point out the many hazards that blind and wheelchair-using tourists have to look out for in cities and towns: improper curb cuts, uneven or suddenly-narrowing pavements with lamp posts and trees, and indiscriminately-placed rubbish bins. Even overcrowded pavements can pose a serious problem for blind people as pedestrians can bump into them, explained Leopold. The lack of ramps for wheelchairs and disabled-friendly restrooms make a number of attractions difficult, if not impossible, for the disabled traveller to visit. Unlike in Western countries, many restaurants here and even hotels rarely provide wheelchair ramps and so having some sort of assistance would be a necessity for the handicapped tourist.

The same can be said for public transport like trains and buses, so visitors in wheelchairs have little choice but to resort to taxis, Leopold said, adding that even then, some cabbies might not want to take wheelchairs or will charge extra for them. Malaysia is famous for her exotic islands and beaches, which are among the most popular leisure destinations in Asia. According to Leopold, although there are hotels that offer handicapped-friendly accommodation and facilities, some of the best beaches and places of interest are hardly accessible or restricted for wheelchair users. Island-hopping or boat-riding may be made available to the disabled but Leopold advises a certain amount of caution as it often requires physical assistance by the operators. This may not be advisable for some disabled people especially when the helper is unfamiliar or not trained to help the handicapped, Leopold pointed out. Despite the problems faced by disabled tourists, Leopold is optimistic and wants to do something to make visiting Malaysia easier for tourists and Malaysians with disabilities. He is currently working on introducing travel assistance for the disabled and the elderly under a project called Travel Assist. The project will help disabled tourists to identify suitable accommodation, facilities and transportation. It will also draw up special itineraries, designed with the interests, abilities and budget of the disabled and special groups in mind. Leopold plans to achieve this objective by working with the authorities and partners in the industry, both in and outside Malaysia. In addition, he would like to urge local authorities to start thinking along the same lines by coming up with careful planning of their own. There are presently several places where the disabled can go to but some attractions and places of importance need further improvements to accommodate them, said Leopold. As for rooms or facilities for the handicapped, most of them can presently be found only in luxury hotels and shopping complexes. Leisure activities for the disabled hardly exist. Transportation for the wheelchair-bound traveller currently involves regular vehicles, with ablebodied helpers lifting a disabled person on or off a vehicle and into a wheelchair. Leopold pointed out that, by comparison, disabled visitors to neighbouring Thailand have plenty of opportunities available to them. These include activities such as elephant-trekking, scubadiving, sailing, and visiting temples and palaces.

It is important to note that these are made possible by the foresight and assistance of the authorities and dedicated operators in designing their facilities and services to accommodate the needs and abilities of special group travellers, said Leopold.