Slow Mobility: The Infrastructure of Good Living

How sustainable transportation is becoming essential for the future of small towns and inner areas

In a world that rushes past, the ability to move mindfully—to choose how we travel, not just where—has become a revolutionary act. For Cittaslow communities and small towns across the globe, mobility is not simply about getting from point A to point B. It's about connection, accessibility, and the fundamental right to inhabit our territories with dignity.

This is the core message of a groundbreaking position paper released by AMODO (Alliance for Slow Mobility), Italy's national network dedicated to sustainable mobility and territorial development. Their analysis offers crucial insights for our international Cittaslow network and for anyone committed to the future of small towns.

Beyond Tourism: Mobility as a Right

We often speak of slow mobility—cycling routes, walking paths, scenic railways—through the lens of tourism and recreation. And yes, these experiences matter. They bring visitors to our towns, they celebrate our landscapes, they create economic opportunities.

But AMODO's position paper asks us to look deeper. Mobility, they argue, is first and foremost an infrastructure of citizenship—a basic condition for accessing healthcare, education, work, and community life. Without adequate mobility options, small towns cannot retain residents, cannot attract new families, and cannot offer genuine quality of life.

This reframing is essential. When we treat mobility purely as a tourism amenity, we risk overlooking its role in daily life. A beautiful cycling path matters little to a resident who cannot reach the hospital without a private car. A historic railway becomes merely nostalgic if it doesn't connect people to essential services.

The "Last Mile" Challenge

One of the most pressing issues identified in the paper is what planners call the "last mile problem." Many small towns and villages sit beyond major transportation networks, difficult or impossible to reach without a car. This reality:

• Excludes those who cannot drive (elderly residents, young people, those with disabilities)

• Isolates communities from regional opportunities

• Accelerates depopulation and aging

• Contradicts our environmental commitments

The solution isn't to pave more roads or accept inevitable decline. Instead, AMODO proposes flexible, locally-adapted approaches: shared mobility services, on-demand transportation, bike-sharing systems connecting to train stations, and integrated networks that make car-free living genuinely possible.

For Cittaslow towns, this challenge is also an opportunity. Our commitment to quality of life demands that we ensure all residents—not just the car-owning majority—can access what they need.

Railways as Community Hubs

Throughout Europe and beyond, small railway stations once served as vital community anchors. Many fell into disuse as car culture dominated. But AMODO's research, compiled in their Atlas of Slow Mobility, reveals surprising potential: a significant portion of Italian small towns (and by extension, towns worldwide) could be accessible through combinations of rail transport and active mobility—if we invest wisely.

This means:

• Reopening and strengthening local railway lines, including historic and scenic routes

• Reimagining stations as multimodal hubs, not just platforms—places with bike rentals, local information, community services

• Connecting stations to town centers through safe, pleasant walking and cycling paths

• Coordinating schedules between regional trains, local buses, and shared mobility options

Several Cittaslow communities are already pioneering this approach. In Italy, towns like Chiavenna are working to position their stations as gateways—not barriers—to slow travel. In other countries, our network members are exploring similar models adapted to local contexts.

Integrated Networks, Not Isolated Projects

Too often, mobility investments arrive as disconnected projects: a cycling path here, a new bus line there, a restored trail somewhere else. AMODO's Atlas demonstrates the power of thinking in networks rather than fragments.

Imagine:

• A regional walking route that connects multiple Cittaslow towns

• Cycling paths that link train stations to town centers, historic sites, local farms

• Greenways following old railway lines, creating car-free corridors through the countryside

• Coordinated services making it genuinely possible to explore a region without a car

This integrated approach serves both residents and visitors. A grandmother can cycle from the station to the weekly market. A family can hike between villages, sleeping in local guesthouses. A remote worker can commute to the city sustainably, then return to the peace of a small town.

Tourism Yes, But Not Only Tourism

The position paper addresses tourism directly and honestly. Yes, slow mobility attracts visitors. Yes, cycling routes and walking paths generate economic activity. The data is clear: inner areas and small towns already play a significant role in Italy's tourism economy, and slow tourism is growing.

But—and this is crucial—tourism alone cannot save our towns. Over-reliance on tourism risks:

• Extractive models that benefit external investors more than local residents

• Overtourism that degrades the very qualities that make places special

• Seasonal instability leaving communities economically vulnerable

• Loss of authenticity as towns become theme parks rather than living communities

AMODO proposes instead that we integrate tourism within broader local development strategies. Slow mobility infrastructure should serve residents first, creating genuine quality of life improvements. Tourism then becomes a natural, sustainable by-product—not the primary goal.

This aligns perfectly with Cittaslow philosophy. We don't become slow cities to attract tourists. We become slow cities because we believe in better living. And yes, others notice and want to visit. But our commitment remains to those who call these places home.

