Accessibility is a vital part of any convention. At SMOFcon Europe, we want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to enjoy both the event and the beautiful city of Lisboa with as much freedom as possible. Paul Anthony Shortt (he/him) is our dedicated Access liaison, and has experience having previously run the access area for the Dublin 2019 Worldcon. Paul can be contacted at access@smofconeurope.com.
Regarding our venue, the Art’s VIP Hotel is well laid-out, with spacious social areas and wide doorways. The event rooms are all located close to each other, so people with mobility restrictions should be able to get to every part of the convention with ease.
Lisboa has an excellent public transport network. We highly recommend the 24-hour Travel Pass. You can purchase it at any Metro Station for 6.40€ (approximately $7.80 US), and it allows unlimited travel on the Metro, buses, and tram system from the time of first use.
The local area of Oriente, around the convention venue, is mostly easily accessible for wheelchairs, though there are a few hills, and the route from the Oriente Metro Station to the Art’s VIP Hotel does have cobbled paving, which can cause some difficulty.
We recognise that Lisboa does have some access challenges. In order to provide the best possible experience, we will be offering a travel stipend to all members with accessibility needs upon application. This stipend is free to use on any form of public transport, including the city’s taxis, which have excellent fare rates, and we will confirm the amount we have available directly to those who apply, please email access@smofconeurope.com for more information.