Railway sector debates the need to feminize public transport in Barcelona

Barcelona Woman Acceleration Week examines why services aren't designed for women, who make up 60% of users.

Generic image of a modern train station as a train arrives at the platform.
IA

Generic image of a modern train station as a train arrives at the platform.

The second day of the Barcelona Woman Acceleration Week (BWAW) called this Thursday, March 5th in Barcelona for a shift in railway planning to better serve female passengers.

During the sessions at DFactory Barcelona, promoted by the Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona, experts highlighted that while over 60% of train passengers are women, transport planning often overlooks their specific needs. The forum features 77 speakers discussing equality and business transformation.

"More than 60% of Ferrocarrils passengers are women. Therefore, service production should be designed by women and for women."

Alicia Valle · General Manager of Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC)
Blanca Sorigué, General Manager of the Consorci, emphasized that gender equality drives competitiveness. In Spain, women hold 38.4% of management positions, but only 19.3% of CEO roles. The event also addressed the gender gap in Barcelona's tech hubs and future housing challenges.