Despite having no justification for the difference in ticket prices, the current fare model on Polish trains discriminates against those who need an assistance dog for any purpose other than sight.

In the regulations of the biggest railway company in Poland, a guide dog is defined as one of several different assistance dogs. On the price list, however, there is no information on any discount available for the travel of general assistance dogs.

The only exception is a guide dog – its owner receives a 95% reduction of the ticket price. This means that only blind people can get tickets at reduced prices and thosewith hearing impairment or physical disability are excluded.

"When assisted by a dog, a disabled person can more easily and actively participate in social life," says Dorota Pudzianowska, a lawyer at the Helsinki Foundation of Human Rights. "Mobility assistance dogs for the physically disabled, signal dogs for deaf persons and medical alert dogs are all mentioned in other regulations, nevertheless the company did not introduce tickets at reduced prices for dog owners."

Tip of the iceberg

There is no objective justification for the different ticket prices between guide dogs and other assistance dogs. Under the Constitution of Poland, persons in a similar situation should be treated equally – that is, those who use assistance dogs as indispensable help in their disability, whatever it may be, should be treated equally and have equal access to ticket discounts.

"The question of unequal fares for assistance dogs traveling by train is just the tip of the iceberg of difficulties that disabled people traveling by train encounter on a regular basis. Recently, we received information on cases when help was not provided to the passenger, although he did ask for assistance. We will certainly be monitoring the situation," says Pudzianowska.