ELABORATOR Lighthouse city Zaragoza wins 2026 Access City Award

Spotlighting inclusive urban mobility and accessibility, the city of Zaragoza has been awarded the 2026 Access City Award, recognising its outstanding commitment to accessibility and inclusive urban development for persons with disabilities. Announced by the European Commission, the award highlights Zaragoza’s long-term, city-wide efforts to remove barriers and ensure equal participation in urban life.

The Access City Award celebrates EU cities that prioritise accessibility across the built environment, transport systems, digital services, and public spaces. Zaragoza’s achievement reflects a holistic approach, embedding accessibility into urban planning, mobility design, and governance frameworks.

A systemic approach to accessible urban mobility

Zaragoza has implemented a wide range of measures to make everyday travel safer, more convenient, and more autonomous for all users. Accessibility improvements span public transport infrastructure, pedestrian routes, and intermodal connections, ensuring that mobility systems are designed with universal access in mind.

The city has worked to guarantee that persons with disabilities can navigate urban environments independently. This integrated vision aligns accessibility with broader sustainability and liveability goals.

Co-creation and governance as key success factors

A defining element of Zaragoza’s strategy has been stakeholder collaboration. The city has actively involved disability organisations, civil society groups, and residents in the planning and evaluation of accessibility initiatives.

This participatory governance model ensures that solutions respond to real user needs while fostering public ownership of urban transformation. By embedding co-creation into decision-making, Zaragoza has strengthened both policy effectiveness and social inclusion.

Zaragoza’s recognition also underscores the role of innovation in advancing accessibility. The city has leveraged digital tools, smart technologies, and data-driven planning to enhance service delivery and urban navigation for people with diverse needs. These solutions demonstrate how inclusive design can be integrated into smart city frameworks, supporting safer mobility and more responsive public services.

By championing accessibility as a core pillar of urban development, Zaragoza reinforces the importance of designing cities that work for everyone, leaving no one behind in the transition toward sustainable urban mobility.