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Disabled Travel & Transport in ItalyTrainsThe Italian railways, Trenitalia, provides a specific service to disabled people to assist them during their train journey with a special card (Carta Blu). This includes fare reductions to blind people and war invalids, special assistance centres in 255 stations, equipped places for wheelchairs passengers.
Italian international airportsThe European Parliament passed a regulation that will facilitate air flights for people with reduced mobility. This should be put into practice in 2008. The regulations establish that people with reduced mobility should have free, special assistance when needed in airplanes, airports, baggage check in and with flight connections. Responsibility has been passed to the airports to accommodate the needs of the disabled traveller. Air companies will still be at liberty to provide services to people with reduced mobility. In all major Italian airports there is a special service providing assistance to disabled people: wheelchair service, assistance during boarding and landing. Each airline company has its own internal procedures, describing the type of disability they may accept as well as the specific services offered on board and on ground. The disabled passenger should always notify the company about their specific needs when booking the ticket. It is also important to be present at the check-in desk at least one and a half hours before boarding. Wheelchair transport is free. Bus travelThe website bus.it (in Italian) provides information by region on companies renting buses adapted to disabled people.
Boats and ferriesThe boat companies operating between mainland Italy and the Italian islands have made most of their boats accessible to disabled people. It is necessary to notify the type of disability when booking the ticket in order to get specific assistance when going on board. Among the companies offering special assistance for disabled are:
Cars and motorwaysThe accessibility of Italian motorway service areas, restaurants, bathrooms and various amenities to disabled people is under development. On the national and provincial roads, this accessibility varies according to the area.
ParkingCars parking in disabled parking spaces must display the blue disabled parking card or a European Community blue badge. Contact the local town hall for information on obtaining a blue badge. The blue badge is a standardised European Community disabled person's parking permit which provides parking entitlements to badge holders in all complying European countries - a blue badge from one country is valid in another. A person coming to Italy from another EU country may find it easier to apply in their home country for this universal badge which allows the use of reserved parking. Things to keep in mind:
Drivers with a blue badge from another European country may display this translation beside a badge written in another language (text from the UK Automobile Association):
Adapted vehiclesThe following transport companies have a fleet of buses specifically designed to accommodate the disabled.
Access to no-drive areas of FlorenceTo gain permission to drive in Florence's no-drive zones call the Municipal Police 24 hours before access is required. Provide the following:
Tourism for the Disabled in TuscanyItaliapertutti is a tourism and leisure web portal for the disabled in Italy. It provides information on:
Hobbies, Sport and HolidaysOn the initiative of the General Tourist Board (Direzione Generale per il Turismo del Ministero delle Attivitą Produttive), an online service, Italia per Tutti, has been created, which enables users to search and select a list of tourist sites in Italy with information on allergies, reduced mobility, wheelchairs and access for blind, deaf or elderly people. The website has a list of hotels, restaurants, bars and monuments and is available in English and German. The tour operator Mondopossibile, member of the SATH (Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality) deals exclusively with travel and holidays for disabled people. Sportabili is a non-profit organisation aiming to create contacts and links between disabled people and the rest of the community. The services proposed include skiing, cross-country skiing, hand-biking, rafting, hydrospeed and tennis with special guides for blind people.
Disabilincorsa offers several possibilities for disabled people to practice sport; running, cycling, ice-skating, horse-riding, mountains walks and sailing.
Centro Internazionale del Libro Parlato produces registered books, in Italian, for blind people. The website of the Italian Library for the Blind (Biblioteca Italiana per i Ciechi) has an exhaustive list of libraries available for blind people in Italy. In Rome, documents for blind people (in Italian) can be found at the Bibliteca Nazionale Centrale
Sports Associations for the Disabled in TuscanyThe Sport Disabili website lists sporting associations for people with disabilities in many regions in Italy. Sports include horse riding, golf and hockey, basketball, archery and athletics. The Italian Paralympic Committee (Comitato Italiano Paralimpico, CIP) promotes disabled sport and associated activities.
General Information & Useful linksAzienda Sociale Locale (ASL): Any person wishing to have their disability recognised in Italy should refer to the local ASL (Rome is divided into 4 ASL). Social invalidity benefits will only be delivered to people holding not just a residence permit but an Italian residence card, which is usually allocated after six years spent in the country. The same will be relevant to families wishing to apply for benefits for a handicapped child.
Disabili: An online journal and news magazine for disabled, this website is dedicated to handicapped people and provides information, chats, exchanges and discussion forums on various matters (information provided in Italian language).
Information Regarding WorkThe website of the Ministry of Social Solidarity (Ministerio della Solidarietą Sociale) provides information on work policies, general social affairs and has a section on disability with relevant information.
Handimpresa: Organisation based in Milan, aims to make it easier for disabled people to get jobs. Their website (in Italian) has useful links to help people find a job or a training session. Foundation Don Gnocchi: A non-profit board providing care, rehabilitation and social integration for people in difficulty. Among its various missions the Foundation provides training for disabled people in IT, Internet, retail, catering and artisan trades.
Italian Associations for the DisabledThere are a number of associations related to reduced mobility and disability. Please note that these organisations operate in Italian language. There is no guarantee of finding an English-speaker.
Other associationsCalibre Audio Books: UK charity, Calibre, supplies audio books in English on cassette or disk to visually impaired and disabled people. The free service is available to members (registration can be made via the website). Free postal service is available to anywhere in Europe. Associations for the disabled in TuscanyAssociations for the Disabled and information centres can be found at the following Tuscany addresses:
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This is the "Notes for the Disabled in Tuscany" INFOrmation Page at AngloINFO Tuscany. AngloINFO Tuscany's INFOrmation Pages provide an online encyclopaedia covering all aspects of "Life in Tuscany, in English!". AngloINFO Tuscany is your Tuscany information source, for everyone living in Tuscany or moving to Tuscany, covering everything from the Tuscany property and real estate contacts you need before and during your move to Italy, to all aspects of everyday life in the Tuscany international community for those living their lives in Italy. » Find out more about AngloINFO in Italy | |||||||||||||||||||||
