WHEELCHAIR ACCESS VIA TRENITALIA'S SALABLU

SALABLU DISABLED PASSENGER SERVICE BY TRENITALIA MAKES MAKES RAIL SERVICE ACCESSIBLE THROUGHOUT TUSCANY AND ITALY

We love public transit, but we always have a bit of trepidation about relying on trains to get us from one point to another -- when barrier-free access is the question and language barrier might prevent an answer.

Thankfully, the Salablu service by Italy's Trenitalia national passenger rail service is flawless.

We were able to research information online (albeit in poorly translated English).

Best of all, we were able to email the Salablu folks at Florence's Santa Maria Novella station.

A person with an outstanding command of English emailed us back and forth and soon we were planning day trips to Siena and Lucca.

The day we arrived at the station, a crew of three was there to assist Heidi with a portable lift (pictured above) to give her a platform level with the entrance to the train.

email: salablu.firenze@rfi.it

http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=052ff172e719a110VgnVCM1000003f16f90aRCRD

STORY CONTINUES TOMORROW, JULY 12