Railways and public transport

Public transport is an essential public service used by millions of people daily and playing an important role in their economic and social life, especially in cities, where more than 50% of the world’s population live.

In Europe, women use public transport more than men. Women as passengers of public transport have different needs regarding safety, security or comfort and are often fearful of certain transit environments and frequently they prefer to adjust their behaviour and travel patterns to avoid them.

In all countries, women suffer safety issues related to transport public trips. Therefore, railway stations and connexion corridors to subway could be a significant cause of anxiety for women, as well as a lack of comfort and accessibility to them. Even though some countries have promoted different initiatives to solve these problems, the gender barriers that still exist show that current transport systems do not take sufficiently into account women’s physical or social characteristics in the design of services.