European Mobility Week 2026: Cities for All Generations

How can a child get to school safely? Can an older person reach a doctor easily? Are public transport, pavements and city squares accessible to people with reduced mobility? How much does the way we move around every day depend on where we live and how much we earn?

These questions are at the heart of European Mobility Week, which will take place from 16 to 22 September 2026. This year’s campaign continues under the theme “Mobility for Everyone”, with a particular focus on intergenerational fairness – creating transport systems and public spaces that meet the needs of children, young people, adults and older people, both today and in the future.

According to the message of European Mobility Week 2026, sustainable transport should be accessible to everyone, regardless of income, place of residence, gender or ability. Mobility is therefore seen not simply as a way of getting from one place to another, but as a prerequisite for access to education, employment, healthcare, culture and community life.

Seven days of campaigning, activities throughout the year

European Mobility Week takes place every year from 16 to 22 September. It was launched in 2002 as the European Commission’s flagship campaign to raise awareness of sustainable urban mobility and has since grown into an international platform bringing together cities, local authorities, schools, organisations and citizens.

Although its most visible activities take place over seven days, the campaign is not limited to September. Businesses, civil society organisations, schools, institutions and other organisations can design and register sustainable mobility activities throughout the year under the MOBILITY ACTION initiative. These may include initiatives encouraging walking, cycling, public and shared transport, or other solutions that make sustainable travel easier.

European Mobility Week is therefore not conceived as a stand-alone event, but as an opportunity to launch, test and showcase changes that could become part of everyday life. Information on how cities can take part and how activities can be registered is available on the official campaign website.

What does mobility for everyone look like?

People’s mobility needs change throughout their lives. A child, a female student, a parent with a pushchair, a commuter, a person with a disability and an older resident do not experience the same street, junction or bus route in the same way.

That is why this year’s theme goes beyond the usual discussion of cars, bicycles and public transport. At its heart is the question of whether different ways of getting around are safe, reliable, affordable and well connected.

A city designed for all generations has safe walking routes and crossings, accessible public transport stops and vehicles, clear information, enough places to rest, greenery and shade, as well as public spaces where people can meet and spend time. Removing physical and digital barriers that make it harder for some people to access transport and city services is particularly important.

Mobility for everyone is therefore a question not only of transport, but also of urban planning, safety, health, social inclusion and quality of life.

Cities as places where change can be tested

During European Mobility Week, cities have an opportunity to introduce residents to sustainable ways of getting around, but also to test how different approaches to traffic management and the use of public space could work in practice.

One example comes from Riga, winner of the European Mobility Week Award for activities carried out in 2025. Two busy streets in the city centre were temporarily closed to motor traffic, with tables, benches, planters and people taking over the space. At the same time, the city invited residents to suggest other streets that could be used differently.

A temporary intervention thus gave people a direct sense of what urban space can look like when cars are no longer given priority. Riga is now continuing to develop cycling infrastructure, improve pedestrian crossings, create mobility hubs around railway stations and introduce other permanent measures. The example shows how European Mobility Week can provide cities with an opportunity to test solutions and open a discussion about long-term change.

Riga also connected the campaign with schools, local organisations, experts and businesses. Activities included walking challenges, cycling events, programmes on public transport, workshops and discussions on urban planning. This combination of public activities and permanent measures reflects one of the campaign’s key messages: changing habits is more likely to succeed when it is supported by safe and accessible infrastructure.

What did Serbia do last year?

In 2025, Serbia took part in the campaign with 15 registered cities and municipalities, while the Europe Houses in Belgrade and Niš were among the main programme venues.

The opening event in Belgrade focused on children and the safety of the youngest road users. The programme included a discussion between pupils and EU Ambassador Andreas von Beckerath, road-safety education, a cycling skills course, a digital cycling experience through European cities and the presentation of the “Green Express” electric cargo bike as an alternative to delivery vehicles.

An exhibition presenting European examples of sustainable mobility was also held at Europe House. The programme continued in Niš with the FutureECOS event, where participants from Serbia and five European countries exchanged experiences on sustainable mobility, smart urban design and citizen involvement in the development of cities.

As part of the “Eco-Municipality” programme, local sustainability initiatives were presented, while the final part of the campaign was dedicated to an interactive school lesson on smart and safe mobility. The activities were carried out in cooperation with the “EU for the Green Agenda in Serbia” project, the Transport Community and other partners. A detailed overview is available in the article “On the Move: European Mobility Week 2025 in Serbia”.

Why does European Mobility Week matter?

The way we move affects the air we breathe, noise levels, traffic congestion, road safety and the amount of time we spend travelling. At the same time, it determines who can access schools, jobs, healthcare, culture, sport and public life.

That is why the European dimension of this campaign goes beyond promoting cycling or holding a single car-free day. European Mobility Week connects environmental protection with social inclusion and reminds us that sustainable transport must also be accessible and affordable.

At this year’s European mobility awards ceremony, it was emphasised that when cities put people first, transport becomes more than a means of getting around: it connects communities and improves everyday life. Award-winning examples included temporary pedestrian zones, safer streets, new cycling routes, better public transport and stronger links between urban and rural areas. More information is available on the official European Mobility Week website.

The most important outcome of the campaign is therefore not measured only by the number of events held during a single week. Real change can be seen in whether a temporarily closed street becomes a permanently safer space, whether a new cycle route genuinely connects different parts of a city, and whether people of different ages, incomes and abilities can use public transport on equal terms.

European Mobility Week encourages cities to test such solutions and invites residents to take part in the conversation about how they want to move around and what kind of cities they want to leave to future generations.

See the full programme of European Mobility Week in Serbia for 2026 HERE.