Prague is regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. With its old and preserved architecture, it is a magnet for millions of tourists. This summer, I had the chance to spend two months in Prague as a study abroad participant. As a person with disability traveling abroad, I wanted to enjoy myself as best as I could with my disability. I am a double amputee; my left leg is amputated above the knee and my right leg is amputated below the knee. While making my preparations for Prague, many of my friends told me that the city would be challenging due to its streets of cobblestones. Like any sensible person, I made sure that all parts that needed fixing were fixed and that all my prostheses equipment worked properly.

I arrived in Prague on my own so I quickly had to figure how to get around the area. The first thing that I did was to buy a one-hour public transportation pass.  In addition to the bus system is an extensive network of trams and subway lines. Every form of transportation in Prague has a designated area for a person with disability. While I was in the city, I noticed that the Czech people made sure that these designated areas were properly used if needed.

Using the public transportation in Prague is not an easy task. In my first day alone, I had to use all the transportation systems. You are not asked to pay as you enter a public transportation vehicle, but if an inspector asks for a ticket and you can’t show it, then you are fined a large fine. I made sure that I had my ticket and waited for the bus! 

In Prague, buses serve the outskirts of the city while the trams and subway operate in the city center. As I was waiting for the bus, I observed that most buses were inaccessible - without lifts and even floors.  Then I began to notice other buses traveling around that were very accessible.  In reality, bus accessibility is random and you need to know which bus is or is not accessible.

After I got off the bus, I caught the subway. The subway system in Prague is only partially accessible. During the 1970s, a large part of the subway system was constructed without too much thought about accessibility. To enter the subway system you first have to go down the stairs and then down an escalator making it extremely difficult for people with wheelchairs or walkers. Once a person enters the subway train, maneuverability for anyone with a mobility disability is do-able but getting to the subway train is another story. Deciphering which stairs to take to different streets and different tram stops can also present a problem for those with visual or learning disabilities. It is advisable to pre-plan with maps and some type of directional devices.

To enter a tram I typically had to climb about four stairs. Although, the city of Prague is slowly replacing the old trams with new ones, even the newer versions are not wheelchair friendly. During the morning rush hour, the trams and the subways are typically jammed with people, who tend to be a little pushy.

I spent a great deal of time walking around Prague and discovered, as I’d been told, that a large part of the city is covered with cobblestones.  Even the new streets are paved with cobblestones. I don’t know how the cobblestones would affect wheelchairs, but for me they were much easier to negotiate than I expected. Even my non-mobility challenged classmates complained more about the cobblestones than I did.

In reference to housing, apartment buildings in Prague for the most part are not accessible. For example, my apartment building had four steps to the entrance, a flight of stairs, and then you could take the elevator to higher levels. Even the elevators in Prague are not practical for wheelchairs; occupancy is usually for two people at the maximum. Much of the building inaccessibility in Prague is due to the fact that the buildings are old.

I had the chance to interview a lawyer who was represents a NGO called NRZP. According to Jan Hutar, the Director of the Department for Legislation under the Czech National Disability Council (NRZP), the NRZP was founded in 2000 and deals predominantly with legal issues.  The NRZP is an umbrella NGO that covers 90 NGOs with different purposes and goals. As a person with disability Mr. Hutar said that the problem with buildings in Prague is that they are very old.  Even during World War II, buildings in Prague and the Czech Republic were not bombed due to the republic’s surrender to Hitler.

Mr. Hutar also stated that during communism most of the buildings were designed without the idea of accessibility since people with disabilities were placed in special institutions instead of integrated into society. Today the Czech Republic is struggling to meet European Union standards for accessibility, but since the buildings are so old, it is not easy to implement all the requirements. Part of the reason for the delay in the universal design process is that most of these old buildings are protected under UNESCO, and thus, any building needing barrier free designs must endure the bureaucratic process.

Personally, Prague was a challenge at the beginning of my studies, but then it became like a game. I took on the challenges that it threw at me and I am happy to say I’m better off because of it. Every person works around a problem in his/her own way, but if I could give any advice is take one day at a time. That’s what I did every day and I had a great experience.

References Czech National Disability Council (CNDC) Mr. Vaclay Krasa, CNDC President Partyzanska 1/7 CZ – 170 00 Praha 1/7 E-mail: nrzp@nrzp.cz Czech National Disability Council - International Department Contact: V. Purova Telephone: 420.266.75.34.23 E-mail: v.purova@nrzp.cz Czech National Disability Council Tel - Legislation Department Contact: J. Hutar Telephone: 420.266.75.34.25 Fax: 420.266.75.34.22 E-mail: j.hutar@nrzp.cz