Study visit for a delegation from Turkey: best Polish practices for rail passengers with disabilities and reduced mobility

A study visit for experts from Turkey organised by CEUTP in cooperation with a number of Polish institutions dealing with accessibility issues in the rail transport sector took place on 7-9 May 2024.

The Turkish delegation included representatives from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure and the Turkish State Railways.

During the three-day visit, the delegation had the opportunity to learn about various aspects of accessibility in rail transport in Poland. The first day focused on expert speeches at the CEUTP to exchange experiences with experts from the Department of Transport Analysis, but also the Rail Passenger Rights Ombudsman working with the CUPT in the area of transport accessibility, and institutions such as Office of Rail Transport and the Railway Institute. The delegation then moved on to a meeting with representatives of the Rapid Urban Rail in Warsaw, where details of SKM’s operations and its approach to serving passengers with disabilities and reduced mobility were discussed.

On the second day, the delegation visited the headquarters of  PKP Intercity S.A. and Polish State Railways S.A., where practical aspects of ensuring accessibility in rail transport were analysed, including their implementation in accordance with PRM TSI standards.

The transfer of Polish know-how on the subject of accessibility on the railways continued on the third day of the visit, also focusing on good practices in this area concerning the management of railway stations and stations. On the last day of the visit, the delegation from Turkey visited, among others, the newly built Łódź Fabryczna Railway Station and learned about the experience of the Łódź Agglomeration Railway in adapting their infrastructure and vehicles to the highest accessibility standards.

This is yet another study visit of foreign experts within the framework of the TAIEX platform of the EC Directorate General for Neighbourhood Policy and Negotiations, which CEUTP had the opportunity to organise. This is undoubtedly an excellent opportunity to exchange experiences between Polish and foreign experts working in the transport sector.

We would like to thank all the institutions involved on the Polish side, which were willing to share their expertise on accessibility in rail transport in Poland. There was also a lot of discussion about the challenges, the pressing need for further action, as well as the involvement of NGOs and people with disabilities and reduced mobility themselves in the design of future solutions.