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Barrier-free access Central Station

Salzburg's new visiting card.

The new Central Station adds new character to Salzburg. To realise barrier-free and easy access for everyone at this significant nodal point, it was important for ÖBB to enter into a dialog with interested and affected parties already during the planning phase. Therefore, representatives of the disabled in Salzburg were invited to the dialog "Barrier-free access Salzburg Central Station" on Wednesday, 07.11.2007. ÖBB’s Project Manager Salzburg Central Station, Thomas Wörndl, the station architect from the office kadawittfeld, Aldrik Lichtwark, and ÖBB’s Corporate Coordinator, Reinhard Rodlauer, presented the station project and noted down suggestions brought forward by the representatives of the disabled.

"The time is perfect for the exchange of information between ÖBB, architect and affected parties. We know fairly well, what Salzburg's new central station will look like, detailed planning, however, has only just started. Naturally, the new central station will have barrier free-access - but there is a difference between just complying with the applicable standards and integrating also the authentic experiences of a wheelchair user, a deaf person or a person with visual impairment into the planning phase", say Thomas Wörndl, ÖBB's Project Manager Salzburg Central Station, and Reinhard Rodlauer, ÖBB’s Corporate Coordinator for barrier-free access.

Some suggestions can immediately be incorporated in the planning process; other topics require further coordination at a later planning stage.

The following was agreed:

• All shops and the Travel Centre will be accessible from the central passage without any steps. There will be a smooth crossing also in the inclined area (inclination under 4 %).
• Handrails will be equipped with tactile elements so that blind people can access important information for their orientation by touch.
• There will be barrier free equipment also for the elevator systems. This includes - among other things - tactile elements and voice messages in the elevators.
• Optimal light and colour concepts for objective safety and a subjective feeling of safety.
• Verification, whether apart from an acoustic, also a visual fire alarm for people with impaired hearing is possible.
• Glass doors and walls will be recognisable as barriers by people with impaired vision.
• Further coordination will be required with the representatives of the disabled, in order to ensure an economically reasonable and functionally good barrier-free accessibility of the platforms.
• Further coordination will be required with the representatives of the disabled, in order to check and optimise the guidance system at the station for good recognisability especially with elderly people.
• During the time the station is being redeveloped, an ombudsman will be available as direct contact for the project S-Bahn Salzburg.

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