Accessible Germany

Germany has been one of the active forces in promoting and influencing for accessible travel. The variety of experiences, destinations and cultural opportunities for the traveller to Germany is almost endless. If you are searching on accessible travel in Germany, it is worthwhile to note that the widely accepted term is “Barrier- Free”.

From Bavaria's "HopfenBiergut" Museum bringing the art of brewing to life, to the Palatinate Regions Wine Festivals for all.

Asphalt cycle paths in the Lusatian Lake Lands to Sand Wheelchairs in East Frisia on the UNESCO World Heritage site at Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park.

The accessible Beach entrance in Rostock on the Baltic Sea or the Eifel National Park with interactive stations on its wilderness trail. Adventure activities in Saxon Switzerland, or the tactile city model of Magdeburg and the city’s cultural History Museum with guided tours for electric wheelchairs.

Video-guides in German Sign Language in Erfurt, famous for its Merchant Bridge, the longest inhabited bridge in Europe.

From the Haus Rheinsberg lakeside hotel in Brandenburg, the largest barrier-free hotel in the country to the Bad Handeland in the Allgau, a certified allergy-friendly commune and the highest altitude sulphur spring in Germany.

With Legoland Resort in Gunzburg for the young at heart or Europa Park in Rust, Germany's largest theme park.

Links in this article may display in German, please use the translate feature in your browser to change them to English. 

Points of interest

Hopfen Bier Gut Museum

Located in Spalt, in the Bavarian region of Germany. A museum with interactive modern elements as well as historical and preserved exhibits on the world of hops and brewing. See the Accessibility Reports.  

Brandenberg Gate - Berlin 

A beautiful sandstone creation that is at the heart of Neoclassical Architecture built in the 18th Century and a backdrop for many events in the turbulent history of Germany. The U-Bahn station at Brandenberg Tor is barrier-free, with a lift to transport you directly in front of the main square at Pariser Platz. There is a tourist information centre at the South Wing of the Brandenberg Gate. The area is a starting point for the Reichstag Parliament, Linden Boulevarde, Victory Column and Tiergarten Park.

Berlin's Museum Island (Museumsinsel)

UNESCO World Heritage-listed and houses five world-class museums:

• Museum of the Ancient World (Altes Museum)
• New Museum (Neues Museum)
• Old National Gallery (Alte Nationalgalerie)
• Bode Museum and
• Pergamon Museum

Covering Art, History and Culture you can purchase one ticket for the Island. Accessibility varies with each museum and restoration projects are ongoing, for the latest information on exhibits and access see Museum island and State Museums of Berlin.

To help you get around in Berlin

accessBerlin app, a free download, includes options for mobility restricted or blind/ partially blind users around the city of Berlin. Content requires download. The app includes pictures and descriptions of attractions, culture highlights, bus routes, food and drink outlets, accommodation, shopping and maps. There are detailed Accessibility Test Reports on the business and some hotels even specify exact measurements with the room number it applies to. Language can be set to English.

For information on the wonderful accessible wine celebrations and festivals in the Palatinate Region, including a list of festival dates, see here: Palatinate festivals for all  

In Brandenburg State, there are many accessible boating options, including houseboats, sailing boats, and punts are available to choose from to explore the waters of Brandenburg. Barrier-Free Aquatic Adventures

Accessible tours of the mudflats at the Wadden Sea are available at Norddeich and Wangerland where you can cross the seabed at low tide with three-wheeled wheelchairs with large tyres which are tread free.

Contact details

Communication and further information

Google Translate is a free service that can instantly translate words, phrases and web pages, spoken or written. You can use the camera on your phone to capture text for translation as well. You can use the app for both android and apple phones. The service now has an offline capability.

Lonely Planet produces an Accessible Travel Phrasebook in PDF format that covers basic Accessibility terms in German. The book is available free to download here: Lonely Planet Accessible Travel Phrasebook

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