Notes for the Disabled in Milan and Lombardy
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+ | Notes for the Disabled in Milan and Lombardy |
Overview of where to go and what to do if you are mobility, sight or hearing impaired - a wheelchair or cane user - and living in or visiting Italy. Information on the Italian organisations and facilities.
Information on the following below:
Disabled Travel & Transport in Italy
Trains
Italian trains have a few reserved seats for wheelchair passengers, though
passengers must be able to transfer from their wheelchair to the seat.
Otherwise, some trains have compartments that can accommodate a
wheelchair.
The Italian Railways offers services to disabled people to
assist them during their train journey. These services can be arranged through a
Blue Hall (Sala Blu), an information point located in 14 main
train stations. 251 smaller stations make up the Assistance Circuit which
provide more abbreviated services.
Staff at the Blue Hall can provide information, book seats, and arrange for a
wheelchair, guide and assistance carrying 1 item of hand baggage.
- Blue Hall (Sala Blu)
Tel: 199 30 30 60
Hours: 07:00-21:00
Website
- For a list and contact information for Blue Halls throughout Italy: Click
here
- For a list and contact information for Assistance Circuit stations
throughout Italy: Click
here
It is suggested to make special arrangements at least 24 hours prior to
travel for international travel and for e-mail requests. Arrangements should be
made at least 12 hours in advance for travel between or with connections at
Assistance Circuit stations. For travel from 08:00-22:00 between main Blue Hall
stations, notification should be given at least 1 hour before departure.
Travellers should arrive at the assistance point in the station no later than
30 minutes before departure.
A special free Blue Card (Carta Blu) provides fare reductions to
Italian residents entitled to Italian mobility allowance, including blind people and war
invalids. These cards can be obtained from a Blue Hall or station ticket
counter.
- For information on the Carta Blu from Trenitalia: Click
here
Italian international airports
EU regulations establish that people with reduced mobility should have free,
special assistance when needed in airplanes, airports, baggage check- in and with
flight connections. Responsibility has been passed to the airports to accommodate the needs of the
disabled traveller. Air companies are at liberty to provide services
to people with reduced mobility.
In all major Italian airports there is a special service providing assistance
to disabled people including wheelchair service, assistance during boarding and landing. The
assistance will be arranged through the airline once the airline is notified by
the passenger. Assistance at Milan's Malpensa or Linate airports is provided by
Sala Amica. Sala Amica's service does not include lifting baggage; a porter
should be called for this service.
- For information on the services and facilities available for passengers with special
needs at Malpensa and Linate airports: Click
here
Each airline company has its own internal procedures, outlining the type of
disability they may accept as well as the specific services offered on board and
on ground. The disabled passenger should always notify the airline about their
specific needs when booking the ticket. It is also important to be present at
the check-in desk at least one and a half hours before boarding.
Bus travel
The website bus.it
(in Italian)
provides information on companies renting buses adapted to disabled people, by
region.
- Click here
and then on the link to Trasporto Disabili
Boats and ferries
The boat companies operating between the continent and the Italian
islands have made most of their boats accessible to disabled people. It is
necessary to specify the type of disability when booking the ticket in order to
get appropriate assistance when going on board.
Among the companies offering
special assistance for disabled are:
- Corsica Ferriesi
At: Via Angelo Brunetti 25/D, Rome
Tel: 06 3222469
- Ferrovie dello Stato, Divisione Navigazione Trasporto Passeggeri
At: Molo Vespucci, 00053 Civitavecchia (RM)
Tel: 0906 786478
Cars and motorways
The accessibility of Italian motorway service areas, restaurants, bathrooms and various amenities
to disabled people is under development. On the national and provincial roads, this accessibility varies
according to the area. For more information contact the Handicap
Documentation Centre Association ( Associazione Centro Documentazione Handicap/CDH).
- Associazione Centro Documentazione Handicap
At: Via Legnano 2, 40132 Bologna
Tel: 800 018 537 / 051 641 5005
Fax: 051 641 5055
Website
Parking
Cars parking in disabled parking spaces must display the blue disabled
parking card or a European Community blue badge. Contact the local town hall for
information on obtaining a blue badge.
The blue badge is a
standardised European Community disabled person's parking permit which provides
parking entitlements to badge holders in all complying European countries - a blue
badge from one country is valid in another. A person coming to Italy from another EU
country may find it easier to apply in their home country for this
universal badge which allows the use of reserved parking.
