All West Metro stations are accessible. Every station has at least one accessible entrance. People with reduced mobility or visual impairment must also be able to safely ride the metro.
Commuters with reduced mobility
For people with reduced mobility, accessibility means no high thresholds or stairs along their route. At all entrances in phase I of the metro, there is a set of three escalators and two lifts between the floors. This ensures service also during equipment maintenance and failure situations. In each set of lifts, one lift is equipped as an evacuation lift. This ensures that commuters with reduced mobility can exit the station unaided also in an emergency. The floors of the metro platform and the metro train are on the same level. Phase II also includes lift entrances that connect straight to the platform level.
Commuters with impaired vision
The floors leading into and out of the metro are equipped with tactile floor indicators consisting of raised directional strips and blister tactiles to indicate a change of direction. The indicators are a different colour than the rest of the floor and photoluminescent. Alongside the raised strips are contrasting strips of floor material. The tactile floor indicators on the metro platform lead to where the door will open for the visually impaired commuter when the train stops. The tactile indicators will be in the same place at the next West Metro station. Sound beacons have been installed at the outer doors and at inner doorways leading to lifts. The sound beacons emit a periodic sound that allows people to navigate towards the correct door or check that they are going in the right direction. During emergencies, announcements will be made.
Tactile indicators for the visually impaired are being developed in co-operation with Metropolitan Area Transport Ltd for the entire Helsinki area’s metro line.
Commuters with hearing impairments
In terms of indicators for the hearing impaired, the metro’s fixed and changing info displays implemented in line with the trunk metro line’s revised signage concept are the main approach. Assistive listening technology, i.e. hearing loops, have been installed in key places in the metro stations. Such places include, for instance, the areas in front of info boards, in lifts and lift lobbies, as well as around service points. The operating area of the hearing loops are indicated with hearing loop signage. Information about emergencies is fed through the hearing loops, as well as being displayed in the text field of the metro platform’s changing info displays.