Travelling to New York with a disability

Are you travelling to New York with a disability? New York is actually one of the most accessible cities in the world. It has also made a large effort, in the past few years, to become accessible. New Yorkers are very attentive to people with disabilities and will often offer to help, wherever they can. I often get asked how accessible New York is, and can proudly say: quite! I decided to put all the information I have here, to help make your trip to New York easier. Most public buildings, hotels, shops, in addition to many restaurants, are wheelchair accessible. Making this city a perfect place to spend your holiday.

Accessible Attractions in New York

Below, you’ll find a list of different attractions and tips on how to best plan your trip to New York.

Observation Decks in New York

Many of the top attractions in New York are wheelchair accessible. Enjoy the views from the Top of the Rock, Empire State Building, One World Observatory and Edge Observation Deck without a problem. They all have lifts, ramps and accessible toilets.

Sightseeing

Most New York attractions are accessible. For example, you can visit the Statue of Liberty; both the ferry and the grounds at Liberty Island are suitable for wheelchair users. With pedestal tickets, you can visit inside the statue and reach the inner pedestal with a lift, but the outdoor observation deck includes a short flight of stairs. Central Park is also, for the most part, accessible. So is the Brooklyn Bridge, from both the Manhattan and Brooklyn sides. However, the staircase that leads you to DUMBO is not wheelchair accessible.

Museums

You can visit some of New York’s famous museums, including the 9/11 Museum, MoMA and the Met, to name a few. Most museums in New York are wheelchair accessible. However, there are unfortunately some areas at the Intrepid Museum are not accessible. Some museums even offer the use of a wheelchair, for free, for the duration of your visit.

Boat Tours

Taking a boat tour is a great way to see Manhattan’s skyline. At the time of booking, please check if the boat tour you are interested in says “accessible”. When filling in your details, leave a note in the “special requirements” field to say you’re a wheelchair user or you have a mobility problem. The staff will then make the necessary arrangements for the tour.

You can see a variety of boat tours here

Helicopter Tour

A helicopter flight is a great way to see New York from a different perspective. The friendly staff will help you to get out of your wheelchair (if you are in one), and into the helicopter. You will be seated in the front, so will enjoy some amazing views of the city.

Read more about the different helicopter tours here

Sports

Going to a sports game is a great thing to do during your stay in New York. All stadiums are wheelchair accessible, so get ready to cheer on your favourite team!

You can see a selection of sports games in New York here

Cycling

If you are interested in riding a bike while in New York, the electric bike tour might be a nice option for you. You tour the city on a pedal-assisted electric bike, making conquering the hills of Central Park and the streets of Manhattan way easier.

Book the electric bike tour here

For tricycle rental see here

Broadway

Broadway theatres in New York have been adapted and become much more accessible in recent years. There is an increasing number of services dedicated to visitors who have a disability. To help you find which musical is accessible for you,  I added icons to the musicals. This way you can easily see which musicals you can go to.

• Wheelchair accessible
  This icon means this Broadway musical is wheelchair accessible. Always contact me at eric@newyork.co.uk before you book your tickets. This way, I can ensure your seat is accessible with a wheelchair.

• Assistive listening
  This icon means assistive listening devices are available. These will help to amplify the sounds on stage.

• T Assistive listening Loop (T)
  This icon means that the theatre has a hearing loop system.

• Closed captioning  (CC)
  This icon means the theatre provides a way to follow what is being said or sung on stage. It also displays the sounds from the performance.

• Audio description (AD)
  This icon means that for people who are blind or have vision loss, a live or prerecorded narration via headphones is available.

You can book the tickets for the Broadway show of your preference, and ask for the service at the location.

Airport transfers

You can rent a private car to transfer from the airport to the city. CarmelLimo provides adapted cars to help make your transfer as easy as possible. When booking, select the option – I will need a wheelchair accessible vehicle -. Always book the transfer in advance as these vehicles are limited.
Book your private airport transfer here

More information about travelling to and from the airport for people with a disability can be found here for JFK and here for Newark.

Getting around in New York

Buses are especially wheelchair-friendly. In addition, most subway stations have lifts. However, sometimes the lifts can be out of order. So, the bus is a safer, more convenient way to travel.

Subway

There are more than a hundred accessible subway stations in New York. This means they have a lift, and MetroCard vending machines and entry gates are also wheelchair accessible. Bear in mind that the smaller stations may not be accessible, and, even in an “accessible station”, lifts can break. For the blind, there are Braille and tactile maps available. For a hassle-free holiday, I would recommend taking the bus over the subway, whenever possible.

Bus

Buses in New York are fully accessible and a good way to get around the city. All buses have ramps, so anyone with reduced mobility will be able to get on, without a problem. Traffic can be quite dense in New York, so buses tend to be slow, compared to the subway. If you are in a hurry, hail a taxi instead.

Hop on Hop off buses

Taking a Hop on Hop off bus is one of the best ways to explore the city. The Hop on Hop off buses are fully accessible and all types of mobility scooters can fit on the bus. To get on or off, ask the driver or an employee for assistance. You can hop on and hop off any bus, making good value for money as you can also do a lot of sightseeing. Even though you won’t be able to get to the top deck, the bottom deck does allow you to see the city.

Read more and book your Hop on Hop off Bus here

New York Taxis

Are taxis in New York adapted? Generally speaking, no, but don’t be discouraged! Most drivers will be happy to help you get into the vehicle. If you’re in a wheelchair, your driver will make sure that it’s properly stored in the boot.

CarmelLimo

Carmel is a reliable transportation service in the city. When making a reservation with them, you can request a wheelchair accessible vehicle. They provide airport transfers, in addition to rides within Manhattan or to and from other boroughs.

You can book your Carmel transportation here

PATH trains

If you need to travel to and from New Jersey, you can make use of the PATH trains. The major stations are wheelchair accessible; including 33rd Street, World Trade Center, Hoboken and Newark.

Metro-North Railroad

If you want to travel to upstate New York from Manhattan, you can use Metro-North Railroad trains. Some of the stations are wheelchair accessible, such as Grand Central, Yankees and New Haven. To check which stations are wheelchair accessible, you can view the Metro-North Railroad Map.

LIRR

Long Island Rail Road connects Manhattan with Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island. Most of the stations are wheelchair accessible, among Penn Station, Jamaica and East Hampton. View the map to see which other stations are wheelchair accessible.

NJ Transit

New Jersey Transit is the public transportation network of the state of New Jersey. All buses are wheelchair accessible, together with a big part of the stations. This includes Penn Station, Newark International Airport and Hoboken.

Wheelchair rental in New York

There are several places in New York where you can rent a wheelchair. You can rent manual and electric wheelchairs and walking aids at Big Apple Mobility. NYC Mobility Rentals is also a good option for renting a wheelchair. They do short-term rentals with delivery and pickup services.

If you need a mobility scooter in New York I recommend you to reserve one online in advance. The scooter is delivered to your hotel, fully charged, and including a battery charger. You can rent the scooter for a minimum of one day, and up to two weeks.

Rent your mobility scooter here

Hotels

If you are looking for a wheelchair accessible room, Hotel Beacon is a good option. This hotel, located in the Upper West Side, has a good number of rooms that have been adapted for people with limited mobility. There are also a number of subway stations in the neighbourhood and 72nd Street Station (close to the hotel), has a lift. Hilton Midtown is another hotel with a lot of adjustments, like wheelchair accessible rooms and the availability of assistive listening devices.