Pratical Information

When to go

Spring and autumn are the best seasons to visit the city and follow the green paths. Actually, in summer, it is very humid and in winter the cold – and sometimes snow – could make excursions difficult for wheelchair users. Nonetheless, each season has its precious uniqueness: for example, from July to August it would be worth a visit to the city even just for the Sotto le stelle del cinema film festival (Under the stars of cinema), a rich selection of films proposed by the Cineteca in the beautiful Piazza Maggiore, precisely under the stars.

Before leaving

The city of Bologna cares about the needs of its citizens and visitors. The streets are cleaned every day, but still it is not so rare to find glass on the ground. That is why we give you some useful tips for any type of excursion:

• Tighten the wheelchair screws;
• Inflate the wheels;
• Buy the “Tip top” tire repair kit to fix any holes in the wheels;
• Note down the size and brand of your wheelchair in the event of an overhaul (especially if you are travelling abroad);
• Bring your European Disability Parking Card with you.

Legend

Assistance to get on and off the train -> SALABLU

If you want to get on the train and need some help, the Sala Blu (Blue Room) is the place for you! To request the assistance service, travellers can: 1) Send an e-mail to the Sala Blu in Bologna (salaBlu.BOLOGNA@rfi.it) indicating:

• station of departure and arrival or train connection;
• the day and time of departure/return and the number of the train;
• the type of assistance (with or without forklift, wheelchair made available by RFI, other useful information);
• a telephone number in case you need to be contacted.

TPER Buses – Trasporto Passeggeri Emilia – Romagna (Passenger Transport of Emilia-Romagna)

Each bus is equipped with a (manual or electric) platform for getting on and off with wheelchairs, for which there is a dedicated space inside the vehicle. When the bus arrives, we recommend you immediately notify the driver of the need to use the platform (the driver is not always able to notice the presence of a person with disabilities from the mirror of the bus). Another tip is to wait for the bus near the sidewalk so that the driver can see you easily. Please notice that sometimes the buttons to book the stop do not work, so it is good to remind the driver of your stop – even when you are only one stop away from your destination – so that s/he can bring the bus as close as possible to the sidewalk and let you get off the bus more easily. To consult the bus timetables, please click here: Tper.it It is also possible to use the TPER Hello bus messaging service to get information on urban and suburban buses. You just have to type a text message as follows: stop number, one space, number of the bus you are waiting for. For example, if your stop is n. 4022 and your bus is n. 27, the message text will be “4022 27”. The message must be sent to the following number: +39 348 431 4314. Within a few seconds you will receive a reply message. The cost of the service depends on the rates of your operator. This service is also active for suburban buses number: 87, 88, 89, 90, 81/91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98. It is also possible to receive all the information by calling (in DTMF mode) the Tper call centre at + 39 051 290290.

Permits and authorizations for access to the Limited Traffic Zone (ZTL) with your car

Download the form and, after filling it in, send it by FAX to +39 051 4686080. Here below you will also find the English version of the form.

Otherwise, fill in the Online application form. Each request must necessarily be signed by the applicant and accompanied by a copy of a valid identity document of the owner of the disability card and of the signatory (if different from the card owner). The plate number will be included in the list of authorized vehicles for the period indicated in the application and, in any case, no later than the expiry date of the disability card. In case that the access has not been previously communicated, it is possible to send the application within two days following the transit, specifying the date: in this case the plate number will be valid from the date indicated (at most from midnight two days before). For example, the transit made on November 25th can be communicated by November 27th. The Municipality has published a map with all parking spaces reserved for people with disabilities. Please, consult it here.

• • Download the original form
  • Download the translation

COTABO Taxi Bologna

If you want to book a taxi you can make the priority call available for people with disabilities. Reservations are accepted for the maximum transport of one person with disabilities, in a non-folding wheelchair. To carry out the transport services, the size of the wheelchair must not exceed the measures compatible with the wheelchair loading tools: length 110 cm – width 72 cm – weight 300 kg. Priority taxi operators have the obligation to stop the taximeter for the entire duration of the ascent and descent operations of the disabled person. You can call for a priority taxi by calling the following Radiotaxi number: + 39 051 372727 If you want to book a priority taxi in advance, for the same day or the following ones, you can do it from Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., by calling the number + 39 051 372525. More information on the following website: cotabo.it

Click to make a call!

Useful websites for tourism and accessible tourism

• bolognawelcome.com
• festivalitaca.net
• itacaccessibile.it
• informa.comune.bologna.it/iperbole/sportellosociale/servizi/2570/2574
• museibologna.it
• cittametropolitana.bo.it

Events Calendar – Bologna Cultural Agenda

agenda.comune.bologna.it/cultura

Art, music, entertainment, meetings, exhibitions and all the city life