Disabled Accessible Review in Amsterdam

Amsterdam
Disabled Access Review
www.sagetraveling.com/amsterdam-disabled-access

Disabled access in Amsterdam is better than other bridged cities
like Venice, but still presents accessibility challenges like the
sometimes inaccessible trams. Cobblestones and stairs to enter
restaurants or reach bathrooms will also present challenges for
disabled visitors.
www.sagetraveling.com

Overall, Amsterdam disabled access is good enough that disabled
visitors, with enough planning, should have a wonderful time
visiting the capital city of Holland.

Paris Sage Accessibility
Rating
Cobblestone smoothness 3
Cobblestone abundance 3
Flatness (lack of hills) 4
Proximity of sights to each other 3
Accessible Public Transportation 3
English Spoken 4
Overall Accessibility 4
Quality of sights/town 4
Quantity of sights 3
View Rating Explanation

Best Aspects of Amsterdam Disabled Access
Bike paths and sidewalks are separated and clearly marked
The numerous bicyclists in Amsterdam can be dangerous for visitors that
are not used to them. They move quietly and quickly and you need to
look in all directions when cross the street.
Fortunately, the lanes for pedestrians and bicyclists are clearly marked
(shown in the photograph on the right). The bike lane is on the left and
has no curbs. The pedestrian lane is marked by broad white lines on the
right and sometimes has small curbs (about 1 inch high).

Flat terrain
Unlike many of the popular tourist destinations in southern Europe, the
city of Amsterdam is very flat and you’ll be hard pressed to find many
hills.

Amsterdam cruise port is within walking distance (but a long
walk)
Many cruise ports are located far outside European city centers, but
Amsterdam’s port is only 1.6 km (1.0 miles) away from the train station.
From there, you can walk/roll to some of the tourist attractions and take
the tram to attractions located far away.

The tram is (sort of) accessible
The Amsterdam trams have steps at the front door, but a door closer to
the rear has no steps. Unfortunately, the actual accessibility will depend
on the tram station platform. Some of the tram stations have raised
platforms which provides a level access to get on and off (shown in the
photo on the left). Other tram stations have no raised platform and the
height difference to get onto the tram can be the size of a large
curb. Wheelchair users should make sure the tram route they want to
take has level access at the start and finish of the route.

Accessible boat tour is an easy way to see the city
Disabled tourists who want to see the city without walking/rolling
numerous blocks can easily do so using one of the Amsterdam disabled
accessible boat tours. The rings of canals go through the oldest parts of
the city where most of the tourist attractions are located, and the boat
tours make for an easy way to see Amsterdam.

Most Challenging Aspects of Amsterdam Disabled Access
Many cobblestones
Cobblestones are found through many parts of the Amsterdam city
center and present a challenge to wheelchair users and other disabled
visitors. Some (like the ones shown at the bottom of the photo) are
fairly smooth, while others (shown in the middle of the photo) make for
a very bumpy ride.

Most Amsterdam bridges are wheelchair accessible, however some have
stairs (shown below on the left) or steep gradients (shown below on the
right). And it always seems like the bridge you really need to use is one
of these difficult ones!
Steep bridges and bridges with stairs

With so many Amsterdam bicyclists, they have to have somewhere to
park all these bikes! Amsterdam Holland disabled access on sidewalks
can sometime be blocked by bikes chained to bike racks and bridge
handrails. The photos below show my wheelchair in a tight squeeze!
Bikes can block accessible sidewalks

With so many historical buildings in the city center, renovation and
construction is a continuous activity. Scaffolding and cranes, such as
those shown below, can mean that an accessible sidewalk will suddenly
require you to hop down and up a curb, or you will have to backtrack a
long way to get around the construction.
Construction can block accessible sidewalks

The top tourist attraction in Amsterdam has numerous steps leading up
to the Frank family’s hidden room. No elevator is present.
Anne Frank’s house is not accessible

Disabled access in Amsterdam restaurants is hit or miss. Many
restaurants (like the one shown in the photo on the left) have steps to
enter them. Even more common are bathrooms located upstairs or
downstairs with no elevator (shown in photo on the right).
Accessibility of Amsterdam restaurants

Some tram stops, like the one shown here, have a single step to get on
and off them. Unlike the buses, there is no automatic ramp that can be
extended.
Trams have steps at some stops

Although Amsterdam bus disabled access is good, they generally are not
helpful for tourists. The buses don’t really enter the city center, so you
will have to rely on trams or walking/rolling.
Accessible buses do not enter old town

In many European cities, it’s easy to hail a cab to bring you to your next
destination. Amsterdam cabs are surprisingly absent in the city center
and attempting to hail one could be a huge waste of time. Tourists
wanting a cab will have to phone one a wait for it to arrive.
Difficult to hail cabs

We look forward to making your accessible dream vacation a reality!
Call Us: 1-888-645-7920
Contact us at info@sagetraveling.com
www.sagetraveling.com/amsterdam-disabled-access

Disabled Accessible Review in Amsterdam

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