An accessible toilet app made in Germany: 30.000+ toilets in over 40 countries
The Accessible Travel Foundation raises awareness on the importance of accessible travel. Every other year the Awards of Excellence are given to companies, non-profits, travelers and others who stand out from the crowd when it comes to raising awareness or contributing to the world of accessible travel.
Our app and our work are built on lived experience, shared frustration and a deep belief that accessibility should never be a privilege – it should simply be part of everyday life.
Alex, founder handicap x
Handicap X toilet app
We’re proud to be part of a global community that believes accessibility isn’t just possible – it’s essential.
“We are truly honoured to have achieved 3rd place in the category Best Accessible Travel Product or Service in the Awards of Excellence given out by the Accessible Travel Foundation and we’re genuinely delighted that accessibility is being heard, seen and celebrated on such an international level.”
Know more about this awesome app created in Germany and serving an international community.
When did you start your work – and why?
We simply got tired of asking. Living independently shouldn’t mean having to ask others where accessible restrooms are located. HandicapX had existed before – but the real spark for the HandicapX App came more than ten years ago, on Hamburg’s famous party mile.
We were looking for an accessible toilet and ended up asking a police patrol. They had to radio their station to find out where one was – only to discover that we were standing right in front of it.
That was the moment we knew: there has to be an easier way. No awkward questions. No detours. Just a tap on your phone. That night became the starting point for the HandicapX App – born out of frustration, but also out of conviction:
Accessibility belongs in everyday life, not in the empty promises of politics and industry.
Tell us a bit about your city – how do you experience accessibility there?
We’re based in Hamburg, Germany – a city full of charm, character and water, but also with an infrastructure that’s showing its age. Accessibility? Fairly okay. But “fairly okay” isn’t good enough.
Recently, there was a meeting between people with disabilities, politicians and the business community to talk about accessibility and inclusion in Hamburg. A great idea – finally everyone at the same table.
Unfortunately, the politicians left after a 15-minute speech. That says more than any policy paper ever could. Hamburg could do so much more – if people stopped treating accessibility as an exception, and started seeing it as a normal part of modern city life.
What is your favourite travel destination in terms of accessibility?
Our favourite destination? Anywhere barriers don’t exist in the first place. Where participation isn’t a special feature, but simply part of life. If we had to name specific countries – the Scandinavian ones, like Sweden or Norway.
There, inclusion isn’t a project; it’s a way of living. No big words, no marketing slogans – just practical solutions that consider people instead of overlooking them.
That’s what accessibility should be: calm, honest and so natural that no one even needs to talk about it.
If you had one million euros to improve accessibility in your country – what would you do?
One million euros wouldn’t be enough to rebuild streets, stations or buildings but it would be a great start to raise awareness and change mindsets. We would invest in people who see accessibility not as an obligation, but as something self-evident.
In multipliers who later work in politics, business or education and who don’t just consider accessibility, but live it. Because those who truly understand why accessibility matters will eventually make it happen – everywhere.
That would be the most sustainable start you could make with one million euros.
What would you like to share with the readers and followers of Accessible Travel Press?
Accessibility isn’t a trend, a bonus or a luxury. It’s the foundation for participation and for living with dignity and independence. We’d love more people to understand that barriers affect us all.
Maybe not today, but one day. So talk about them. Point them out. Stay persistent when it matters. Change begins when people start looking and stop turning away.
And if you’re ever out and urgently need an accessible toilet: the HandicapX App will show you the way!
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