To mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, UIC is reaffirming its commitment to promoting inclusive, barrier-free mobility worldwide. Accessibility continues to be a central priority for the railway sector, with UIC supporting this drive to improve through collaborative platforms, harmonised tools, and the dissemination of best practices among its members.
PASSAGE: UIC’s global network dedicated to accessible rail travel
UIC’s Passenger Accessibility Solutions Support and Action Group for Experts (PASSAGE) network, now comprises over 30 members from Europe, Africa, and North America, and plays a key role in advancing accessibility across the sector. PASSAGE provides a structured framework for railway undertakings to share experience, identify operational challenges and develop coordinated solutions to improve travel for passengers with disabilities and passengers with reduced mobility (PRM). Through this platform, members collectively contribute to a more consistent and inclusive travel chain, both domestically and internationally.
Updated UIC webpage on PRM assistance services
UIC has enriched its webpage on PRM assistance services with clearer, more comprehensive information to support passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility on international cross-border travel:
👉 https://railprmassistance.uic.org/
The updated content explains who provides PRM assistance and outlines the types of support available at stations, including help with luggage and guidance for passengers travelling with assistance dogs. The webpage also highlights how UIC members cooperate to ensure a smooth and continuous journey for passengers requiring assistance.
In addition, the page now includes an expanded list of relevant contact details, providing quick access to assistance teams and railway call centres in most European countries. Passengers are encouraged to contact the operator in their country of departure to arrange assistance for both domestic and international journeys.
Highlighting achievements from PASSAGE members
To showcase the range of progress made within the PASSAGE community, UIC is pleased to present two examples from its members: Trenord and Iarnród Éireann (Irish RaiI). These initiatives highlight the sector’s ongoing work to improve accessibility through digital innovation, staff training, infrastructure improvements and customer-centred design.
Trenord: Digitalising and simplifying PRM assistance
Trenord has embarked on an ambitious programme to transform its PRM assistance services by creating an integrated, digital mobility ecosystem.
In partnership with MBility, Trenord has digitised and simplified assistance for people with reduced mobility (PRM), to make travel safer and more accessible. The initiative aims to create an integrated ecosystem, working with Lombardy’s railway operators to ensure smoother processes and more effective communication. Through digitalisation, PRM travellers will benefit from easier bookings, real-time notifications, and seamless connectivity between the train and the passenger’s final destination.
MBility also offers last-mile solutions, helping customers reach points of interest and ensuring a seamless transition from the train to a suitably fitted out electric shuttle. The pilot project was launched on the Milan Cadorna-Malpensa line, marking a significant step towards a more inclusive, innovative and integrated transport system, with plans to expand across the Lombardy network. Trenord has a dedicated team for arranging journeys for passengers with reduced mobility. In 2024, it supported 28,500 accessible journeys.
Iarnród Éireann: Strengthening assistance, expanding training, and enhancing the customer experience
Iarnród Éireann is continuing to make significant progress across all dimensions of accessibility, having delivered 59,000 assistance services in 2025, surpassing the total from the previous year and reflecting growing demand for support.
A major focus has been on staff training:
- 580 staff members have completed specialised training at the Wayfinding Centre, where Access Ambassadors, individuals with lived experience of disability, enhance the training’s pertinence and impact.
- Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with a strong appreciation for the practical insights provided.
Iarnród Éireann has also implemented several customer-focused initiatives, including:
- The distribution of 1,800 sensory packs
- 1,300 staff trained in the Just A Minute (JAM) Card initiative
- Close collaboration with a Disability User Group
- Major station upgrades (e.g. at Rathmore, Athy, and Maynooth)
- A Sensory Pod pilot test at Cork’s Kent Station
Moreover, a new Customer Accessibility App, planned for 2026, will streamline assistance requests and improve coordination among staff. Iarnród Éireann also publishes a quarterly Accessibility Newsletter to keep disability organisations informed about developments.
A shared commitment to accessible mobility
The initiatives presented by Trenord and Iarnród Éireann reflect the PASSAGE network and the broader UIC community’s commitment to improving accessibility.
UIC will continue to foster international cooperation and support railway undertakings in delivering inclusive, reliable, and user-centred services for all passengers. PASSAGE will also continue its close collaboration with all relevant stakeholders to advance accessibility across the sector, and in 2026 will reinforce this commitment by organising technical visits hosted by the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), Eurostar, and the Spanish Railway Infrastructure Manager (ADIF), as well as launching dedicated training sessions on accessibility services and developing new studies and initiatives aimed at improving the accessibility of rail travel.
To learn more about PASSAGE, please visit: https://uic.org/projects-99/article/passage.
