Traveling with a Folding Mobility Scooter: Tips and Tricks
Folding mobility scooters are designed to allow you to travel with ease and flexibility. In this blog post, we will discuss some travel-friendly features to look for in a folding scooter, provide guidance on manoeuvring your travel mobility scooter at airports and on cruises, offer tips for various modes of transportation, and suggest top accessible travel destinations.
Travel-friendly features when choosing your travel mobility scooter:
- Compact: Look for a collapsible and lightweight scooter that can be easily folded without much effort. These are perfect for taking onto buses and trains, or for fitting into a car boot. To comply with regulations set by airlines or cruise ships, it’s advisable to search for scooters that have the appropriate dimensions when folded- just like our Zinnia model.
- Battery Life: Make sure the mobility scooter has a long battery life that can last for lengthier journeys. For example, our Ren model can travel up to 35 km on a single charge, which is perfect for those day-out trips!
- Suspension System: Many holiday destinations may have cobbled streets or uneven terrains, so a travel mobility scooter with a built-in suspension system will ultimately provide you with a smoother and safer ride.
Tips to navigate through airports so you can breeze through
- Forward Planning: By contacting your airline in advance to let them know about your mobility scooter, it will ensure a smoother experience as they can prepare beforehand. Read up on the airline's rules and policies on mobility scooters so you can confirm everything is good to go.
- Gate Check or Carry-On: Majority of airlines permit folding mobility scooters to be gate-checked or carried on board but it's best to arrive early to make sure you leave plenty of time for check-in and security procedures.
- Battery Guidelines: Airlines have strict regulations regarding scooter batteries. You may have to remove the lithium-ion battery and carry it separately in your carry-on luggage.
- Assistance: Staff can provide help if you require it, such as escorting you through the different security checkpoints and guiding you throughout your time at the airport.
Exploring cruise ships
- Research: Some cruise lines are better suited for those with limited mobility. Do your research and find one that will best cater to your needs to ensure you have a comfortable and included trip.
- Forward Planning: To ensure a smooth experience, contact the cruise line in advance to inform them about your mobility scooter. You may want to ask them about accessibility to the facilities, such as if they have ramps, lifts, elevators, wider hallways, accessible cabins, and anything else that may concern you.
- Shore Excursions: Many cruises do shore excursions, so you may want to ensure that at each port of call you have accessible activities or sights that you can participate in.
Other Transportation Modes
- Public Transportation: mobility scooters that can be easily folded up are perfect to be taken onto trains, trams, or buses.
- Car Travel: make sure the dimensions of your scooter are compact enough it can fit in a car boot or backseat.
The Best Accessible Travel Destinations
- Barcelona, Spain: Not only is it beautiful and full of life, Barcelona has amazing accessible architecture and transportation, Barcelona offers wheelchair-friendly attractions like Park Güell and the Sagrada Familia.
- Vancouver, Canada: It has welcoming and accessible public transportation. You can visit various places like Stanley Park and the Vancouver Aquarium.
- Sydney, Australia: Sydney is rich in accessible experiences, such as beaches that are accommodating to those with limited mobility, the famous Sydney Opera House, and the beautiful Royal Botanic Garden.
Owning a folding travel mobility scooter is a fantastic tool that opens up a world of possibilities. All you need to do is find the right scooter for you and your travel needs, plan ahead for your trips, and enjoy yourself! Never hesitate to ask for assistance when you need it.
We also consistently post lots of other information that is very useful to know when you have a mobility scooter which you can find here.