Public Transport | Ombudsman publishes report on accessibility for people with disabilities or reduced mobility

The right of people with disabilities or reduced mobility to access public transport independently, safely and with dignity is an essential dimension of inclusion and is widely enshrined in law. Despite this, numerous obstacles continue to prevent this right from being effectively exercised. Many passengers have to plan every journey in great detail, without any guarantee that they will be able to travel in dignified conditions. Access conditions on public transport therefore continue to restrict and, in many cases, inhibit inclusive mobility.

This is the main conclusion of the thematic report published by the Ombudsman’s Office on the accessibility of public transport for people with disabilities and reduced mobility.

Entitled “Disability, Inclusion and Mobility – Public Transport and Parking Solutions”, the report focuses on the cities of Lisbon and Porto, analyses access conditions across different modes of public transport, and assesses the extent to which the right to accessible mobility is being implemented. Accessible mobility is an essential condition for exercising fundamental rights, including the rights to work, healthcare, education, culture and civic participation.

Unlike what is usually the case, this report was not prompted by a high number of complaints received, but precisely by their scarcity. It was important to determine whether this reflected the actual scale of accessibility problems or whether it concealed difficulties that remained outside formal complaints mechanisms.

The findings provide a clear answer. People with disabilities and reduced mobility continue to face barriers that make using public transport extremely difficult and, in some cases, impossible. As a result, many ultimately stop using public transport altogether, without ever filing a complaint.

Methodology

This report updates the study carried out in 2012 on the Lisbon Metro, expanding the analysis to the different modes of public transport and to the country’s two main cities.

Conducted between 2024 and 2026, the study was based on direct observation of accessibility conditions, the collection of documentary information and consultation with the sector’s main stakeholders. It included field visits to railway stations, metro stations, bus stops, vehicles and related infrastructure in Lisbon and Porto, as well as interviews with people with disabilities and reduced mobility.

Meetings were also held with the main transport operators and relevant authorities, including CP – Comboios de Portugal, Metropolitano de Lisboa, Metro do Porto, Carris, STCP – Sociedade de Transportes Coletivos do Porto, Infraestruturas de Portugal, AMT – Autoridade da Mobilidade e dos Transportes, IDiPD – Instituto para os Direitos das Pessoas com Deficiência (formerly IRN – Instituto Nacional para a Reabilitação), the municipalities of Lisbon and Porto, and civil society organisations, including Associação Salvador.

This approach made it possible to combine users’ experiences with the perspectives of the entities responsible, providing a comprehensive and evidence-based assessment of actual accessibility conditions.

Main findings

The main problems identified include:

• insufficient and fragmented information on accessibility;
• the absence of integrated assistance-request systems between different operators;
• the persistence of physical barriers at stations, transport interchanges, vehicles and ticketing equipment;
• limitations in the accessibility of digital channels;
• insufficient human resources allocated to assistance services;
• the coverage and operation of support services remaining inadequate to users’ needs;
• frequent breakdowns of lifts and escalators on the Lisbon Metro and delays, sometimes lasting several months or even years, in repairing this equipment, in contrast to the situation observed on the Porto Metro.

The report also identifies a number of positive developments, including:

• the expansion of digital solutions for purchasing and topping up transport tickets;
• the provision of the CP SIM service free of charge;
• the creation of the Circula.PT programme;
• the potential impact of the future implementation of the European Disability Card.

Main recommendations

In response to these findings, the Ombudsman’s Office makes 25 recommendations to transport operators, infrastructure management entities, municipalities, AMT and ANSR.

The main measures proposed include:

• Providing reliable, comprehensive, up-to-date and user-centred information on accessibility, timetables and fares, using clear language and inclusive formats (e.g. audio, Braille and high-contrast text).
• Providing real-time information on the availability of lifts, escalators and other equipment essential to the mobility of people with disabilities.
• Prioritising the maintenance and prompt repair of lifts and escalators at railway and metro stations.
• Ensuring the permanent availability of access ramps on vehicles.
• Reducing reliance on human assistance and promoting independent use of the transport system. Until fully autonomous use is possible, training and strengthening the human resources dedicated to assisting passengers with reduced mobility.
• Strengthening AMT’s monitoring of compliance with the rights of passengers with disabilities and the enforcement mechanisms applicable when legal obligations are not met.

Full Report

Disability, Inclusion and Mobility | Public Transport and Parking Solutions [in Portuguese only]