Using Lifts in the Metro

Providing barrier-free access to selected stations via the use of freight lifts was one of the measures taken by the Prague Public Transport Company to provide access to disabled travellers to stations where this option was not even considered when the Prague Metro was being built.

Using freight lifts for the transport of immobile passengers was approved by the governing body in 1990 (at that time the SDTI), while adhering to current standards and conditions imposed by them, which were incorporated into a mandatory procedure for the trained escort of individuals in wheelchairs – freight lift operators.

Only stations where it was technically possible were made accessible via freight lifts, thus only at the Háje, Opatov, Roztyly and Nádraží Holešovice metro stations.

During transport on a modified freight lift (pictogram of a wheelchair plus accompanying person), a qualified operator must be present. This person presents a „Lift operator's permit" to the station superintendent (transport handler) upon entry, who in exchange for this permit gives him a key to the lift. After transport has taken place, he returns the key and is given his permit back.

Training of freight lift operators for the escort of wheelchair users is provided by the Transport Company, Service 244 000 – Transport Facilities, via an external organisation. This is why courses are usually organised for larger groups of applicants (cca 10 persons). Despite this, however, it is possible to arrange permits for individuals as well. Each applicant must prove that his health is good enough to carry out the function of operator of a freight lift of a load capacity above 500 kg in accordance with Directive No. 49/1967 of the Ministry of Health registered in part 2/1968 Coll., as amended by mandatory measure No. 17/1970 Coll., Ministry of Health of the Czechoslovak Republic registered in part 20/1970 Coll. The form for performing a physical fitness evaluation is also provided by service 244 000 (downloadable here). The financial costs of the physical checkup will be reimbursed to the applicant upon the presentation of confirmation from the examining physician.

Your steps to receive authorisation:

• have your doctor confirm the form „Physical Fitness Evaluation" (you will hand in the confirmed form during training),
• arrange a date for freight lift operator training
  (Mr. Emil Lukavský, tel. 222 673 257,
  E-mail: lukavsky@dpp.cz).

After finishing training you will receive a permit that will authorise you to use the lifts. Please provide the following information for the permit:

• name and surname
• ID card or passport number
• address
• if you work for an organization, its exact name and address.