The influence of uniform and non-uniform electric fields on one-dimensional proton transfer curves for (H2O)(2), H5O2+ and H3O2- has been examined using quantum-mechanical ab initio calculations. Both liquid-state and solid-state environments are discussed. For the charged complexes the transfer barrier is removed or greatly reduced by a field as small as 0.005 a.u. (2.5 X 10(7) V/cm). Local field fluctuations of this size are easily produced in condensed aqueous systems at room temperature. For the asymmetric single-well potential of an (H2O)(2) complex, a field ten times larger is needed to move the minimum from one side to the other across the O ... O bond. Such local fields can be achieved in ionic aqueous systems. The energy barrier for proton transfer in ice Ih has been computed using a periodic Hartree-Fock approach; the barrier for a fully concerted proton transfer is similar to 60 kJ/mol.