Germany is one of the better countries for travelers with disabilities. Munich has excellent facilities. The local tourist offices can issue permits for drivers to allow them access to disabled parking areas. Newer hotels are more sensitive to the needs of those with disabilities, and the more expensive restaurants, in general, are wheelchair accessible.
Older, smaller towns, including those in the Bavarian Alps, may pose more of a problem, however, especially where the streets are cobblestone. Also, because of the Alps' many hills and endless flights of stairs, visitors with disabilities may have difficulty getting around outside of major cities, but conditions are slowly improving. If the areas you wish to visit seem inaccessible or you are not certain, you may want to consider taking an organized tour specifically designed to accommodate travelers with disabilities.
Organizations that offer assistance to travelers with disabilities include MossRehab (tel. 800/CALL-MOSS [225-5667]; www.mossresourcenet.org), which provides a library of accessible-travel resources online; SATH (Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality; tel. 212/447-7284; www.sath.org), which offers a wealth of travel resources for all types of disabilities and informed recommendations on destinations, access guides, travel agents, tour operators, vehicle rentals, and companion services; and the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB; tel. 800/232-5463 or 212/502-7600; www.afb.org), a referral resource for the blind or visually impaired that provides information on traveling with Seeing Eye dogs.
AirAmbulanceCard.com (tel. 877/424-7633) is now partnered with SATH and allows you to preselect top-notch hospitals in case of an emergency.
Flying with Disability (www.flying-with-disability.org) is a comprehensive information source on airplane travel.
Also check out the magazine Emerging Horizons (www.emerginghorizons.com), available by subscription.
The "Accessible Travel" link at Mobility-Advisor.com (www.mobility-advisor.com) offers a variety of travel resources to persons with disabilities.
British travelers should contact Holiday Care (tel. 0845-124-9971 in the U.K. only; www.holidaycare.org.uk) to access a wide range of travel information and resources for seniors and those with special needs.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
