Ensuring accessible public transport requires more than just modern vehicles; infrastructure and maintenance are key across Europe.
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European Union member states are required to implement accessibility requirements for public transport, aiming to improve access to various products and services, including bus transport. However, disability forums report that using public transport remains challenging for people with disabilities, limiting their freedom of movement. Nationally, accessibility varies; as of late 2025 data from the Ministry of Communications, about 34% of local and suburban transport vehicles were adapted for people with disabilities, while 61% of the total local and suburban fleet accommodated those with mobility impairments. In long-distance transport, the situation is more complex, with approximately 22% of long-distance buses being accessible and accommodating around 34% of the entire fleet, according to data from the Lithuanian Transport Safety Administration in June 2026. Legal regulations were changed in 2022, mandating that all public transport vehicles registered in Lithuania must be adapted for people with disabilities starting October 1, 2022. In major cities like Kaunas, all buses and trams operated by “Kauno autobusai” are accessible to those with mobility and visual impairments, featuring low floors, designated spaces, ramps, and assistance call buttons, alongside features like the “Transport Voice” app for real-time audio information. International experiences show that modernizing fleets is insufficient; structural issues in the surrounding environment often pose greater barriers. In Spain, while cities like Madrid have technically adapted bus fleets, accessibility remains uneven across different locations due to narrow sidewalks or improperly placed street furniture preventing ramp deployment. Italy faces similar issues where technical adaptations do not guarantee reliable service because ramps may malfunction or drivers might not use them correctly, and stops are often not aligned with pavements. Paris has focused heavily on stop accessibility, evaluating and improving bus stops to allow for proper ramp deployment, resulting in 1750 accessible stops out of a total. Vienna prioritizes accessibility from the procurement stage, ensuring all new buses are low-floor and equipped with features like electronic signs indicating vehicle accessibility, which is also available via an app for visually impaired users. A key recurring issue highlighted by local operators is the lack of clearly marked waiting areas at stops for people with visual impairments, emphasizing that overall passenger experience requires improvements in infrastructure, maintenance, and clear information, not just vehicle adaptation.
