Article Travel without barriers in Poland

Travel and sightseeing in Poland are increasingly accessible to people with disabilities thanks to numerous initiatives. Many tourist attractions provider platforms, ramps, elevators, Braille descriptions and sign language workshops. 

In the Tatras, work is underway to augment existing facilities. Currently, you can reach Morskie Oko by paved road and take a cable car to the summit of Kasprowy Wierch. Renovation works in the Strążyska Valley will add special seating and other facilities for people in wheelchairs. 

Every year more and more places on the Baltic Sea become more disability-compatible. Gdańsk leads the way: the local Sports Centre contributed to the creation of special footbridges, making it easier to reach the water at several beaches. At Gdańsk Brzeźno’s beach, one can rent a water amphibian, i.e. a special vehicle that allows people with reduced mobility to immerse themselves in the water. For the blind and visually impaired, information about amenities is written in Braille. Similar facilities are available in Gdynia on the Gdynia Śródmieście beach. There are two footbridges, one leading directly to the shoreline and the other to a playground. Also, special wheelchairs allow bathing on the beach.

With fans of museums and exhibitions in mind, a special app called Museums without Barriers was created, making it easy to check what, where and when visitors with disabilities can visit and what facilities are available. 

The list of museums with full accessibility includes Warsaw’s National Museum,  Royal Łazienki Museum, and Polish Army Museum; the National Museums in Kraków, Poznań,  Szczecin; the National Maritime Museum and the Historical Museum of the City in Gdańsk; the Cinema Museum in Łódź; the State Museum at Majdanek; the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom; and the Silesian Museum in Katowice.

Attractions located underground are becoming more and more popular, and their facilities are changing, too: often special routes have been built for people with disabilities, for example as in the historic Silver Mine in Tarnowskie Góry. Other underground attractions are also adapted to welcome guests with disabilities: the Wieliczka Salt Mine; the Rynek Underground Museum in Kraków; the Guido Mine in Zabrze; Bochnia Salt Mine; Bear Cave in Kletno; and Osówka Underground City.

City breaks are also becoming easier for people with reduced mobility. The largest Polish cities are trying to eliminate barriers and support tourists with disabilities. The city of Kraków issued a special Tourist Guide for Persons with Disabilities. Published in Polish, English, French and Russian, it is a compendium of knowledge about the availability of various facilities for tourists with disabilities. The Śląskie Voivodeship can be explored by planning trips with the guide Sląskie without Barriers.