Things to keep in mind:
- Disabled spaces in car parks reserved for disabled people are marked with
a yellow line and a wheelchair symbol; parking is generally free in these
spots, check with the parking attendant
- Do not park in a space marked with a person's name or vehicle registration
number
- In an emergency and if not causing an obstruction, disabled parking is
allowed on roads where parking is normally prohibited
- Do not park in pedestrian zones or ZTL (restricted traffic area) unless
local law specifies it is allowed
- Disabled drivers may park without time restrictions on roads with parking
time limits
- Full details from the ECMT (European Conference of Ministers
of Transport): Click
here
Drivers with a blue badge from another European country may display this
translation beside a badge written in another language (text from the UK
Automobile Association):
|
Contrassegno
d'invalidita per persone disabilit.
La
persona che espone questo
contrassegno
e un visitatore
disabile
di un altro paese europeo,
che
ha diritto alle stesse agevolazioni
dei
disabili residenti nel vostro paese.
MODELLO
PER LA COMUNITA EUROPEA |
Disabled travel and transport in Lombardy
The following transport companies have a fleet of buses specifically designed to accommodate the disabled.
- Autoservizi Locatelli
At: Via Furietti 17, 24126 Bergamo (BG)
Tel: 035 319 366
Fax: 035 320 303
Website
e-mail
- Linee Lecco
At: Piazza Bione 15, 23900 Lecco (LC)
Tel: 0341 359 911
Fax: 0341 359 999
Website
e-mail
- Perletti
At: Via 24, 24064 Grumello Del Monte (BG)
Tel: 035 832 700
Fax: 035 442 0529
- Zani Viaggi
At: Foro Buonaparte 76, 20121 Milan (MI)
Tel: 02 867 131
Fax: 02 804 190
Website
Tourism for the Disabled in Lombardy
Milanopertutti is a tourism and leisure web portal for the disabled in Milan. It provides information on:
- accessibility in Milan
- visiting Milan including itineraries for disabled visitors
- transports
- links to other useful sites
General Information & Useful links
- Azienda Sociale Locale (ASL): Any person wishing to have their disability
recognised in Italy should refer to the local ASL (Rome is
divided into 4 ASL). Social invalidity benefits will only be delivered to people
holding not just a residence permit but an Italian residence card, which is
usually allocated after six years spent in the country. The same will be relevant
to families wishing to apply for benefits for a handicapped child.
- Conzortio Sociale (COIN): The focus of the COIN is the social and economic
integration of disabled people.
- General information can be found on
their website: Click here (in
Italian)
Tel: 800 810 810.
- Superabile: A website for disabled people, updated daily, provides useful information and tips on relevant laws, health issues, sport,
hobbies and work.
-
Information is provided through a call centre
Tel: 800 810 810
Superabile website (in
Italian)
- Handylex: This is a useful national database containing news from the
official paper Gazzetta Ufficiale and legal information relating to
disabled people.
- Cooperative ProgettAzione is a social project aiming to facilitate the
integration of people who are having problems through actions of prevention and
training.
- At: Via Piave 2/a, 24026 Ponte San Pietro (BG)
Tel: 0356 14928
Website
- Disabili: An online journal and news magazine for disabled, this website is
dedicated to handicapped people and provides information, chats, exchanges and
discussion forums on various matters (information provided in Italian language).
- The Assistive Technology Research and Information Service (SIVA): Provides
medical, social and vocational rehabilitation to people with a physical, mental
or sensorial handicap. SIVA is developing a nationwide information system on
assistive technology.
Information regarding work
- The website of the Ministry of Work and Social
Affairs (Ministerio del Lavoro e delle Politiche Sociali)
provides information on work policies, general social affairs and has a section
on disability with relevant information.
- Handimpresa: Organisation based in Milan, aims to make it easier
for disabled people to get jobs. Their website (in Italian) has useful links to help people find a job or a training session.
- Foundation Don Gnocchi: A non-profit board providing care, rehabilitation and
social integration for people in difficulty. Amongst its various missions the
Foundation provides training for disabled people in IT, Internet, retail,
catering and artisan trades.
Hobbies, sport and holidays
- On the initiative of the General Tourist Board (Direzione Generale per il
Turismo del Ministero delle Attivitą Produttive), an online service, Italia
per Tutti, has been created, which enables users to search and select a list of tourist sites in Italy with
information on allergies, reduced mobility, wheelchairs and access for blind,
deaf or elderly people. The website has a list of hotels, restaurants, bars and
monuments and is available in English and German.
