The "Orange Desk" application, which was launched by the Directorate General of the Republic of Türkiye State Railways (TCDD) as part of the "Accessibility of Passenger Transport Services in Türkiye Project," introduced in December 2019 by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, will make life easier for travelers with special needs by removing obstructions at train stations and on wagons.
The service will facilitate passenger travel with reduced mobility on national rail routes and high-speed train (YHT) stations. In addition, efforts are underway to improve the service. Since 2019, 41,000 citizens with reduced mobility have benefited from the services offered. At around 20 stations, authorities installed a system where disabled passengers can notify stations about their journey and request help if required.
TCDD General Manager Hasan Pezük told Anadolu Agency (AA) stated that the ministry is carrying out extensive studies on individuals with special needs. "We designed and projected our new stations and vehicles completely in accordance with the standards of our special-needs citizens, to ease their journeys. From elevators, escalators, car parks, to palpable surface areas at our stations, everything is being modernized as per international standards," he said.
Drawing attention to the importance of the application, Pezük said, "As part of this service, more than 350 staff members are employed. We have mobilized trained and friendly staff to meet the needs of the individuals concerned, from departure to arrival. Special training is provided to staff in the form of a course with many subjects, including sign language."
Informing that more than 9 million citizens with special needs have been transported on national and regional trains to date, Pezük said, "Our activities on domestic-national studies that will improve the lives of our citizens with special needs continue," expressing that disabled people must also be able to enjoy journeys just like everyone else.