A Call to Action for Cittaslow Communities

The AMODO position paper offers nine strategic priorities. Here's how they connect to our Cittaslow mission:

1. Recognize mobility as infrastructure of citizenship

Our charter already commits us to quality of life and accessibility. Let's make mobility a central pillar of how we measure success.

2. Strengthen local and tourist railways

Advocate for rail service in your region. Support station renovations. Create partnerships that position trains as preferred travel mode.

3. Solve the last mile problem

Work with regional authorities to establish flexible, community-centered solutions. Bike-sharing, car-sharing, on-demand mini-buses—adapt to what works locally.

4. Build integrated slow mobility networks

Map the walking paths, cycling routes, and trails around your town. Identify gaps. Connect to neighboring Cittaslow communities. Think regionally.

5. Use evidence to guide investment

AMODO's Atlas model shows how data can inform smart decisions. What similar mapping could help your community make the case for better mobility?

6. Balance tourism with resident needs

When planning new paths or routes, ask first: does this serve people who live here? Will this improve daily life or just weekend visits?

7. Design for true accessibility

Slow mobility must be inclusive. This means addressing needs of elderly residents, families with small children, people with disabilities. Universal design isn't optional.

8. Involve local communities

The best mobility solutions emerge from the people who know the territory. Create participatory planning processes. Listen to what residents actually need.

9. Advocate for systemic change

Individual towns can do much, but we also need supportive national and regional policies. The Cittaslow network should engage actively in these broader conversations.

The Deeper Question

Underlying the entire position paper is a challenge to dominant narratives about small towns and inner areas. Italian authorities have recently introduced the concept of "irreversible depopulation" for certain territories—essentially writing them off as unsavable.

AMODO pushes back forcefully against this fatalism. They argue that:

• Trends are not destiny. Many supposedly declining areas show signs of renewal when conditions improve.

• Quality of life can attract new residents—remote workers, young families seeking alternatives, retirees, migrants building new lives.

• Abandonment is a choice, not an inevitability. It reflects policy failures, not inherent unviability.

This matters for Cittaslow. Our entire movement rests on the belief that small communities can thrive when we make conscious choices about quality over quantity, connection over speed, sustainability over exploitation. If we accept narratives of inevitable decline, we abandon our founding vision.

From Our Network: Examples in Action

While AMODO's work focuses on Italy, the principles extend globally:

• In South Korea, Cittaslow communities are integrating traditional walking routes with modern cycling infrastructure, creating networks that serve both residents and eco-tourists.

• In Norway and Finland, Cittaslow towns collaborate on regional slow travel initiatives, making car-free exploration genuinely feasible.

• In Germany and Poland, our member towns are pioneering bike-sharing systems adapted to smaller populations, proving that such services need not be urban-only.

• In North America, communities like Sebastopol (California) and Sonoma are working to strengthen pedestrian and cycling infrastructure despite car-dominant regional cultures.

These aren't isolated examples. They're part of a growing global recognition: how we move shapes how we live.

An Invitation to Reflection

As you read this, consider your own Cittaslow community:

• Can a resident without a car access healthcare? Education? Fresh food?

• Are your walking paths and cycling routes designed for daily use or primarily for tourists?

• Does your local train station (if you have one) feel welcoming and useful, or abandoned and irrelevant?

• When planning new mobility infrastructure, whose voices are heard? Whose needs are centered?

• What partnerships could you build—with neighboring towns, regional authorities, transportation providers—to create more integrated solutions?

The beauty of slow mobility is that it doesn't require massive budgets or top-down mandates. It starts with seeing our territories differently, with recognizing that every trip someone takes is an opportunity for connection, health, environmental care, and community building.

Conclusion: Moving Toward the Future

The paradox of our time is this: as technology makes virtual connection effortless, physical connection—actually moving through shared space, encountering neighbors, experiencing landscape—has become harder for too many people.

Slow mobility offers a different path. Not backward to some imagined past, but forward toward communities where:

• Movement is pleasant, not stressful

• Accessibility is universal, not limited

• Transportation choices exist for everyone

• Infrastructure serves life, not just economy

• Connection happens at human scale

For the Cittaslow network, this work is fundamental. We cannot claim to champion good living while allowing mobility systems that exclude, isolate, or pollute. We cannot celebrate local life while making it functionally impossible to access without a car.

The AMODO position paper gives us tools, evidence, and a compelling framework. Now the question is: what will we do with it?

To learn more:

• Download the full AMODO position paper (Italian)

• Explore Cittaslow experiences and slow travel itineraries: Cittaslow Tourism

• Connect with your national Cittaslow network to share local mobility initiatives