Rules for the Transport
Last update: 17.02.2010
RULES FOR THE TRANSPORT OF DISABLED PERSONS AND PERSONS WITH REDUCED MOBILITY
Regulation (EC) No 1371/2007 defines disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility as persons whose mobility when using transport is reduced due to any physical disability (sensory or motory, permanent or temporary), intellectual disability or impairment, or any other cause of disability, or as a result of age, and whose situation needs appropriate attention and adaptation to his or her particular needs of the service made available to all passengers.
A railway undertaking can transport disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility (if appropriate accompanied by another person) in trains with a special coach equipped with a compartment and a sanitary facility for these persons. The respective trains are marked with a pictogram of a wheelchair in the train timetable of Železnice Slovenskej republiky (ŽSR). Several trains have also coaches with a hydraulic lifting platform (list of trains with a coach for disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility in the 2009/2010 train timetable).
Article 1: How to order transport of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility?
Information on rules of the transport of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility are provided directly by Call Centre of the Železničná spoločnosť Slovensko, a.s (ZSSK). The rules of the transport together with the Call Centre contact data are also available on information boards at every station or at www.slovakrail.sk. In unstuffed stations, there is information displayed regarding the nearest station with directly available assistance for disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility during boarding and disembarking from a train.
Disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility should request for transport in writing or by phone at the Call Centre or at cash desks, Reservation Centres and Customer Centres at least 48 hours before the planned journey.
The request should include following data:
- Name and surname of the submitter
- Name, surname, address and number of an ID for the disabled (if available) of the passenger
- Phone number (or other contact) to announce acceptance or rejection of the request
- Number of the train that the passenger wants to take, departure date, departure and destination station
- Specification of the assistance needed
- ype of the wheelchair (mechanical, electric), if the passenger uses a wheelchair
Acceptance of the transport order does not guarantee provision of the transport services. The transport request may be rejected. Passengers will be informed about reasons of the rejection of their request within 5 days after the rejection.
Disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility may request for assistance free of charge at railway stations, during boarding and disembarking their train and on board the train. Passengers should request for assistance at least 48 hours before the planned journey.
Disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility without an ID for the disabled who request for transport or assistance at least 48 hours before the planned journey are entitled to the same fares as the holders of the ID for the disabled.
If the disabled persons or persons with reduced mobility submit their request for assistance later than 48 hours before the planned journey, they will have to arrange their boarding and disembarking on their own, provided that such transport has been allowed (they have to be informed about this fact when submitting their order and this fact has to be stated in the order).
Passengers, whose transport has been allowed and arranged, should arrive at the railway station no later than 30 minutes before the departure of their train. They should announce their arrival at the railway station to a designated person at a designated point specified by the Call Centre.
Disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility are not required to be accompanied by another person. However, in some justifiable cases and if agreed with passengers requesting the assistance, the railway undertakings (ŽSR/ZSSK) may require them to be accompanied by another person. The justifiable cases refer mainly to cases when the railway undertakings are not able to provide the requested assistance due to objective technical and personnel reasons.
Holders of the ID for the disabled may be accompanied only by persons aged 15 years and over and/or by assistance dogs with special training (guide dogs, service dogs and hearing dogs). Visually impaired holders of the ID for the disabled may be accompanied by persons aged 6 years and over. Holder of the ID for the disabled may not be accompanied by another holder of the ID for the disabled. Persons accompanying the holders of the ID for the disabled are transported free of charge. This applies also for cases when the holder of the ID for the disabled uses a tariff or extra-tariff reduced fare. Dogs accompanying the holders of the ID for the disabled are not required to wear a muzzle. Owners of the assistance dogs with special training are obliged to present the dog's ID on requested of competent railway personnel.
If the holders of the ID for the disabled are accompanied by more than one person, these persons are obliged to pay either regular fare or reduced fare that they are entitled to.
Two disabled persons/persons with reduced mobility on wheelchairs can be transported in one coach (this does not apply for special transport services).
Disabled persons/persons with reduced mobility on wheelchairs that are transported in a service coach may be accompanied only by one person. Other accompanying persons have to take their seats in the nearest coach.
Disabled persons/persons with reduced mobility on wheelchairs that are transported in a special coach equipped with a special compartment for the disabled may be accompanied by more than one person in this compartment (provided that no other passenger on wheelchair is being transported at the same time). Other passengers may also take seats in the special compartment, if the disabled person/person with reduced mobility on a wheelchair agrees with this.
Disabled persons/persons with reduced mobility have to be equipped with a wheelchair with a hand brake to be secured against self-motion during the ride.
Article 2: Transport in trains without regular coach for disabled persons/persons with reduced mobility
Disabled persons/persons with reduced mobility may request transport in trains without regular coach for disabled persons/persons with reduced mobility in writing or by phone pursuant to paragraph 1.2 and 1.3 (this applies for trains with compulsory seat reservation).
If the Call Centre manages to arrange and appoint responsible personnel, it will inform the disabled person/person with reduced mobility by phone and via e-mail that the train he/she requests does not have a special coach for the disabled and it will offer manual boarding secured by the appointed responsible persons. If the Call Centre does not manage to arrange and appoint responsible personnel, it will inform the disabled person/person with reduced mobility by phone and via e-mail that the train he/she requests does not have a special coach for the disabled and it will offer transport services on condition that the disabled person/person with reduced mobility arranges its own manual boarding. If the disabled person/person with reduced does not agree with manual boarding, the Call Centre will reject the transport in writing.
The Call Centre is obliged to inform disabled persons/persons with reduced mobility on their request about reasons of rejecting the transport, issuing the transport document or requiring accompaniment for disabled persons/persons with reduced mobility within five days after the transport rejection.
Article 3: Special transport services in trains without regular coach for disabled persons/persons with reduced mobility
Disabled persons/persons with reduced mobility may request a special coach for disabled persons/persons with reduced mobility in trains without regular coach for the disabled in writing or by phone pursuant to paragraph 1.2 and 1.3 at least 48 hours before the planned journey. ZSSK has the right to reject the request due to serious operational or technical reasons. The Call Centre may arrange transport in other coaches as well, according to the character of the request.
