Today we propose a tour (with ramps, curbs and potholes) around Madrid from the point of view of those who use wheelchairs every day. We also look at what is good, what needs to be improved and the legislation created to implement solutions for people with disabilities to move around normally.
The starting point: where do we stand in Madrid in terms of street accessibility?
Over the last 5 years Madrid has multiplied its plans related to the elimination of urban barriers. The fleet of city buses is entirely low-floor with a wheelchair-accessible lift, the Metro is implementing its second Accessibility and Inclusion Plan and the City Council has its own strategy until 2030. However, crossing a historic district or ordering an adapted taxi shows that the distance between the paper and the street is still considerable.
The regulation marking the step towards a more accessible city
In order for this change to take place in the city of Madrid, important legislative and regulatory changes have been necessary, which are summarised below:
State-level legislation
At the national level, Royal Decree-Law 1/2013 marked a turning point in terms of the regulatory basis for disability. It introduced the principle of “reasonable accommodation” and set penalties of up to €1 million for anyone hindering accessibility.
Royal Decree 193/2023 unified the basic requirements in building, transport and customer service and obliged each administration to draw up five-year improvement plans.
The recent Law 11/2023, which transposes the European Accessibility Act, makes ATMs and other vending machines located in public spaces accessible from 28 June 2025.
Legislation specific to the Community of Madrid
The Law 8/1993 on the Promotion of Accessibility, developed by Decree 13/2007, remains the regional reference for inspections and sanctions: sets minimum passage widths, turning radii and the minimum percentage (5 %) of adapted taxis.
Regulations and plans specific to the municipality of Madrid
The Strategic Plan for Universal Accessibility in Madrid 2022-2026 (PEAUM) would invent barriers and sets measurable targets such as 1.80 m barrier-free pavements and ramps ≤ 6 %.
The 2021-2022 Sidewalk and Accessibility Plan renovated 1 475 pedestrian crossings and created 220 accessible crossings on 276 streets.
The Adapta Plan 2020-2025 grants up to €30,000 to adapt dwellings, doorways and premises (2,252 actions until May 2025).
What will work in 2025 in the city of Madrid
Public transport
Public transport is one of the backbones of the city of Madrid, which is why many of the city's efforts are being devoted to improving access to buses and the Metro.
The entire fleet of the EMT (Municipal Transport Company), which has around 2,000 buses, is equipped with manual or electric ramps, audible warning devices and areas reserved for people with mobility or visual disabilities.
As for Metro de Madrid, the Second Accessibility Plan 2021-2028 (332 M €) plans to install 103 lifts and reach 84 % of accessible stations.
Public space
Improvements are being made through major refurbishments such as those in Gran Vía or Plaza de España, which already combine tactile paving, soft ramps and acoustic traffic lights, following Order TMA/851/2021 on urbanised public spaces.
Buildings and culture
More than 70 % of the national museums based in Madrid have barrier-free itineraries, magnetic loop, chair-loan and easy-to-read materials, according to the PEAUM inventory.
Housing and aid
The Adapta Plan has subsidised renovations of bathrooms, doors and stair lifts; even so, it only covers 0.3 % of the city's residential stock.
Urban barriers that still remain in place in the city of Madrid
In previous paragraphs we have commented on the things that work well in terms of accessibility in the city of Madrid and now we are going to look at the ugly part, what needs to be improved in order to have a much more inclusive city.
Metro without a lift. A hundred or so stations have no lifts and breakdowns are frequent, leaving users “stranded” for hours at a time. The reason: complex civil works and lack of predictive maintenance.
Eurotaxi scarce. Madrid has only 358 adapted taxis (3.33 % of the fleet), falling short of the legal 5 %. The drop is attributed to the high cost of adaptation and the lack of municipal incentives.
Historic pavements. Streets in Tetuán, Chamberí and Chueca still have steps of less than one metre and furniture in the middle of the pavement; the overcrowding of terraces slows down reforms.
Educational centres. According to FAMMA and FAPA Giner de los Ríos, 92 % of schools and institutes lack ramps or adapted toilets. A specific regional decree and budget are lacking.
Small businesses. Thousands of premises still retain the “5 cm rung” even though the 2017 state obligation has expired; inspections remain residual.
It is incomprehensible that there are still so many spaces without adapted accesses considering that the technology for the elimination of architectural barriers has evolved considerably and has also reduced its costs. There are many companies that install solutions to facilitate urban mobility. We can get an idea of the many different solutions for staircases that exist, for example, on the page of Multi-lift Stairlift. There are many occasions in which prior planning in construction makes it possible to avoid stairs, kerbs and steps, but Madrid is a very old city for which new technologies for lifting people to save stairs are a great help.
What is still pending, routes to make the city more accessible
Predictive maintenance. Incorporate IoT sensors in Metro lifts and urban pavements to anticipate breakdowns and avoid “frustrated journeys”.
1.80 Street Plan. Renew at least 20 km of pavements every year until 2030, prioritising lower income districts.
Green-accessible taxation. Apply IBI surcharges to buildings without a practicable route and extra incentives to expand the fleet of Eurotaxis.
100 % accessible schools. Launch in 2026-2029 a regional plan with European funds to adapt ramps, toilets and cognitive signage.
Digital + physical accessibility. Ensure strict compliance with Law 11/2023 in all transport, museum and e-commerce apps.
Madrid has done its homework on accessibility, so let's keep improving for the next test.
Madrid has come a long way: fully accessible buses, a Metro lift plan and a clear municipal strategy. But the capital of 2025 is still an irregular board where the experience depends on the line you choose or the neighbourhood you walk in. With regulations closed and deadlines running out, the challenge is no longer to inaugurate infrastructures, but to maintain them, monitor them and bring good practices to every corner. Only then will getting around in a wheelchair cease to be an obstacle course and finally become a dignified, everyday journey.
