Getting travel advice from other disabled people

Talking to other disabled people is a good way to find out about accessible travel. They could be people:

• with the same condition
• with similar needs to you
• who want the same kind of holiday, such as adventure travel or a weekend stay

Travelling when you are disabled can cost more. For example:

• paying for a carer or personal assistant (PA) to go on holiday with you
• taking out specialist medical insurance
• extra seating costs on transport like buses and trains

There might be ways of avoiding some of these extra costs, like shopping around for insurance.

Travel insurance for disabled people

You could talk to other disabled travellers in social media groups and forums. You may want to try searching for groups or forums specific to your condition or impairment.

Accessible travel club Facebook group

Tripadvisor forum

Euan’s Guide forum and reviews

Blogs are good for getting tips and advice from experienced travellers.

Martyn Sibley, co-founder of Accomable (acquired by Airbnb), has created short videos and worksheets designed to make holidays more accessible, stress-free and fun.

Topics include planning trips, navigating transport, finding accommodation, managing equipment and care.

Globetrotter on wheels (YouTube)

Globetrotter on wheels course (Martyn Sibley)

Other disabled travel bloggers include:

Carrie-Ann Lightley’s blog, disabled blogger and travel writer

Simply Emma’s blog, accessible travel and life experiences from a wheelchair user’s perspective

Pippa Stacey’s blog, accessible travel and lifestyle with a chronic illness

Ross Lannon’s blog, A Life on Wheels

Chronic illness travel guide on A Chronic Voice blog

Going on holiday with Cerebral Palsy, Chloe Tear’s blog

Travel bloggers on Mind

Passenger Assistance blog, tips and ideas for accessible travel

Disabled travellers should expect the same level of service from mainstream travel operators as everyone else. But there are companies that specialise in supporting disabled travellers’ needs.

Limitless Travel is a specialist holiday provider for people with a wide range of mobility restrictions and conditions.

Enable Holidays is an agency that specialises in accessible travel for wheelchair users.

Travel Eyes is a tour operator providing independent group travel for people who are blind or partially sighted.

Disabled Holidays is a specialist provider that organises a range of accessible holidays including cruises, adventure holidays, and family breaks.

If you require a travel companion or would like to find a travel buddy to go on holiday with you, there are services that can help you find the right match.

Trusted Travel Buddies can help you to plan your holiday with a companion or provide personalised support during your trip.

Wheelchair Travel lists people and organisations who are available as personal care assistants while you are travelling.

Able Community Care has a travel companion service which can match you with somebody for personal care, domestic care or companionship while you are on holiday.

You could think about:

• where you want to go
• what you want to do
• what makes you feel excited

You could ask questions on forums like:

• How did you get there?
• Where have you been that was good for access? And where was bad for access?
• How do you budget? Did you need to manage extra costs like travelling with a personal assistant (PA)?
• Did you access any funding through a charity or social care provider?
• How did you research and plan your itinerary? Were you able to see and do everything you wanted?
• Did anything go wrong while you were on holiday? How did you deal with it?
• Which staff were the most helpful?
• Did you take extra luggage, for example your wheelchair, shower chair or a portable hoist? How did you manage this with your transport?
• What insurance did you get? Where did you get it from? Was it expensive?
• Did you plan yourself or use a travel agency? Can you recommend a travel agency?
• Do you have any tips for finding the best deals? Or can you recommend any deals?
• Is there anything you would do differently next time?

If you feel comfortable, you may also want to ask questions that are more specific to your condition or impairment. For example, you could ask if anyone has tips for quieter ways to travel, or fun activities that are wheelchair-friendly.