Chapter VIII
Transporting persons with a health disability and with limited mobility and orientation
108. Persons with a health disability and persons with limited mobility and orientation have a right to use ČD services in a way comparable to that enjoyed by other citizens under the terms and conditions stipulated in the SPPO.
108. 1. Such persons are understood as any person with a permanent or temporary physical, mental or sensory disability which, in combination with various obstacles can prevent them from fully and efficiently utilising transport on an equal basis with other passengers, or whose movement while utilising transport is limited as a result of age. This category does not include persons who are quite evidently under the influence of alcohol or other addictive substances.
108. 2. The transport of persons with a health disability or with limited mobility and orientation, requiring the permanent assistance or permanent supervision of another person, is possible only if accompanied by a physically and mentally mature and able guide who is capable of ensuring all assistance related to transporting the passenger and who will be with the passenger for the duration of the transport. The passenger is completely responsible for the choice of guide.
109. It is not necessary to order transport for persons with a health disability or with limited mobility and orientation which does not require any assistance from ČD employees for boarding, disembarking or transferring between trains.
110. If in ČD carriages there are seats reserved and marked for persons with a health disability or with limited mobility and orientation, such passengers have a preferential right to occupy these seats. If needed, it may be necessary to demonstrate eligibility to occupy such seats with relevant identification.
111. More information on stations whose technical equipment and accessibility enable passengers using a wheelchair to board, disembark and transfer between trains, making it possible to transport passengers using wheelchairs, is published in the electronic timetable on www.cd.cz in in the Můj vlak (“My Train”) application for smartphones.
Upon request, it will be provided by ČD employees at railway stations or at the ČD’s Central Customer Service, tel. +420 221 111 122.
112. At unattended stations, passengers are informed on notice boards of how they can order transport or request assistance with boarding, disembarking and transferring between trains. This information is also available on www.cd.cz and at ČD’s Central Customer Service, tel. +420 221 111 122.
Ordering assistance
113. Within the scope of assistance for passengers with limited mobility and orientation, ČD will arrange help by an authorised and trained ČD employee with ticketing, accompaniment at the station, boarding and disembarking from the train, cableway, bus or rail replacement transport means.
113. 1. The passenger is required to request assistance no later than 24 hours prior to the train’s departure from the passenger’s boarding station using the form on www.cd.cz, at ČD’s Central Customer Service on tel. +420 221 111 122, or at any ticket counter.
113. 2. The period of advance notice for making the request also applies to assistance and the use of a mobile platform lift at stations and a carriage platform lift in a carriage regularly included in the train.
113. 3. Within the scope of approved assistance services, it is not possible to request the provision of supplementary services, e.g. help with luggage, the supervision of children, etc. ČD does not guarantee these services over and above assistance services. If, however, the current situation permits the provision of adequate help, this can be provided on the part of ČD in a reasonable extent.
Passengers using wheelchairs
114. The passenger is required to present himself or herself for transport only with a wheelchair that is equipped with a functional brake. The wheelchair must be safely secured with the brake even when riding on the platform lift and during the transport itself.
114. 1. Responsibility for the use of the wheelchair is borne completely by the passenger or his or her guide, as the case may be.
115. For transport on ČD trains, passengers using wheelchairs can make use of:
a) carriages adapted for transporting passengers using wheelchairs,
b) carriages allowing for safe boarding, disembarking and transferring between trains,
c) service carriages (not meeting transport standards).
Ordering transport without requesting the inclusion of a carriage
116. For trains in which a carriage with a vehicular platform lift is regularly included, the passenger is required to request the use of such a lift using the form on www.cd.cz, at ČD’s Central Customer Service on tel. +420 221 111 122 or at any ticket counter no later than 24 hours prior to the train’s schedules departure from its originating station or from the border-crossing station. The operation of the vehicular platform lift during boarding, disembarking and transferring is to be performed exclusively by ČD employees.
117. Information about trains which include carriages with a vehicular platform lift is published in the valid railway timetable, including the electronic timetable, on www.cd.cz and in the Můj vlak (“My Train”) application for smartphones. Upon request, it will be provided by ČD employees at railway stations or at the ČD’s Central Customer Service, tel. +420 221 111 122.
