Autumn in Berlin: Music, Art and lots more in a city committed to the integration of mobility and/or communication impaired people. Where to get info from in order to plan your accessible trip.

The whole of Berlin is a stage. In this city that knows no curfew, railway stations become museums, remnants of the Wall become open-air galleries and old factories become multifunctional event locations. So it comes as no surprise that Germany's premier city destination. In recent years the city committed itself to the integration of disabled people. That's why train stations and busses are equipped with barrier free access for wheelchairs , new public establishments such as cinemas, theatres or shopping malls were built to grant easy access to all areas.

Top international orchestras will meet at the Musikfest Berlin '06 (1-17 September) in Berlin. A highlight of the programme will be the work of György Kurtágs, who will celebrate his 80th birthday in 2006, including a performance of Kurtág's Stele by Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic (www.berliner-festspiele.de) The comprehensive programme of events and exhibitions presented by the ART FORUM BERLIN will ensure that autumn in Berlin will once again draw the attention of the international culture scene. The eleventh fair for contemporary art will be held at the Messe from 4-8 October. The Berlin Martin-Gropius-Bau presents an extensive retrospective on the creative work of the artist Rebecca Horn, which will run through to 8 January 2007(www.messe-berlin.de). The Berlin Festival Series traditionally includes the JazzFest Berlin, which will be held for the 42nd time from 2 to 5 November www.berliner-festspiele.de in several locations.

Mobidat Data Base provides information about the accessibility of approximately 15.000 public facilities in Berlin, from Libraries to Casinos, from Churches and Mosques to Night Clubs, Hotels, Bars, Restaurants. Museums.. www.mobidat.net 

The transport network and city maps of the public transportation of Berlin BVG (www.bvg.de) and S-Bahn (suburban train, www.s-bahn-berlin.de) show all stations accessible for wheelchairs. 51 underground and 118 suburban train stations are equipped with elevators or ramps. The new busses of the public transportation are equipped with a ramp placed at the entrance in the middle of the bus (available on over 100 lines). The trams consist of modern trains with a low floor, which also have ramps placed at the first door of the wagon (available on 14 lines). You can press a special stop button in order to get on or off the tram, and the conductor will lower thee ramp for you at the first door of the wagon. The timetables display busses and trams accessible for wheelchairs.

Fahrdienst GeBuS GmbH is a company offering wheelchair users accessible transport services such as city tours with/without program, transfers to/from hotels, excursions, shopping tours and individual arrangements (www.gebus-gmbh.de)

A wheelchair breakdown service is 24 hour available by calling 0180 111 47, which does not only offer help on-site but will also assist you or even manages to exchange damaged wheelchairs.

The shopping malls that were opened in the recent years have been designed to meet the needs of wheelchair users, featuring automatic doors, large elevators and handicapped accessible lavatories. (e.g. the "Potsdamer - Platz - Arcaden", the "Gesundbrunnen - Center" or the "Schönhauser Allee Arkaden").

Blind and visually impaired visitors.

General Federation of Blind and Visually Impaired People is an association providing special services for blind and visually impaired people which grants different access to Berlin and its surroundings. Detailed information about special tailored holiday offers in certain destinations are displayed on www.absv.de/freizeit

In the new central station (Hauptbahnhof) a nearly complete information and guide system for the has been installed to make the orientation easier. A new service website www.absv.de informs (in German only) about the station and the guide system.

The Berlins Museum Johann-August Zeune for the blind is in the district Steglitz in the Rothenburgstraße. It displays an exhibition about the history and difficulty of being blind. A great part of the exhibits may be touched. (Rothenburgstraße 14, Berlin-Steglitz, Phone +49(30)6321-20 23)

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