What it is
The UITP Summit, formerly the UITP Global Public Transport Summit, is the congress and exhibition of UITP, the International Association of Public Transport. The organiser traces it back to 1886. Since 2025 it has been annual, in a different host city each time. It covers every mode, from metro and bus to shared mobility, cable cars and waterborne transport.
The 2027 edition is on 14-17 June at Hamburg Messe, in Hamburg. The local hosts are HOCHBAHN, the city’s metro, bus and ferry operator, the ride-pooling company MOIA, and Hamburg Messe und Congress. The edition after that will be in Hong Kong in 2028.
How the programme works
There are three strands: an exhibition with more than 300 exhibitors expected, a congress, and networking events. Around them are official ceremonies, including the UITP Awards, technical visits in and around Hamburg, and study tours before or after the Summit, which are not included in the registration fee. A detailed programme is due in early 2027.
The summit topics are grouped under people, operations, technology and data, and policy and planning. The last group includes financing, governance and procurement, which are the questions city transport departments usually bring. Each edition also has a few local spotlights; one of Hamburg’s is transforming cities through the expansion of high-capacity networks.
Who goes and how to take part
The audience is operators, transport authorities, manufacturers, IT suppliers and policy makers. There are three passes: Explore (exhibition only), Expertise (exhibition and congress) and Exchange (adds the networking events and catered sessions). Ticket sales start in January 2027; prices are on the registration page, with lower rates for UITP members.
To speak, the Call for Congress Sessions is open to all public transport professionals until 30 October 2026. Expo sessions are reserved for exhibitors. The UITP Awards, first launched in 2011, accept projects from UITP members until 6 November 2026.
Why it matters for cities
Rail, tram and bus projects are among the most concrete work described in futurehubs city profiles, such as Vantaa’s light rail in our interview with Mayor Pekka Timonen. The Summit is where the operators and authorities that run such systems compare results. Hamburg, named a Metropolitan Model Region for Mobility, is itself a useful case to see on technical visits.
Going, or following from home
If you want to present, the deadline is close: 30 October 2026. Otherwise, sign up on the organiser’s site to hear when registration opens in January 2027.