Ordering transport with a request for the inclusion of a carriage
118. An order for inclusion of a carriage with a platform lift or a carriage suitable for transporting passengers using wheelchairs on a ČD train in which such a carriage is not regularly included, or a request to exchange it for a carriage with a platform lift, can be made using the form on www.cd.cz, at ČD’s Central Customer Service, tel. +420 221 111 122 or at any ticket counter no earlier than two months and no later than 48 hours prior to the train’s departure from its originating station or from the border-crossing station.
Ordering transport in a carriage not meeting transport standards
119. Passengers may order transport for a passenger using a wheelchair on a train which includes a carriage not meeting the standards for transporting passengers using wheelchairs (a service carriage) using the form on www.cd.cz, at ČD’s Central Customer Service, or at any ticket counter.
119. 1. Transport can be realised only upon the passenger's express consent to the fact that the carriage does not meet standards for transporting passengers using wheelchairs.
119. 2. The period of advance notice for placing the order depends on whether it is necessary to include a separate carriage or not (Article 116 or 118 of the SPPO).
Order requirements
120. It is necessary to provide the following information in the order form: name, surname and address of the passenger, date of departure and train number (possibly also an alternative date), method of communication for processing the order (telephone or other contact information), possibly also a telephone contact for the period of the actual transport and the type of wheelchair if transporting a passenger using a wheelchair.
121. By accepting an order, ČD undertakes to assess it; the acceptance of an order does not establish a right to transport on the selected train. ČD will notify the applicant of the decision to allow the transport or an alternative method of transport (e.g. on a different connection), or of the refusal of transport, within 5 days of receiving the order or no later than 2 days prior to the planned departure.
122. No later than 30 minutes prior to the train’s departure from the passenger’s boarding station, the passenger is required to announce his or her presence at the workstation or to a ČD employee according to the instructions provided to the passenger with the decision to allow transport.
123. If a passenger is unable to commence an already ordered journey, he or she is required to immediately inform the place where the order was made or the place from where the order’s realisation was confirmed of the transport’s cancellation.
124. ČD does not charge any fees for securing transport and providing assistance in boarding, disembarking and transferring between trains to persons with a health disability or to persons with limited mobility and orientation.
125. ČD may refuse to transport a passenger using a wheelchair or to provide a requested assistance service (in this case the issue of travel and reservation documents is also understood) only if:
a) it is not possible to provide this service on the selected train or connection and it is not technically possible to include a carriage allowing for the transport of passengers using a wheelchair in such a train or connection,
b) the capacity of spaces for transporting passengers using a wheelchair has already been exhausted on the requested connection, and the capacity cannot be increased,
c) the technical equipment and accessibility of a selected boarding, disembarking or transfer station makes it impossible for passengers using a wheelchair to access the platform or to board, disembark, or transfer between trains,
d) the sum of the weight of the passenger and that of the wheelchair used is greater than the carrying capacity of the platform lift and the passenger refuses separate loading of himself/herself and the wheelchair,
e) the passenger using a wheelchair did not adhere to the prescribed advance notice for announcing and securing transport, which cannot be properly prepared in advance or would cause the train to be delayed, or the passenger did not announce his or her presence per Article 122 of the SPPO,
f) if there is an exceptional operational change of employee, and the employee is not trained and competent for loading/unloading despite an approved order; in such a case, however, ČD will offer an alternative solution;
g) the passenger makes his or her request in multiple variants without specifying their priority.
125. 1. ČD is required, upon request, to inform a passenger using a wheelchair or the requester of an assistance service in writing of the reasons for refusal of transport within 5 working days from the date of refusal of transport, and to suggest to the passenger an alternative solution.
125. 2. If a passenger fails to meet the deadline for ordering transport and arrives for the train’s departure, or if in the case of approved transport fails to report by the set deadline or does not announce his or her transport at all, ČD will secure his or her transport forthwith only if loading him or her onto the requested train does not cause a delay that could result in sanctions and if possible in view of technical and capacity considerations. Otherwise, the passenger will be recommended another subsequent suitable connection for which transport can be realised.