Comparing treatment of pax w/disabilities: Amtrak vs Europe vs Japan

After reading a discussion about Amtrak’s treatment of these pax in another thread I started wondering about how this is done in other parts of the world on busier systems.

I’ve traveled in Europe and Japan and never noticed much extra effort. The stations usually have ramps and elevators on platforms. But I don’t see much in the way of assistance when one has to board a train from a non hi-level platform.

I can only speak to Europe but in most cases train vestibule doors are self service meaning you let yourself in. Now I'm larger stations in Deutsche Bahn they do have staff who help the disabled to board trains but in a lot of smaller more rural stations they do not have this. I've never paid any real attention to if the conductors help or not. I would say it's probably hit or miss.

As far as passengers with disabilities, I can't compare Amtrak with other nations' trains, but my husband had mobility limitations, and we always received excellent service on Amtrak. As his mobility deteriorated, the service increased to include the use of a wheelchair lift when getting on and off the train, even at a little station. Granted, this was almost always on the Crescent, which at least in my experience, consistently has had more helpful crews in general than some of the other Amtrak trains on which I've traveled.

I've traveled on European trains, but not with anyone who had disabilities, and I can't remember if I saw how those passengers were served.

From our experiences on Amtrak on this topic, they earned a big A+.

Edit to add: I should probably note that his last Amtrak trip was in the summer of 2011, so I don't know whether things have changed in the last several years. But we couldn't have asked for any better or more pleasant service re his disabilities.

I can only speak of my experience with Italian trains last summer. Boarding was only from low level platforms (this includes major stations such as Rome and Naples (as well as the Rome airport). At our destination, Lamenza Terme in Calabria, there was a long staircase down and then another long staircase up to get from the platform to the street. I saw no elevator. I didn't notice any help for people getting on board the train. Getting off the train required pushing a button to open the door and going down two steps. There was no assistance with baggage, no checked baggage or red caps. Perhaps people with disabilities were offered help, but I didn't see anything. We rode long distance regular trains and a high speed train. We also rode a commuter train from Naples to Sorrento and that train utilized high level platforms but boarding was pretty chaotic.

https://www.seat61.com/Europe-train-special-needs.htm

Per Seat61 it a bit more work to coordinate travel over different countries, but the same general set up.

Call or E-mail then ramps, lifts, or just strong men.

I remember seeing some video from the 80s about people in Japan trying to get help at a train station with a wheelchair. They had no elevators and no ramps at the time. They did have a procedure, but it involved bringing in maybe 3 employees to physically carry the passenger up the stairs and someone to carry the wheelchair up. It seemed somewhat humiliating for the passenger.

BCL said:

I remember seeing some video from the 80s about people in Japan trying to get help at a train station with a wheelchair. They had no elevators and no ramps at the time. They did have a procedure, but it involved bringing in maybe 3 employees to physically carry the passenger up the stairs and someone to carry the wheelchair up. It seemed somewhat humiliating for the passenger.

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ADA and disability rights is a much bigger thing here in the USA (Can't speak for Europe or Canada since I don't know anything about their version of ADA) for sure. From what I've been told, what you just described in Japan where the elderly or disabled feels ashamed and humiliated for being a burden on society and family is more prevalent than the opposite.

People with disabilities are much better accommodated on trains here than in Europe. The platforms are mostly low level, often with stairs to climb to get in the train, it's a real process to get on/off a train if you have a disability. I don't remember seeing any handicap lifts either.

When I took a trip to Orlando last year, I rode on the Silver Star as part of my return trip. When the train arrived at the station, the conductor and a coach attendant helped a person in a wheelchair (or using a walker, can't recall) board the train using one of those manual lifts.

As for me, I'm legally blind and I had my white cane out. I was asked if I wanted to ride up on the lift and I said I would prefer to use the steps. No arguments or complaints from the staff.

LookingGlassTie said:

When I took a trip to Orlando last year, I rode on the Silver Star as part of my return trip. When the train arrived at the station, the conductor and a coach attendant helped a person in a wheelchair (or using a walker, can't recall) board the train using one of those manual lifts.

As for me, I'm legally blind and I had my white cane out. I was asked if I wanted to ride up on the lift and I said I would prefer to use the steps. No arguments or complaints from the staff.

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My sister-in-law's sister is blind and the staff at LAUS forgot to get her and put her on the train to Santa Barbara. After having her sit down and wait, they completely forgot to come and get her. Well my brother and sister-in-law had to go back to LAUS pick her up and drive her back home to Santa Barbara since the train that Amtrak staff did not put her on was the last train of the day up to SB.

