UITP Global Public Transport Summit

Europe’s Rail participated in the UITP Global Public Transport Summit for the first time this year in Barcelona, Spain. At our stand, visitors had the opportunity to meet the Europe’s Rail team and experience our latest innovations, including the holoLens for enhancing passenger experiences in train stations, the auralisation and visualisation tool, the Travel Companion app, and the lightweight seats.

Our Executive Director a.i., Mr Giorgio Travaini, moderated and presented the rail challenges and how EU-Rail is addressing them through innovation at the ‘Automation in Trams and Trains: Optimising Capacity and Operations’ session.

Representing our Founding Member, Strukton, Mr Cees Steendijk presented the objectives of our Flagship Project 4 Rail4Earth, specifically related to energy efficiency, during a Spotlight Forum Session on ‘Managing Energy in Public Transport Operations: From Renewable Supply to Intelligent Management.’

The event was also be the perfect opportunity to present the final results of our Innovation Programme 4 projects IP4MaaS, Connective, ExtenSive. The projects showcased the culmination of several years of activity in the areas of multimodal services integration, developments in passenger experience, results of European pilots, route to market and exploitation. Opening remarks were given by our Seconded National Expert, Mr Matyas Obreczan.

Our Innovation Programme 4 project IP4MaaS kicked-off its demonstration activities for a set of digital tools aimed at improving mobility during the Innovation in the Spotlight session.

The event also offered an opportunity to discuss and to explore the synergies between the rail sector and the broader transport industry. Mr Giorgio Travaini discussed potential future collaborations in joint research and innovation studies, as well as women’s roles in transportation, with Mr Young Tae Kim, Secretary General of the International Transport Forum (ITF). Ms Catherine Cieczko, our Chief Stakeholder Relations and Dissemination, welcomed Ms Elżbieta Łukaniuk, Member of the Cabinet of Adina Vălean, European Commissioner for Transport, and discussed how rail research and innovation can support the objectives of the European Union’s public transport policy, including multimodal services that benefit people and businesses across the continent. Additionally, Ms Catherine Cieczko exchanged ideas with Ms Karine Sbirrazzuoli, Senior Director of Knowledge and Innovation at UITP, about women in mobility and the social benefits of public transport innovation.

To learn more about our participation at the UITP Summit in Barcelona, please click on the link below.