Travel, help and save up

Travel, help and save up

Did you know that by assisting a person with disabilities while on the train you can get a discount on your ticket? This discount can be even up to 95%. On the initiative of FAREON and Koleje Wielkopolskie (Greater Poland Railways), a special website was launched to make it easier to match people who can help one another.

The Podróże KolejLove (KolejLove Travels) website is intuitive to use and mobile-friendly. Moreover, it provides information on discounts and privileges of people with disabilities and their carers when travelling by rail.

The Foundation of Active Rehabilitation for Retired and Disabled People (FAREON) is engaged in providing employment support and encouraging social participation. ‘Our employees are disabled people, and these are mostly severe disabilities. Therefore, we pay attention to barriers in public space and everyday life,’ said Damian Kołodziejczyk, the co-author of the project. One of the constraints of train travel is the difficulty with finding a companion who will help with moving around railway stations and getting on or off the train.

Innovative is also the creative adaptation of the existing solutions. ‘What inspired us to create Podróże KolejLove was a popular website matching car drivers and passengers travelling at the same time and to the same destination,’ added Damian Kołodziejczyk. ‘Our solution offers an incentive in the form of discounts on tickets. You become a carer only for the duration of the ride, with no extra time needed. However, the discounts are not the most important thing. We want to encourage people to simply help others.’

Trip for a smile
The conductor teams and booking clerks employed by Koleje Wielkopolskie were trained in the field of disabled passenger service. The training was conducted by a severely disabled passenger. An important factor when establishing relationships between the staff and passengers is empathy.

FAREON has gained a powerful partner, i.e. Koleje Wielkopolskie. ‘In 2018, our company joined a government programme entitled Dostępność Plus (Accessibility Plus). Having everyday contact with passengers, we can see the need for assistance at a number of smaller stations. The Podróże KolejLove website helps to find a carer for the duration of your trip,’ said Joanna Skubiszyńska, the coordinator for passenger rights and the quality management system at Koleje Wielkopolskie sp. z o.o.

Project: The Podróże KolejLove website was created as part of the project “Incubator of Social Innovations of the Great People of Tomorrow” (Subject: Care services for dependents)
Knowledge Education Development Programme