Accessibility Review of London
Excellent London wheelchair access makes the city one of the best tourist destinations in Europe. On this page you can find all the information on London wheelchair access that you need to visit London. This information is based on a trip I took to London with my wheelchair in 2009 and extensive research that I have done on London accessibility. Below you can find detailed accessiblity information on tourist attractions, accessible hotels, and public transportation.>
Overview of Accessibility
London is my top rated European destination for people with disabilities. The city is quite accessible compared to the rest of Europe do it’s flatness, lack of cobblestones, accessible busses and “black cabs”, and good accessibility at most of the tourist sights. There are numerous excellent tourist attractions that can easily fill a two week trip to London. If you have never been to Europe before, I would recommend you make this your first destination.
Layout
London is actually made up of 2 cities: Westminster and the City of London (or “The City” as locals call it). Most of the major tourist sights are located near Westminster to the west including Westminster Abbey, Parliament, the Cabinet War Rooms, Buckingham Palace, and the National Gallery.
A few significant tourist sights such as St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower Bridge, and the Tower of London (which is not very accessible) are located in the City of London.
The river winds through the city, and the majority of the sights lay north of the river. Several tourist sights lay just south of the river including the London Eye, the Tate Modern, and the Imperial War Museum.
Accessible travel to London is possible by flying into either London Heathrow or London Gatwick airports, or using the “chunnel” train from Paris. See more about Accessible Travel to London
Accessible Transportation in London
Accessible transportation in London is readily available either by using the accessible “black cabs” which have ramps to get into them or the accessible busses which run on almost all bus routes. See more about Accessible Transportation in London
Accessible London Tourist Attractions
London wheelchair access is good at most, but not all, of London’s tourist attractions. Wheelchair accessible tourist attractions include the London Eye, the Tower Bridge, the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, British Museum, National Gallery, Cabinet War Rooms and Churchill Museum, Imperial War Museum, British Library, Tate Modern museum, Vinopolis, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey.
Tourist attraction that are not accessible to wheelchair users include Kensington Palace, the Tower of London, and the Old Operating Theatre.
I have provided detailed accessibility information all the major tourist sights based on a trip to London I took last year. See more about Accessible London Tourist Sights
Accessible London hotels can be found in many parts of the city. Many London hotels are located in older buildings with varying levels of accessibility. I have gathered accessibility information on several hotels near the major tourist attractions. These hotels all have rooms specifically designed for wheelchair access and for people with other disabilities. See more about Accessible London Hotels
Accessible London Restaurants and Pubs
On this page you can find resources for locating accessible restaurants and pubs in London.
Additional London Wheelchair Access Resources
Here you can find additional London Wheelchair Access Resources.
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