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Travel

Travelling can be hard work, but when planned well, it can also be incredibly rewarding. Inside this section we’ve put together some useful tips to assist you in planning your next trip, whether it be across town, across the country, or around the world!

LOCAL TRAVEL

Public Transport

Public transport is becoming increasingly accessible to people who experience disability. Low-floor buses, wide aisles and reserved wheelchair seating are just some of the features that help improve the accessibility of services.

Check out the accessibility features on services available in your area:

  • Whangarei
  • Auckland
  • Rotorua and Tauranga
  • Gisborne
  • Hawke’s Bay
  • Taranaki
  • Wanganui and Palmerston North
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Christchurch
  • Dunedin
  • Invercargill

    Accessible Taxi Services

    There are a growing number of dedicated accessible taxi companies operating throughout New Zealand.

    Taking a taxi can be expensive, so a number of regions have jumped aboard the ‘Total Mobility’ scheme. Total Mobility provides discount taxi vouchers to people who experience disability, which entitles users to a discount of 50 percent off the normal taxi fare.

    Find out about the eligibility criteria and how you can access the scheme if you’re in:

  • Auckland
  • Waikato
  • Palmerston North, Wanganui, Levin, Feilding, Marton, Dannevirke, Taumarunui and Foxton
  • Hawke’s Bay
  • Bay of Plenty
  • Nelson
  • Canterbury

    Additional Support

    Some organisations, such as the Cerebral Palsy Society of NZ, provide further assistance to their members through programmes like the ‘GetOutThere’ initiative, which aims to encourage community participation by providing additional taxi vouchers. For more information, visit their website.

    NATIONAL TRAVEL

    The Journey

    Vehicle Hire

    Many of the large car rental agencies (Avis, Hertz and Budget etc) supply cars that are – or can be – modified with hand controls. Additionally, there are various rental companies across New Zealand who specialise in mobility transport options, including Freedom Mobility.

    Air Travel

    In New Zealand it is illegal to deny someone access to air travel based on their level of mobility, but that doesn’t stop airlines putting some pretty strict rules around the travel of people who experience disability. This can include requirements like checking in earlier than other passengers, supplying your own support staff for transfers, and restrictions on the size of mobility aids. Check the fine print for both Air NZ and Jetstar before you fly!

    Long-Haul Public Transport

    Sometimes, the easiest (and most beautiful) way to see our spectacular country is to hop on board a long-haul train, bus or ferry.

    If you’re looking to travel on TranzScenic services, such as the stunning Overlander train between Auckland and Wellington, you’ll need to ring their booking line on 0800 TRAINS (0800 872467) to discuss your mobility requirements. They gladly carry service dogs, however mobility aids must be transported in the luggage area of the train. Motorised wheelchairs and scooters cannot be carried at all.

    New Zealand is lucky to have a variety of long-haul bus operators. Nakedbus.com will allow guide dogs onboard, but have strict conditions around wheelchairs. InterCity have advised us that similar conditions apply.

    The Interislander is the ferry that travels the Cook Strait, between Wellington and Picton. It’s a picturesque journey, and its website has a great deal of information relating to access for people who experience disability.

    The Destination

    Accommodation

    You’ll find that most hotels, motels and even some budget accommodation cater well for travellers with mobility impairments. It is a legal requirement in New Zealand that all new establishments equip a percentage of their rooms with dedicated access facilities. Whilst it’s not hard to find basic accessible accommodation, sometimes you’ll be looking for a particular rail height, or minimum door width. New Zealand based sites AccoMobility and Panacea Travelability are great resources when looking for a specific access feature.

    Local attractions

    New Zealand is world-renowned for its adventure sports, so when travelling throughout our beautiful country it would be a pity not to indulge in a little bit of thrill-seeking. Bungy jumping, skydiving, and theme parks are all accessible (to those who have the stomach for it!), and some attractions like Auckland’s ‘SkyWalk’ and Rotorua’s ‘Swoop’ are equipped with harnesses for people who would otherwise not be able to take part.

    INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

    Travelling abroad with a disability is no easy task. Not only are you dealing with foreign accents, languages, customs and environments, but every country differs in its attitudes towards people who experience disability. That said, overseas travel can also be one of the most rewarding experiences, so make sure you do your research before you leave.

    Both the US and Europe have strong laws that prevent airlines from discriminating against those with disabilities, but it can often be a very different experience to travelling in New Zealand, especially if you choose to fly on low-cost carriers.

    You’ll need to ensure you figure out, in advance:

  • Where will you stay? You’ll need to factor in cost, location, accessibility, safety, distance to attractions, user reviews, etc.
  • How will you travel from the airport to your chosen accommodation? Is the transport accessible?
  • Does your destination have accessible public transport? What about taxis?
  • Does your destination have a disability resource service, or an agency you can contact for advice or in an emergency?

    Some fantastic resources are listed below. Some are community-driven, so they’re written by people who experience disability for the benefit of other disabled travellers.

    Apparalyzed is an excellent website that offers personal travel accounts from across the globe, written by people who experience disability.

    If you’d like to travel abroad but hate the thought of spending hundreds of dollars a night on accommodation, then perhaps you should check out ‘Matching Houses’, which is a house-swap service for people who experience disability. 

    Both these sites Booking.com and Tripadvisor.com provide a huge number of user reviews for hotels, motels, and budget accommodation across the globe. Booking.com even allows you to search for accommodation that advertises accessible rooms. But we all know that saying they’re accessible and actually being accessible are two different things, so make sure you phone or email them before making a booking.

    Support

    Travelling can be one of the most stressful things to do in life, whether it is for work or pleasure. Before setting out on your adventure make sure you know what support you’ll need. This includes your own personal support, but it might also be worth considering what support you need from your airline carrier, rail services, rental car provider, etc.

    Some tips to consider:

    - Find out what you can expect when you get to the airport, bus or train terminal – what services do they offer mobility-impaired passengers?

    - Once you’re at the airport, do some ‘schmoozing’ – developing good relationships with airport staff can really pay off

    - Ensure that you request seats on the airplane/train/bus that are in close proximity to the toilets; also ask for seats that are easy to access

    - Bear in mind that many airlines/travel operators require passengers requiring assistance to check-in a little bit early

    - Assertiveness is always helpful in when travelling, so don’t forget to pack lots of it

    - Research the transport options at your destination before you arrive, as accessible vehicles can sometimes be hard to come by!

    - Don’t rely on your travel agent to understand the nuances of ‘accessible travel’ unless they advertise themselves as specialists

    Most important of all have an amazing time!