Accessible Places
in Chester

Chester has won the European Access City Award  

Take your pick from our choice of all the top accessible places to go in Chester below or discover your absolute favourites by clicking ‘Find My Perfect Accessible Places’ to filter by your additional personal preferences. 

Chester is highly committed to accessibility and this was recognised when it was the first British city to be the winner of the prestigious European Access City Award for it’s dedication to ensuring that the city can be enjoyed by as many people as possible. 

Despite the obvious challenges of Chester’s unusual cityscape more and more of it’s businesses are going out of their way to make sure they can welcome and accommodate everyone equally.

Key Accessibility Features in Chester

Many of Chester’s historic features have been upgraded to make them more accessible. While offering impressive views, Chester’s famous walls are renowned for being challenging with steep steps in some locations. However, parts of the two-mile medieval walls are designed with accessibility in mind, and several entry points are fitted with integrated lifts and ramps.

The city’s famous shopping site, The Chester Rows, date back seven centuries. Their tiered two-storey design lets visitors gain a unique vantage on the heart of Chester. Largely accessible, there are ramps and elevators installed that enable access to boutique shops and much-loved cafes like The Naughty Badger Bistro.

Chester Zoo is fully accessible for mobility scooter and wheelchair users, and offers mobility aids and accessible paths and toilets. It also gives carers free entry. The city’s cultural hub, Storyhouse, has accessible seating and toilets, and welcomes assistance dogs. Many more city centre services and attractions are also wheelchair friendly, and mobility scooter hire is available to support independence, while an abundance of shops and cafes supply step-free access and disabled facilities.

Transport and Parking

Travelling around Chester is also accessible in terms of transport and parking. All licensed taxis and public buses are engineered for wheelchair access. The city is recognised for being highly accessible thanks to its with multiple “Changing Places”. These facilities are fitted for people who have profound disabilities and cannot use standard toilets. Facilities typically feature a ceiling track hoist, a changing bench and additional room for carers to provide support.

Further accessibility resources

When planning a trip to Chester, visitors with accessibility concerns can use the local City Centre Access Guide and the free online app AccessAble to find accessibility information for hundreds of venues.

Accessibility considerations for a trip to Chester

As a travel destination, Chester is largely accessible with a wide range of accessible facilities and services available for visitors. This includes main public transport sites like Chester train station, which offers step-free access and elevators. However, not all of the stations close by offer the same features.

Chester is a historic city, and as a result it has period features that impact its accessibility. It has cobbles and older surfaces and stepped access in some locations, especially in heritage sites such as sections of the city walls that require care and attention to navigate. However, alternative access points are well signposted for visitors.