Fully wheelchair accessible in theory, but not without problems.
3.5
3.5
Date of visit: June 2017
I am a carer or friend of a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: moving around
Overall Rating
Good
All buses are wheelchair accessible but other users may not vacate the wheelchair space for you. Best to avoid the morning and even rush hours altogether, and some buses are very crowded during the day.
Disabled Access In and Around
0Most Paris bus stops have a raised kerb which makes the stop wheelchair accessible. A few do not. Timetables and route plans can be found on this website https://www.ratp.fr/en/horaires and the non accessible stops are marked with a yellow triangle on the route plans. The electric ramps are located at the double doors in the middle of the bus and you request the ramp by pressing a clearly labelled button to the left of the doors and at a sensible height. Mostly this works, but on one occasion it didn't and we were grateful to the person who ran to the front of the bus and alerted the driver to our presence. The ramp can only be extended when the double doors are closed - don't be disconcerted if, after you have pressed the buttin and passengers have got off the bus, the doors close. The driver has to do this to deploy the ramp. The wheelchair space is just inside the double doors and, if you are lucky, it will be vacated for you. The machine to validate the tickets is at the front of the bus, so it was the accompanis,t's job to do that. There is a button by the wheelchair space which you press to alert the driver that you wish to get off the bus. Stops are announced in advance in an audio system.
Parking & Transport
0Not applicable
Accessible Toilets
0Not applicable
Staff
Good
In general drivers were helpful. It's a good idea clearly to signal to the driver as the bus approaches. On one occasion, although the wheelchair user had pressed the button to request the use of the ramp to get off the bus, the driver ignored it. Fifty or so helpful Parisians drew vocal attentiin to his oversight and we were very grateful to them.
Additional Information
Good luck - given that most of the Metro system is not wheelchair accessible and the tram system won't get you to the city centre, buses are the best bet for gettiing around - but using them is a bit of a gamble. It made us all the more appreciative of Lothian Buses, Edinburgh's finest!
