Amman - Post Report Question and Answers
Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
Yes, for sure. Sidewalks are awful, if they exist and all and people do not yield or watch out for others. - Aug 2023
Yes, this would be almost impossible. You can’t use sidewalks; streets are uneven and full of holes. - Aug 2023
Absolutely. The sidewalks are not for people, they are for trees. - Jul 2023
It's very hilly, some streets are very steep. There are sidewalk, but some are very narrow, or have a tree right in the middle. - Mar 2023
It would be next to impossible for someone in a wheel chair to get around in Jordan. There are very few sidewalks and ramps and the ones that are here, are broken up. There are very high curbs and very aggressive drivers. - Jul 2022
It depends on the disability. In general, Jordanians are supportive of those with disabilities, but the infrastructure is not very disability-friendly. There are elevators and ramps at the hotels and major establishments, and even the local schools. But getting around the city itself might be a challenge for certain disabilities. - Oct 2021
Yes. - Apr 2021
There are no sidewalks, those they have are uneven, high curbs, poorly planned, people grow trees in them, the list goes on. - Feb 2021
I think so. Handicapped spaces are designated at larger malls and stores, but they are reserved for special people who are running late. Sidewalks are erratic, and often there are steps up to a ramp... - Jan 2021
It would be very difficult. Not handicap friendly or stroller friendly at all. - Dec 2020
Yes. The city planning is poor with minimal sidewalks. - Sep 2020
Yes. Little to no accommodation outside of the embassy. - Sep 2018
It would be pretty hard, but there are staff at the embassy who use wheelchairs. I think the embassy has tried to be accommodating, but I wouldn't say that this is city-wide. - Sep 2018
Yes, sidewalks and building access is often blocked and not well designed. - Mar 2017
Yes. There are some sidewalks but they stop suddenly or have landscaping plopped in the middle. - Mar 2016
Yes--this city is not ADA friendly. - Mar 2016
Not a lot of access. It is rare to see a sidewalk and when you do, there is a tree planted right in the middle of it with the branches taking up the whole sidewalk. - Nov 2015
The sidewalks in Amman are terrible. When there are sidewalks, most are impassable because of large trees and bushes planted in the middle of them. Many of the sidewalks are crumbling and poorly maintained. - May 2015
Yes - uneven, broken, and garbage-covered sidewalks that usually have dumpsters and cars parked on them. Elevators are common but there are usually at least a few steps leading to them. - Mar 2015
Yes. When sidewalks are present, they are uneven and planted with trees, with curbs that are often a foot high with no ramp access to the street. When I say uneven, I mean that it's common for each home/storefront to have designed their own sidewalk space with no discussion with the neighbors, so they don't match, much less meet evenly. Elevators in building, from apartment buildings to medical buildings are often designed for 3-4 normal-sized people. - Jul 2014
Yes, though amazingly people seem to do it. There are no real continuous sidewalks, and they all are about 8 inches from the road, so treacherous for the disabled. I think you'd just have to go everywhere in a vehicle if you were disabled. - Mar 2014
We have a family member with physical disabilities, and we do just fine in the parking garages, supermarkets and malls. It really isn't the kind of place where you want to take long walks down the street, so it doesn't bother us that the sidewalks are uneven and full of obstacles. Our apartment is one-level, and we are fortunate enough to have an accessible patio area and elevator to the parking garage. Our habits are to stay home quite a bit, and living with disabilties day to day, I suppose we've grown accustomed to figuring out solutions for getting around with a wheelchair, much like someone with a baby gets around with a stroller. In some places it doesn't work out too well; in other places you're just fine. It's not perfect but not terrible, either. - Dec 2013
The physical infrastructure is not at all accommodating to those with physical disabilities. - Aug 2013
Like much of the developing world, the concept of accessibility doesn't really exist here. - Jul 2013
A lot. That said, we do have some disabled people at the embassy, and the embassy and ACS are continually making improvements to make those places more accessible. But the rest of Jordan is not. - May 2013
There are no sidewalks but that being said, I think it is doable. - Mar 2013
Lots. There are very few passable sidewalks. For some reason, the Jordanians plant trees right in the middle of their sidewalks. You can use a stroller at the Embassy or at the mall, but nowhere else around town. - Apr 2012
Even able-bodied people have problems getting around. It is avery hilly city, the sidewalks are not well maintained and inexplicably have trees/shrubs/etc planted in the middle of them most often which makes them generally unusable and forces many people to walk in the (already unsafe) roads. I think anyone with physical difficulties would find this a very challenging place to live. - Mar 2012
Significant. There is very little accommodation for people with physical disabilities. - Mar 2012
Sidewalk pavement is very uneven. It is difficult to navigate a stroller. A wheelchair would be the same. - Oct 2011
Forget about finding ramps or facilities for the disabled. - Aug 2011
I don't recall seeing ANY wheelchair ramps, etc. It is certainly not accommodating in that regard, so I think someone with physical disabilities may have some problems - Aug 2011
