Age-friendly public transport: barriers, strategies, and capabilities for mobility in later life

Public transport is central to promoting active ageing by enabling older adults to maintain mobility, social participation, and quality of life. Yet many older people face persistent challenges in using public transport due to limitations in accessibility and availability. Despite increasing recognition of these needs, research remains fragmented and often overlooks how structural conditions and individual circumstances interact to shape older adults’ capabilities and real freedom to travel. This review identifies key barriers and strategies influencing public transport use among adults aged 60 and above through a systematic review of 67 studies using thematic synthesis. The findings show six recurring categories of barriers: accessibility, affordability, availability, adaptability, acceptability, and safety. Effective strategies include fare subsidies, service improvements such as flexible older adult ride hailing services, and infrastructure upgrades for accessible stops and routes. Drawing on the capability approach, this review proposes a framework that links these barrier domains to targeted interventions, clarifying how opportunities, abilities, and realised mobility capabilities are shaped in practice. The insights and framework can support policymakers in designing transport systems that enable older adults to participate in community life with independence, wellbeing, and dignity.