Accessible Travel in India

Plan around your access needs, confirm each part of the journey and keep practical alternatives ready.

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Before you start

Ask providers specific questions before paying. An ‘accessible’ label alone does not establish that a room, vehicle or attraction will work for you.
Describe the assistance you want in your own words, including mobility, vision, hearing, sensory or cognitive needs. Share medical details only when needed through an official channel.
Allow time between connections and save written confirmations, meeting points and an alternative transport contact offline.

Request assistance from the operating airline for every flight, including connecting and return journeys. Specify whether you need help with distance, stairs, boarding, transfers or finding your way.
Air India recommends requesting wheelchair assistance at booking or at least 48 hours before departure. Confirm the airline’s current notice period and any forms relevant to your equipment or medical needs; rules differ between carriers.
For a powered wheelchair, provide dimensions, weight, battery type and safe handling instructions. Agree where you will hand it over and collect it, and what assistance is available in between.
Ask about the actual terminal, aircraft boarding method, assistance meeting point and transfer between terminals. A booking request is not confirmation that every part has been arranged.

Delhi Airport publishes information on accessible toilets, lifts, assistance lanes and airline wheelchair support. Check the current terminal page and ask where assistance starts and ends.
Delhi also lists a Hidden Disabilities Sunflower programme. Participation is optional; confirm its current process if useful to you. Do not assume the same programme is available at every Indian airport.
If you need a quiet waiting space, written announcements, a sighted guide or another form of support, ask for that specifically. A wheelchair service may not meet a different access need.

Ask for current photographs or a short video of the route from vehicle drop-off to your assigned room. Check steps, thresholds, door clearances, lift size and whether the lift is operating.
Explain the space and bathroom arrangement you need: transfer side, grab rails, shower entry, seat, toilet height and room for a companion. Request measurements where they matter.
Confirm the room category in writing, how changes are handled and the cancellation terms if an essential feature cannot be provided. Ask staff to describe evacuation arrangements for your needs.

For vehicles, confirm boarding method, usable seatbelts, equipment storage and any wheelchair restraint system needed. Ask whether the driver can provide the particular assistance agreed.
For trains or metro travel, check both stations, platform access, lifts, boarding gaps and who will help. A step-free entrance does not establish a step-free journey.
Before an attraction visit, ask about the usable entrance, surfaces, slopes, accessible toilets, seating, queues and any restricted areas. JustArrived does not certify venues as accessible.
Build in rest, shade and a shorter backup activity. Agree a meeting point if your group separates and keep the hotel address in the local language.

Pack essential medicines, prescriptions, chargers and the equipment instructions you need. Check airline battery rules and power requirements before travel.
Prepare a short access card describing how someone can help, preferred communication and an emergency contact. Keep sensitive health details separate from a card you show routinely.
Check insurance coverage for existing conditions, equipment loss or repair and any evacuation needs. Identify a repair or replacement option before travelling far from a major city.