BCL said:

I remember seeing some video from the 80s about people in Japan trying to get help at a train station with a wheelchair. They had no elevators and no ramps at the time. They did have a procedure, but it involved bringing in maybe 3 employees to physically carry the passenger up the stairs and someone to carry the wheelchair up.

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I wonder if this would be an issue. At one point, the crews had to take strength test. However, I think the only requirement is being able to lift 50 pounds.

In general, the situation per country depends on what year each country passed its version of the ADA (DDA in the UK, OADA in Ontario, etc.) and how much teeth it has. However, the UK is particularly helpful despite having relatively weak laws. Some countries still have no ADA-equivalent at all, and they're mostly pretty bad. This seems to hold true across fields, whether it's rail, air, or restaurants, so comparing one train system to another here is really just comparing one nation's laws to another.

Amtrak is in the "OK" category by US standards, with most commuter rail and urban rail systems being better, and NYC being a lot worse.

My sister uses a walker, and boarding at FED (an unstaffed station) received assistance from the Conductor and AC using the manual lift!

In 15 trips to Europe, I always looked at their accommodation of handicapped, not particularly because of wheelchair people but because lugging around baggage made me think about what they would go through in the countries I visited. Since we always went sans tours but just on our own always taking local and intercity public transit. I always thought to myself how far into the dark ages the so-called "civilized" European countries were when it came to helping the disabled on public transportation. Perhaps they provided individual limousine service for them but they were all deficient when it came to ordinary transit.

I can't comment on the Scandinavian countries as I never visited them but everywhere else from Ireland to Poland and Hungary, there was virtually nothing.

There is a wheelchair lift at Stuttgart Hbf. I believe it is portable, but I don't know if it is hauled to the platforms used by regional trains or only for the ICE. Pax book a ticket on a specific ICE; itineraries for regional trains simply list your origin, destination, and the date you are traveling. So it is easier to inform the DB that you are coming if you take the ICE.

As far as getting luggage onto or off of the train, there is usually another passenger next to the door willing to help. When I took an all-day trip involving 6 layovers, a 5 year-old and a 3 year-old, someone offered to get our suitcase up or down the steps almost every time we boarded or got off a train.

I could talk at length out how acessible and inclusive of people with disabilities Germany isn't. But that goes off-topic.

seat38a said:

ADA and disability rights is a much bigger thing here in the USA (Can't speak for Europe or Canada since I don't know anything about their version of ADA) for sure. From what I've been told, what you just described in Japan where the elderly or disabled feels ashamed and humiliated for being a burden on society and family is more prevalent than the opposite.

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I believe it's gotten better since that time. At least this guy says that he tried riding a bullet train and it was pretty good. Apparently they' needed a folding ramp, but I've seen those used on Amtrak.

https://www.accessible-japan.com/shinkansen-wheelchair-accessibility/

My impression after visiting the US many times, is that facilities for folk with mobility issues are rather better than in the UK. We seem to have woken up to access issues only recently, Most platforms in the UK are level with the train floor, but getting to or from the platform itself can be problematic at best. New builds now seem to incorporate the access needs of all, our new Nottingham tram system is one example, with platform ramps.

Even where trains have facilities, they can fail...:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/paralympic-athlete-wheelchair-wet-herself-crosscountry-train-no-disabled-toilets-anne-wafule-strike-a7505461.html

Ed.

caravanman said:

My impression after visiting the US many times, is that facilities for folk with mobility issues are rather better than in the UK. We seem to have woken up to access issues only recently, Most platforms in the UK are level with the train floor, but getting to or from the platform itself can be problematic at best. New builds now seem to incorporate the access needs of all, our new Nottingham tram system is one example, with platform ramps.

Even where trains have facilities, they can fail...:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/paralympic-athlete-wheelchair-wet-herself-crosscountry-train-no-disabled-toilets-anne-wafule-strike-a7505461.html

Ed.

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A few years ago, we took a cruise to Harwich with some heavy luggage and boarded the local there, heading north to go towards York (not via London). I had found out earlier that to avoid the stairs down then up to cross to our side, one could ask the agent and he would escort you across the tracks where RR ties were laid. Worked out well. Agent verified with dispatcher as to when the line was clear and escorted us across. I always thought why they couldn't concrete in a path so that if they had to escort wheelchair users, it wouldn't be bumpier than so many Amtrak rides. There was no sign to tell people about the service. One had to know.

Sure, it would have been nice to have an elevator and/or ramps instead of stairs but sometimes a simple solution can provide interim service at minimal cost yet make the crossing comfortable. Our luggage bumped its way across but it would have been really jarring for a wheelchair.