Accessibility
Usable by everyone.
Public transport is for the whole city. Accessibility is part of takt's design — and we are honest about what works already and what doesn't yet.
In place today
“Simple & Large” mode
One switch reduces the app to large type, less information at once and the most important actions — with every transfer shown in full. “Start route” then guides you step by step: “You are here”, when to set off, when to get off.
Setup asks what you need
On first launch you pick the view (normal or simple), language, light or dark, font size, walking pace and a colour palette. All voluntary, changeable in your profile at any time — and nobody has to create an account for it.
Contrast, actually measured
We ran every colour token through the WCAG formula and raised the weak ones (secondary text went from 2.6:1 to 4.8:1). An extra high-contrast mode strengthens things further; in late July we fixed the places where dark mode still left notice colours too pale.
Palette for colour vision deficiency
Two palettes (red-green, blue-yellow) swap the meaning colours for more distinguishable ones: good and live turn blue, delay and cancellation orange. This is a more distinguishable palette and explicitly not a medical test.
Keyboard & focus
App and website have visible focus outlines; results, menus and forms are reachable by keyboard. Tickers can be paused, and “reduce motion” is respected.
Screen reader foundations
Headings on every main screen, labelled inputs and buttons, announced errors and live changes, decorative graphics muted. Maps have text alternatives.
Status never colour-only
Cancellations and delays appear as words or “+minutes” — understandable even in greyscale. The same goes for crowding: it is spelled out, not just drawn as bars.
Errors that actually help
Where something fails, you learn why and what helps: a search term that is too short explains that three characters get things going; an address without a match falls back to the nearest stop and says so. Raw messages from the timetable service appear nowhere.
Multilingual & dark mode
The app interface is available in six languages (German, English, Czech, Polish, Turkish, Ukrainian), with light, dark or automatic design. Stop names and disruption texts still come from the VVO in German.
Honestly open
- Screen-reader-optimised journey guidance (“Now” / “Next”) — in progress
- Read-aloud for the next step — planned
- User testing with people who rely on accessibility — the test that really counts. We are looking for older people, people with visual impairments and passengers new to public transport; feedback flows straight in
- Wheelchair details (step-free access, lift status, low-floor vehicles) — started as a data project
- Full text scaling: converting all fixed font sizes and honouring the system font size (iOS)
- A formal accessibility statement under BFSG / EN 301 549 — to follow before the official release
Found a barrier? Tell us at info@dresdenmedia.com — we reply and fix by urgency. Feedback from people who rely on accessibility takes priority.