What it is
The ITS World Congress is the yearly world meeting on intelligent transport systems: traffic management, connected and automated vehicles, transport data and the public services built on them. It is co-organised by ERTICO – ITS Europe, ITS America and ITS Asia-Pacific, and every third year ERTICO brings it to Europe, the Middle East or Africa. The first was in Paris in 1994. Recent editions in that region were Copenhagen in 2018, Hamburg in 2021 and Dubai in 2024.
The 33rd edition takes place at the NEC in Birmingham from 25 to 29 October 2027. The UK Government is the official host, with the West Midlands Combined Authority, through Transport for West Midlands, as local host. The organisers expect more than 15,000 participants and 350 exhibitors.
How the programme works
The congress combines an exhibition with a high-level programme and a technical programme. The technical sessions are organised around four topics: trustworthy and resilient systems, next-generation ITS, connected and integrated services, and deploying ITS at scale. On the exhibition floor, the ITS Arena is a stage where cities, operators and companies present systems they already run. The organisers say the programme is co-created with steering groups and with Transport for West Midlands, ITS UK and the UK Government.
Who goes and how to take part
The audience is public authorities, cities, transport operators, industry and researchers. The call for contributions runs from 22 October 2026 to 22 January 2027 at 23:59 CET, with no extensions. It accepts Special Interest Sessions, Technical Papers, Research Papers and Posters. Strong research papers may be invited to the journal IET Intelligent Transport Systems. Every participant registers; accepted presenters get a reduced fee but pay their own travel and accommodation. Delegate prices have not been published.
For public officials, ERTICO and the UK Government have agreed in principle to give eligible UK public sector officials free access to the congress and the exhibition. Formal arrangements were still being finalised in October 2026.
Why it matters for cities
Transport technology is often bought city by city, and this congress is where suppliers, national ministries and the European Commission meet the authorities that procure and run it. For a city preparing a traffic-management, ticketing or connected-vehicle project, the ITS Arena and the technical sessions show what has actually been deployed elsewhere.
Going, or following from home
The NEC is next to Birmingham International Airport and railway station. Until the full programme and registration open, the organisers offer a mailing list for updates.