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Conditions for disabled people in Estonia are not very good. Recently constructed public buildings provide disabled access, but older buildings have many shortcomings. The same problem is present in university buildings. Universities have made efforts to provide ramps and to make access for disabled people easier. Nevertheless, some older buildings lack ramps. Personal assistants can help to overcome these problems.
Difficulties may arise in some shopping centres, pubs and restaurants, and in some public transport vehicles. Access to public transport in Tallinn and Tartu is improving, as several new buses with low floors have been acquired. The timetables for buses indicate the times for buses with low floors; in Tartu they are marked with “a” and in Tallinn with a coloured background. The public transportation between different cities is problematic, as possibilities for people in wheelchairs are very limited.
It is possible to use a special taxi service for disabled people in both Tallinn and Tartu. To use this service you should contact the local social welfare department.
A lot remains to be done to enable disabled people to manage on their own. Disabled people can obtain support and additional information from their local government’s social welfare departments.
Tallinn Social Welfare and Health Care Department
Address: Narva mnt. 11d, 10151, Tallinn
Phone: (+372) 645 7440
Fax: (+372) 645 7444
E-mail: sotsiaal@tallinnlv.ee
Tartu Department of Social Welfare
Address: Raekoja plats 3
Phone: (+372) 736 1300
Fax: (+372) 736 1301
E-mail: sao@raad.tartu.ee
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