Wheelchair Accessible Transportation in Paris
Detailed analysis and photographs of wheelchair accessible transportation options in Paris, including helpful contact information, were from Summer 2022.
We made the most of Paris’ numerous transportation options, including:
Note: I have also heard (but not confirmed) that renting a wheelchair accessible vehicle may be an option. But driving/parking around Paris as a tourist sounded horrible and unnecessary. I think that is more of an option for exploring the countryside, but further research is needed.
Wheelchair Accessible Buses
We took several buses around town–getting to/from Montmartre/Sacre-Coeur, when my scooter batteries died, and to get to/from train stations. I found the buses to be easy to use, safe, and smooth.
Finding Buses and Stops
We used Google Maps to find bus routes, bus stops, and bus times. The bus routes and bus stops were remarkably accurate for us. We did find that the bus times were off by quite a bit (at least at times), but the frequency of the buses made that a pretty minimal inconvenience–we knew another bus was coming in the relatively near future.
Bus Ride Experience
The wheelchair entrance is at the middle of the bus, but we would typically go to the front so the driver would see me and put the ramp out. The buses all had kneel systems, and the ramp was easy to ascend/descend. There are usually 2-3 parking spaces for wheelchairs–no tied downs, but railings and boards that I could pin my scooter against to secure it fairly well. There was also a call button to let the driver know when I needed to get off or if I needed assistance. Not all of the drivers spoke English, but they were helpful and friendly–we could communicate via gestures, saying the name of the stop, or using Google Translate on my phone if necessary.
Wheelchair Accessible Taxis
Paris’s Taxi G7 offers wheelchair accessible taxis that can be called on-demand and/or pre-arranged. You can order a taxi by calling 01-47-39-00-91 or by using the app. I reviewed them on my trip from the CDG airport to downtown Paris.
Wheelchair Accessibility of Trains
We did not have an opportunity to take the Metro this time, partly because of concerns over limited accessibility and that we could walk/bus most places easier and faster. I did, however, review Thalys to Brussels and SNCF to Nice.
In short, there are good wheelchair accessible transportation options in Paris–it’s more a matter of choosing the right one for your budget and schedule.