- The tour operator Mondopossibile, member of the SATH (Society for
Accessible Travel & Hospitality) deals exclusively with travel and holidays
for disabled people.
- Sportabili is a non-profit organisation aiming to create contacts and links
between disabled people and the rest of the community. The services
proposed include skiing, cross-country skiing, hand-biking, rafting, hydrospeed
and tennis with special guides for blind people.
- Disabilincorsa offers several possibilities for disabled people to practice
sport; running, cycling, ice-skating, horse-riding, mountains walks and sailing.
- Tel: 0347 3845121
Website (in Italian)
- Centro Internazionale del Libro Parlato produces registered books, in
Italian, for blind
people.
- The Italian Library for the Blind (Biblioteca Italiana per i Ciechi) has a
website with an exhaustive list of libraries available for blind people in
Italy.
- In Rome, documents for blind people can be found at the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale
- At: Viale Castro Pretorio 105, 00185 Rome
Tel: 06 44701871
Website
-
Calibre Audio
Books: UK charity, Calibre, supplies audio books in English on
cassette or disk to visually impaired and disabled people. The free service
is available to members (registration can be made via the website). Free
postal service is available to anywhere in Europe.
Sporting associations for the disabled in Milan
The Regione Lombardia website (in Italian) lists sporting associations for people with disabilities in the region. Sports include
horse riding, golf and hockey.
Atlha is an association for young people with special needs and disabilities. It provides information on sporting activities, leisure activities and events.
- At: Via Casina Bellaria 90, 20151 Milan
Tel: 02 482 06551
Fax: 02 482 06553
Website
Italian Associations for the Disabled
There are a number of associations related to reduced mobility and disability.
Please note that these organisations operate in the Italian language. There is no
guarantee of finding an English-speaker.
- Associazione Nazionale Famiglie di Disabili Intelletivi e Relazionli (Anffas):
A national association looking after the rights of intellectually disabled
people and their families, the Anffas operates in the sectors of education,
professional training, work, sport and free-time.
- Associazione Sclerosi Tuberosa: This association dealing with tuberous
sclerosis aims to help the families concerned and provide support for the
research into the disease. The association organises meetings everywhere in
Italy to provide information on the disease and the latest medical treatments.
- Unione Italiana dei Ciechi: Association for the integration of blind people
into the community. The ALA (Agenzia per la Promozione del Lavoro dei Ciechi)
aims to help blind people in the work environment.
- Unione Italiana dei Ciechi
Tel: 800 682 682 / 06 699881
Website (in Italian)
- Associazione
Italiana Persone Down: The Italian Association for People suffering from Downs
Syndrome.
- At: Viale delle Milizie 106, Rome
Tel: 06 3720891
Website
- Unione Italiana Lotta alla Distrofia Muscolare
(UILDM) aims to promote
scientific research on muscular dystrophy and facilitate social integration.
- Associazione Anni Verdi: An association and support group for physically or
mentally handicapped people.
- At: Via Quirino Majorana 195, 00152 Rome
Tel: 06 5518211
- Mason Perkins: Fund support for deaf and deaf-blind children.
- At: Via Nomentana 56, Rome
Tel: 06 44234511
Website
- U.C.L.A.I.: Association providing help to disabled people.
- At: Via Paolo Emilio 24/d, 00192 Rome
Tel: 06 3610992
Associations for the disabled in Lombardy
Associations for the Disabled and information centres can be found at the following Lombardy addresses:
-
AGPD (Associazione Genitori e Persone con Sindrome di Down ONLUS)
Association for people with Down's Syndrome and their families
At: Viale Piceno 60, 20129 Milan (MI)
Tel: 02 761 0527 / 02 701 07002
Fax: 02 700 04635
Website
e-mail
- Associazione Paraplegici - Association for the paraplegic
At: Via Tarvision 13, 20125 Milan (MI)
Tel: 02 670 74375
Fax: 02 670 73112
Website
- LEDHA (Lega per i diritti degli handicappati) League for the rights
of disabled people
At: Via Monte Santo 7, 20124 Milan (MI)
Tel: 02 657 0425
Fax: 02 657 0426
Website
- A.N.D.I (Associazione Nationale Disabili Italiani) National Italian
Association for the Disabled
At: Via Curio Dentato 11, 201246 Milan (MI)
Tel: 02 471 021
Fax: 02 422 95443
Website
e-mail
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