Accessibility: Assessing Bourges Train Station During Printemps de Bourges Crédit Mutuel Week

More than 25,000 visitors with specific accessibility needs are expected in Bourges in 2028.
A figure that raises a very concrete challenge: ensuring a high-quality welcome for everyone, from the moment they arrive in the area.

With this in mind, an accessibility assessment of Bourges train station was carried out during the week of Printemps de Bourges. The working session brought together SNCF, the Centre-Val de Loire Region, Bourges Plus urban area, the City of Bourges, SEM Territoria – responsible for the works on the future station forecourt and multimodal transport hub (PEM) – as well as associations and people directly concerned by accessibility issues. In total, between 20 and 30 participants came together to combine different perspectives and areas of expertise.

Working alongside these partners, Thibaut de Martimprey led a field-based approach to observe visitor journeys, identify potential barriers and compare planned routes with real-life usage. The objective is clear: to ensure that the accessibility of the future station forecourt is fully adapted to users’ needs.

Beyond the assessment itself, the aim is to initiate concrete solutions to improve the welcome and conditions for visitors at the station, taking into account the diversity of disabilities and individual accessibility needs. Taking place during an event that already attracts a large and diverse audience, this assessment also provides an opportunity to test facilities and routes under real-life conditions and levels of footfall.

As a key gateway to the area, the train station will play a strategic role in the lead-up to Bourges 2028, particularly given the ambition to encourage visitors to arrive by train. The redevelopment of the station forecourt and multimodal transport hub, scheduled for completion in December 2027, requires a high level of attention: anticipating needs today to avoid having to make changes later.

This work reflects a strong ambition: to make Bourges 2028 a fully inclusive European Capital of Culture, where accessibility is considered from the outset and designed for everyone.