A foldable stairlift includes a rail, a carrier that drives along the rail and a chair supported by the carrier. The chair and carrier define a stairlift unit. The chair includes a base body coupled to the carrier, a foldable seat body coupled to the base body, a foldable leg body coupled to the seat body, a foldable footrest body coupled to the leg body, a back rest body coupled to the base body, and a foldable armrest body coupled to the backrest body. Each of the seat body, leg body, and footrest body have their own respective folding system that controls the folding and unfolding of their respective seat body, leg body, and footrest body. And each folding system is controlled by an assigned motor that operates according to a variable speed profile. A method of controlling the folding and unfolding action of the foldable stairlift includes operating the motors according to one or more speed profiles.