Accessibility in the world
ASIA / EUROPE / AFRICA / AMERICA / CARIBBEAN / OCEANIA
Just my travel impression. Big cities and villages are different. Please read this easygoing, not so seriously.
Argentina 2003
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Not bad accessibility, but only shape and lack of users view. Well developed intercity bus route, but no accessibly. Reserve a seat downstairs near the door. Intercity bus are luxurious. Good seat and drink food service are available. Many non-step bus in Buenos Aires. Many wheelchair and blind people were seen in city. Accessible toilet in bus terminal and public space, but many were locked. It means not useful. |
Belize 2009 |
English speaking small country. Many tourist from USA. Some tourist place like USA. Local place is not so much good. |
Bolivia 2007 |
Not good. Almost nothing accessibility, but we can see people with disability in town. People are kind. Many highland cities in Andes are so tough because of few oxygen. Capital La Pas is in mountains, so impossible to move around for wheelchair. |
Brazil 2003, 2013 |
Well developed heart barrier free. Not much racial and disabled discrimination. Well maintained road. Good to walk by wheelchair. I just visited 2 country side town only and airport. I felt they made a city thinking about accessibility. I saw some accessible toilet more than my expectation, but sometimes be locked. World famous tourist spots are well wheelchair accessible. Metro in Rio de Janeiro was not good accessibility in 2013. Only a few stations have lifts. Metro in Recife was good. All the stations were accessible. Bus system in Curitiba was excellent. There were not many non-step buses in city. |
Canada 2002, 2007, 2014 |
Western Canada
accessibility seems better than eastern paet. Poor accessibility in
Toronto central. Some Metro stations were not wheelchair accessible.
Many Toronto trams were not lower floor. Montreal situation was worse.
Many Montreal Metro stations were not wheelchair accessible and many
stairs in underground city. Buses were OK. Toilet is OK. Wheelchair
seating in Canada was not same as USA. Not many numbers and no selling
on web.
|
Chile 2007 |
I think Chile accessibility is much developed than any other south America countries. Many curb cut on road. New train and subway has a lot of accessible facility. |
Colombia 2007 |
Not bad. Many bicycle in city. It means good for wheelchair. The Capital Bogota new transportation " Trans Milenio " is well designed accessible. The stations are full accessible and no steps. The building cost seems cheap. Many accessible large toilet in normal toilet. |
Costa Rica 2009 |
Good accessibility. Good country. Model case of developing country. Some bus with lift for wheelchair but many are out of order. Front seat of long-distance bus are for disabled, elder, pregnant, and baby. Many walking way and ramp on the street. Some hotel have a wheelchair accessible room. Unbelievable accessible equipment. People are also very kind. |
Ecuador 2013 |
Capital Quito is hill city in Andes mountains, 2,850m height. It means many hilly roads. No good for wheelchair users. Bus Rail Transit is nice. No gap between bus and platform. Many stations have a ramp. Generally not many ramp and wheelchair toilets. |
El Salvador 2009 |
Not so bad. Many ramp on the street, shopping center, and fast food shop. That is it. No any other equipment. Local bus is so busy, of course many steps on bus. Not so many tourist. |
French
Guiana 2018 |
Better accessibility than neighbor country Suriname
and Brazil. Here is France. Clean town and roads. Good pedestrian. But people
were not so kind. |
Guatemala 2009 |
Most famous tourist point, Tikal pyramid in jangle. Tough nature hilly road for wheelchair, but one bus take us to pyramid. Social service. Very helpful for disabled and elder person. I used two airports. Perfect accessibility like USA. One toilet is big. Old capital, historical city Antigua is difficult for wheelchair users because of tough stone roads. Many foreign tourist bus between city to city. |
Guyana 2001 |
The end of the earth. English speaking country only in South America. Few traffic. Few signal. Few tourist. Good to walk. Basically western toilet. To Guyana highland by light airplane. To eco resort in rain forest by speed boat. No accessibility. |
Honduras 2009 |
Not so bad. Some ramp on building. Same as other Central America. |
Mexico 1999, 2003, 2010 2013 |
I visited American resort Cancun in 1999. Cancun is almost same as USA because of many American tourist. Good accessibility and natural equipment. One of the nice accessible resort. Enjoy a vacation. In 2010, the accessibility is getting better. Many ramp in town and street. Some equipment. But no accessible local bus. New bus metro transportation of New Mexico is accessible but not all. Metro of Mexico city is still difficult to use because of many stairs. In 2013, I visited Guadalajara second biggest city in Mexico. Chivas new soccer stadium is perfect accessibility. Many wheelchairs worked at new 2nd terminal at Mexico city airport. |
Nicaragua 2009 |
Many ramp in town. Mobility society. Always car first, walking person is next. Not so bad accessibility though bad economy. They are much influenced by USA. Shared taxi, normally Toyota van, are very popular. It is easy to get in for wheelchair users compared than bus. |
Panama 2003 |
Government is rich because of Panama canal, but the accessibility was too bad. Panama city is the worst to walk by wheelchair. Many step, not paved, bumpy and crazy car drive. No wheelchair in town. Accessible toilet at airport, hotel and American first food restaurant. |
Paraguay 2003 |
Nothing about accessibility. Paraguay is left behind development in South Africa. No public peace, police, infrastructure, social security and economy. Almost broken bus. Very dirty paper money. Not paved soil road. Many problem before accessibility. |
Peru 2013 |
Only visit in Lima. Nice Bus Rail Transit. Many of bus stations were accessible, but not all. Many steps and shaky roads. World famous tourist spot "Machu Picchu" seems so many stairs on deep mountain. It seems very difficult to reach a view spot on wheelchair. I did not go there. Surely everything possible. A travel agency has a plan to visit with many helpers for wheelchair users. |
Suriname 2018 |
Ex
Dutch colony. People speak Dutch. Not good accessibility but people are
kind generally. Not easy to walk on street by wheelchair. No accessible
public transportation. |
Uruguay 1999 |
Only visited the capital Montevideo. I used a speed boat from Monte Video to Buenos Aires. No problem for wheelchair, but no accessible toilet. |
USA 1993, 2001, 2002 2003, 2008, 2009 |
Ideal accessible country. #1 in the world. They have the right of access by ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) in 1990. We can refuse assistance because we can do by ourselves. Easy to move around alone. All the toilet have at least one accessible toilet. It designed not for only wheelchair. Everybody use it. Buildings are designed non step from the beginning. Many wheelchair parking space. Ramp is so natural universal design. |
Venezuela 2003 |
Almost nothing about accessibility. I was so disappointed. Some accessible equipment at airport and public space. Venezuela is big oil country. Good high way network and low price of gas. Caracas subway is accessible with escalator. |