Blind man on the move | PolishTrains

• Discounts for blind passengers: statutory discounts on railway tickets depend on the entitlement category – from 37% to 78%; confirm the specific rates when purchasing or in the carrier’s documentation

• Guide and carer: the guide, generally from the age of 13, and the carer, generally from the age of 18, travel with a separate discount; the guide’s ticket is linked to the blind passenger’s ticket and is valid for the same route and the same train

• Guide dog: travels free of charge on domestic services; documents confirming the dog’s status are required, and the detailed rules depend on the carrier

• Assistance at the station: you can request assistance through the PolishTrains customer service centre by phone, email or form; provide the travel date, route, scope of assistance and information about luggage

• *Ticket and reminder: after purchasing from PolishTrains, the ticket is sent by email and SMS, and 30 minutes before departure you receive an SMS reminder with a link to the ticket * Discounts for blind people: statutory discounts on rail tickets depend on the eligibility category - from 37% to 78%; confirm the specific rates when purchasing or in the carrier's documentation

• Guide and companion: a guide, generally from the age of 13, and a companion, generally from the age of 18, travel with a separate discount; the guide's ticket is linked to the blind person's ticket and applies to the same route and the same train

• Guide dog: travels free of charge on domestic services; documents confirming the dog's status are required, and detailed rules depend on the carrier

• Assistance at the station: order assistance through the PolishTrains Customer Service Office by phone, e-mail or form; provide the travel date, route, scope of assistance and information about luggage

• Ticket and reminder: after purchase from PolishTrains, the ticket is sent by e-mail and SMS, and 30 minutes before departure you receive an SMS reminder with a link to the ticket ### At a glance

• Blind passengers unable to live independently are entitled to a 93% discount on trains
• Other visually impaired passengers qualify for a statutory discount of up to 51%
• Guides and carers travel on their own ticket, linked to the disabled passenger's booking
• Station assistance for blind travellers can be arranged via customer service after purchasing
• Guide dogs are permitted on trains; advance notification is recommended for international routes
• Discounts apply to both single tickets and season tickets across all train categories

Blind and partially sighted people are travelling more and more? Yes. According to research, among the most interesting TV content watched by blind people, travel-themed content* is at the top of the list. This may translate into an increase in travel among blind and partially sighted people. This upward trend may have to do with the increasing facilitation of, for example, buying tickets via the Customer Service. When purchasing a ticket on PolishTrains, you select the discount at the ordering stage. Required documents must be shown to the conductor on the train. It is best to confirm the current discount rates and list of documents before travelling - contact the PolishTrains Customer Service Office.

Discounts on trains for the blind and partially sighted

Blind or visually impaired people can count on concessions on all types of trains. Whether they buy a single train ticket or a season ticket (monthly, etc.), they are equally eligible for discounts. These are facilities provided by law. A companion must be at least 18 years old - it is best to confirm the age requirements before buying a ticket with the PolishTrains Customer Service Office. This means that, according to the Act

a blind person who is unable to live independently is entitled to purchase a ticket with a 93% discount on regional, passenger and fast trains.

Other visually impaired persons, but who are not considered incapable of independent existence, can benefit from a 37% discount, statutorily belonging to disability group II or have a moderate degree of disability.

In addition, children with disabilities and adolescents up to the age of 24 and students with disabilities up to the age of 26 are entitled to use single tickets and registered monthly tickets for purpose-built travel at a 78% discount. For example, a student can benefit from the discount by purchasing a single ticket from home to university or from home to a rehabilitation centre. When purchasing a ticket on PolishTrains, you select the discount at the ordering stage. Required documents must be shown to the conductor on the train. It is best to confirm the current discount rates and list of documents before travelling - contact the PolishTrains Customer Service Office. It is best to confirm the details for the specific carrier with the PolishTrains Customer Service Office.

Guide versus carer for blind people on train journeys

An additional convenience for blind travellers is that they can travel with a guide, carer or guide dog. Those supporting a blind person can purchase a ticket with a 95% discount. Please note that this train ticket (for a guide or carer) is linked to the blind person's ticket and is valid for 2nd class on fast trains. A companion must be at least 18 years old - it is best to confirm the age requirements before buying a ticket with the PolishTrains Customer Service Office. This discount, as for the others, is possible on the basis of valid documents.

