Europe’s Rail Newsletter – May Edition The May Newsletter is filled with the latest updates, key insights, and...
EU-Rail May 2026 Newsletter
read more
Challenge
Inclusive mobility for people with disabilities is still too often overlooked, leaving many travellers unable to confidently plan and complete accessible journeys due to barriers such as unclear information, long walking distances, or unsafe boarding conditions.
The solutions
To address this, two different Europe’s Rail (EU-Rail) Flagship Projects have developed a combination of real-world innovations and digital solutions:
On how to improve Accessibility in Multimodal Stations
Thanks to real world demonstrations in Málaga and Asturias, a coordinated set of technologies—from platform projections and an interactive totem to a guidance robot and an integrated software—have being tested to enhance independent travel for people with disabilities.
While in Málaga a full ecosystem of digital and physical support tools was deployed – including software, projectors, totem and robot-, Asturias test focuses on a specially engineered Gap Filler that eliminates the space between train and platform to improve safety and ease of boarding.
Together, these demonstrations demonstrate how thoughtful design and technical innovations can remove barriers and create smoother, more inclusive journeys for all passengers.
On how to Enhance trip Planners
To help PMOs to easily find suitable and physically manageable travel routes, two key features for trip planner have been introduced:
- PRM Profiles (Frontend): Users can select predefined profiles (e.g., “wheelchair user,” “person with heavy luggage”) to automatically apply accessibility settings, avoiding tedious manual configuration.
- Walking Distance Optimisation/Pareto Search Optimisation (Backend): The trip search algorithm is updated to treat total walking distance as a core optimisation criterion, minimising it alongside trip duration and the number of transfers.
These features directly address the significant barriers PRM face when planning travel, such as encountering stairs, long walking distances, or simply not having enough information to know if a route is accessible before starting their journey.
Readiness for Industrialisation and Deployment
The solution on how to improve accessibility in multimodal stations is currently at the prototype stage and has already been tested with real users in practical settings and is progressing toward deployment.
Moreover, a beta version of the software functionalities on how to enhance trip planners will be fed with real world data from Saarland region (Germany) to be available along 2026 for testing by selected end-users as a part of a demonstration.
Maturity level
TRL 5 (Technology validated in relevant environment) and 6 (Technology demonstrated in relevant environment)
Expected benefits
Together, these two solutions deliver significant benefits and operational impact by making public transport more accessible, efficient, and user-centred. On one hand, the deployment of physical and digital accessibility tools in stations enhances how quickly and independently travellers can access information, navigate multimodal environments, locate services, and board trains safely and smoothly.
On the other hand, the improved trip planning solution makes public transport a more viable option for people with reduced mobility by offering tailored, easy-to-use route planning through PRM profiles and optimised journeys that minimise walking distance. This not only improves user experience and reduces barriers to travel, but also helps combat social exclusion. From an operational perspective, the more flexible trip search algorithm and enhanced passenger information systems contribute to higher customer satisfaction and have the potential to increase public transport usage overall.
Who benefits
Infrastructure managers
Railway operators
Final users
Conclusion
In conclusion, both solutions highlight how a user-centred approach to accessibility can transform public transport into a more inclusive and attractive option for all.
On one side, making information easily available and understandable, combined with thoughtfully designed station technologies, can significantly improve how travellers—especially those with disabilities—navigate, access, and safely use transport services.
At the same time, tailoring digital tools like trip planners to the specific needs of PMOs enhances their confidence and overall travel experience.
Together, these approaches not only remove barriers for users but also enable railway operators and authorities to foster social inclusion, improve customer satisfaction, and encourage a broader shift from private to public transport by serving a more diverse range of travellers.
Who Benefits
- Final users: Train station users and particularly those with disabilities and with reduced mobility, including wheelchair users, walking-impaired individuals, and travellers with children or heavy luggage.
- Infrastructure managers or different transport providers as the stakeholders that are expected to invest on this kind of solutions.
- Public transport operators and authorities that want to offer inclusive transport services to everyone.
Learn more about the projects
FP1-MOTIONAL
The project FP1-MOTIONAL aims to improve planning and operational management of rail services and offers to meet the European goal of making rail the preferred mode of transport.
FP5-TRANS4M-R
This solution has been developed within the Europe’s Rail (EU-Rail) Flagship Project FP6-FutuRe. The project aims to ensure the long-term viability of the regional railway by reducing the total cost of ownership (TCO), while ensuring high service quality and operational reliability. It aims to increase customer satisfaction and to make rail an attractive and preferred mode of transport.