Hello and welcome to the Worldcon 75 Access page!
We are building accessibility into the convention at every step. We will be guided by the
SFWA’s Accessibility Checklist and by Finnish Law.
We are working to accommodate our members across a wide range of access needs. From providing captioning for the major events and hearing loops in the smaller programme rooms to planning for reserved seating and wheelchair spaces in each programme item. We will have quiet spaces for those who need to get away from the maddening crowd and priority use of the lifts.
We are working with the Messukeskus and their vendors to have mobility scooters and wheelchairs available for hire. We will post updates here as this process moves forward. If you think you might want a scooter, let us know. We are currently trying to gauge numbers.
We have reserved the majority of the attached hotel, Holiday Inn Messukeskus, as well as fully accessible rooms in 4 other nearby hotels for our members with mobility or access needs. The 4 nearby hotels are a short, easy and fully accessible tram or train journey away. We have done our best to ensure that members who have contacted us about access needs have a room that will meet their needs and make their stay in Helsinki enjoyable. But if you have any queries, please do get in touch with us at access@worldcon.fi .
The convention centre is a modern centre with a site begun in 1975. The current premises include seven exhibition halls and 40 meeting rooms. The building is well served with escalators and elevators, and has modern audio and visual equipment suited to varying needs. A limited visual tour can be found here.
Helsinki is a modern European city with many accommodations to increase accessibility. It is the policy of the City of Helsinki to offer public transit free to all users of assistive mobility devices. For more information about accessibility on Helsinki public transit in English, please see: Public transport accessibility.
If you have a question, a suggestion, or a request we would like to hear from you. It will help us create a more supportive environment that will enhance your Worldcon experience. We will do our best to respond quickly. We can always be reached at access@worldcon.fi.
Worldcon 75 Member Services Division
Vanessa May – Division Head
Carolina Gomez Lagerlöf – Deputy Division Head
