Accessibility in the subway

For people who live in big cities like London, Barcelona or Paris, the underground is a common means of commuting. But what of the passengers who have a disability? How accessible is underground travel in Europe’s big cities?

If we look at the London underground’s website we see that currently, only 66 out of 270 tube stations have some degree of step-free access and some stations still have a gap between the platform and the train. Just in case, they provide you with a detailed map for step-free journeys and avoiding stairs and, if the lift is unavailable, members of staff should be able to help you plan an alternative journey or book a complimentary taxi to your destination or to next accessible station.

However, Barcelona underground claims that (even if it is not quite fully accessible) it is better equipped than many major counterparts including London and New York, noting in particular that all stations that have been built or renovated since 1992 have accessibility features. However, they don’t mention that Sants Estació (the main station where every train arrives) doesn’t have any step-free access, lift or even escalator working right now. At least, they have audio signals and visual messages and the ticket machines have Braille and voice-activated browsing systems to ensure visually and hearing impaired passengers can easily buy tickets.

Paris is another of Europe’s beautiful destinations but, is it easily accessible for wheelchair users? There are approximately 50 Metro/RER stations within central Paris that have elevators and accessibility for wheelchairs. A red asterisk beside the train type and line indicates that wheelchairs need some assistance at that point. Only Metro Line 14 is fully accessible by wheelchairs at all stations and onto the trains themselves, in all other cases, passengers will need assistance. Also, certain stations with long connections require walking along corridors or climbing numerous stairs, sometimes, for more than ten minutes at a time.

If we take a look at the top ten list of the best underground train networks in the world, all these subways are included but, actually, if we talk about accessibility, Stockholm is the ultimate winner. This wonderful city was named the most easily accessible capital of the world in 2010, thanks to the “Easy Access” programme coordinated by Stockholm City Council.

Thanks to this project, Swedish Railways’ trains now have special lifts and seats for passengers using wheelchairs and nearly all of the 100 Metro stations, trains and platforms are at the same level. All buses have floor level access and ramps travelling in urban and suburban areas. There are also digital information displays on all buses, in recent model metro carriages and city trams, and in the new commuter trains, showing line information and the name of the approaching station. And, if you don’t want to use public transport, most street crossings have audible warnings to advise visually impaired pedestrians when it is safe to cross. All of these factors could combine to make Stockholm one of Europe’s most popular holiday destinations for tourists with limited mobility.

Accessibility in the subway

Replies to This Discussion