Please note that guides and carers of the blind must meet the legal conditions. A guide cannot become a person under the age of 13, while a carer must be at least 18 years old. For example, if a blind 13-year-old wants to go with her brother on the railway, he must be at least 18 years old, because in addition to being her guide, he must be her guardian. If, on the other hand, the situation would be the other way around and the blind girl is at least 18 years old, she can travel with her 13-year-old brother, who would be her guide.

Furthermore, it is important to note that the guide or carer of the blind person must hold a ticket for the entire journey with the person they are supporting. It is best to confirm the details for the specific carrier with the PolishTrains Customer Service Office. It is not possible to split the tickets over time (future purchase) or separately (travel to different places).

You can order assistance at the station, meaning help with orientation, reaching the train, boarding and handling luggage, through the PolishTrains Customer Service Office. ## Travel facilities for the blind or partially sighted

A blind or partially sighted person who intends to travel by train can purchase a train ticket by calling the helpline. To purchase a ticket, information such as:

passenger's name, information about the discount, the relation of the journey (place of departure and destination station).

Contact with the Customer Service Office:

• Telephone: 703 402 010 (call cost: PLN 2.58 gross/min)

• E-mail: kontakt@polishtrains.eu

• Contact form: on the PolishTrains contact page

The Customer Service Office is open 7:00-23:00 every day and provides service in Polish, English, Ukrainian and Russian. In summary, travelling for blind and partially sighted people is becoming easier and easier. The PolishTrains Customer Service available on the helpline and on social media is there to provide knowledge and assistance to blind people.

Travelling by train - travel assistant

polishtrains.eu constantly offers solutions to make travelling easier for its passengers. For visually impaired travellers, our Customer Service coordinates with a travel assistant.

If a traveller needs the assistance of a travel assistant at the station, they can call the helpline (+48 703 402 010) or report the need via social media. During the call, information such as - the date of travel and train route, the form of travel assistance, luggage information and any additional information that may be helpful for the travel assistance to be implemented should be provided.

Travel assistant at the train station - how to use the assistance?

Refund and exchange conditions depend on the carrier and fare - check the current rules on the PolishTrains help page. Luggage rules also vary between carriers - you can find the details for the selected service in the PolishTrains luggage guide.

PKP Intercity

PKP Intercity operates domestic and international services to Berlina, Wiednia, Pragi, Budapesztu and Wilna. In the PolishTrains search engine, you can immediately check which of these services run directly and which require a change. You can buy this type of ticket on PolishTrains without registering an account. Seat reservation is compulsory on EIP and EIC trains and on international sections, so when travelling with a companion it is worth requesting seats next to each other straight away. You can check the conditions for changes, refunds and exchanges for this carrier on the PolishTrains help page. To use the assistant, contact the helpline and follow the steps. Refund and exchange conditions depend on the fare, so check them on the PolishTrains help page before changing your plans. The detailed rules for transporting a dog and other luggage may vary between carriers - check them in the PolishTrains luggage guide. Before setting off, it is best to confirm the requirements once again on the PolishTrains contact page. It is best to confirm the rules for transporting a guide dog and the additional requirements for assistance with the PolishTrains Customer Service Office.

Deutsche Bahn

Deutsche Bahn operates services from Poland to Germany and onwards to Austria, Switzerland, France and the Netherlands, including to Berlina, Monachium, Frankfurtu and Hamburga. Seat reservation is optional on many ICE trains, but when travelling with a companion it is worth selecting adjacent seats. Brief instructions are provided below. The PolishTrains Customer Service Office can help in each of these situations. You can confirm the rules for transporting a guide dog and luggage with the PolishTrains Customer Service Office.

Italo NTV

Italo operates domestic services in Italy, between Rzymem, Mediolanem, Florencją, Wenecją and Neapolem. It is best to confirm accessibility rules for blind people and the transport of a guide dog with the PolishTrains Customer Service Office.

*Report Don't Be Blind to Culture

Research report on the attitudes, motivations, awareness of blind people towards the artistic and cultural sphere, with a time perspective of 1989-2014 (Questionnaire Interviews) Source: kulturaslepych.farbb.com Before setting off, it is best to confirm the requirements once again on the PolishTrains contact page. The PolishTrains Customer Service Office can help in each of these situations.