A mobility scooter or powered wheelchair can go a long way on the continent, but the rules that decide whether it travels, and what help is offered along the way, are those of the country and transport mode involved. The EU’s Your Europe portal publishes a summary of passenger rights for people with disabilities or reduced mobility, covering air, rail, bus and coach, and sea travel. This guide summarises that page and its FAQ page, and it is about journeys under EU rules, not domestic British rules. The pages refer to mobility equipment and wheelchairs generally, so the operator’s own policy on scooters still matters.
The core principle
Your Europe says a person with a disability or reduced mobility has the right to travel by air, train, bus, coach or boat like anybody else, and that for all modes there is a right to free assistance at terminals and on board vehicles. For air, bus, coach and ship travel, transport cannot be refused because of disability or reduced mobility except on grounds of safety, set by national, international or EU law or a competent authority, or because of the design of the vehicle or infrastructure. For rail, transport cannot be refused unless necessary to comply with the rail company’s or station manager’s non-discriminatory safety rules.
By air: 48 hours’ notice
Your Europe says assistance by air is free and includes help with luggage, getting on and off the plane, and free transport of a recognised assistance dog, medical equipment and two pieces of mobility equipment. It advises contacting the airline, ticket seller or tour operator at least 48 hours before the trip, and says that if they are not told in time they must at least make all reasonable efforts to assist. The FAQ page adds that a passenger cannot be required to present a medical certificate to obtain free assistance, although in some limited cases the airline may ask for additional information.
The FAQ page also flags a limit relevant to scooters: two personal-assistance devices can be taken on board free of charge if there is sufficient space and carriage is not prohibited by the dangerous goods rules, which it says may be the case for some electric wheelchairs because of the type of battery they use. The site’s guides to flying with a mobility scooter and to airport assistance under CAA and UK law cover the battery and UK sides. If mobility equipment is lost or destroyed, Your Europe says to tell the airport authorities or the airline and, if the reply is unsatisfactory, to contact the national enforcement body in the country where the incident happened.
By train: 24 hours, sometimes 36
For rail, Your Europe says assistance is free and covers help getting on and off trains, transferring to connecting services, and on board and at the station. It advises contacting the railway company, station manager, ticket seller or tour operator at least 24 hours before travel. Some EU countries require 36 hours instead, and the page links to a list of them. The operator can ask a passenger to arrive at a designated point not more than one hour before departure; if no time was given, the passenger should arrive at least 30 minutes before. If notice is late, the operator must still make all reasonable efforts. The page also points to an interactive tool covering compensation for lost or damaged mobility equipment on trains. For an example of one operator’s scooter rules, see the site’s guide to taking a mobility scooter on Eurostar.
By bus or coach: 36 hours, long distance
Free assistance on buses and coaches applies to long-distance journeys where the scheduled distance of the service is 250km or more, according to Your Europe. It covers designated terminals and getting on and off the vehicle. Notice of at least 36 hours is advised, and the operator or terminal manager may ask the passenger to come to a designated point not more than one hour before departure. The page states the right only for those long-distance services.
By ship: 48 hours
For sea and inland waterway travel, Your Europe says assistance is free when getting on or off, changing ships, on board and at the port. It advises telling the carrier, ticket seller or tour operator at least 48 hours before the trip, and says the carrier and terminal operator must still make all reasonable efforts to help if notice is late. The page says to tell the ticket seller at booking if there are special needs in terms of accommodation, seating or assistance, or medical equipment to bring. The site’s guide to ferries and cruise ships covers UK guidance.
Frequently asked questions
Do these notice periods apply to a scooter specifically? They apply to assistance requests. Whether a particular scooter is carried depends on the airline, rail company or ship operator’s own size, weight and battery rules.
Can an airline refuse a scooter? Your Europe says carriage of mobility equipment can be limited by space or by the dangerous goods rules on batteries.
Who handles a complaint? Your Europe says to tell the operator first and then contact the national enforcement body in the country where the incident happened.
The bottom line
Under the EU rules summarised by Your Europe, free assistance for people with reduced mobility is available by air, rail, coach and ship, with notice periods of 48 hours for air and sea, 24 hours (sometimes 36) for rail and 36 hours for coach. Scooter users should give notice early and confirm the operator’s own scooter and battery limits at the same time.
Sources
- European Union, Your Europe, "EU passenger rights for people with disabilities or reduced mobility" (europa.eu)
- European Union, Your Europe, "FAQs: Rights for travellers with disabilities or reduced mobility" (europa.eu)