Taking place in Budapest, Hungary, from 18–21 May 2026, Transport Research Arena (TRA) 2026, organised by the European Commission, aims to inspire cross-sector collaboration to address the challenges of the evolving mobility landscape.
The event will gather stakeholders from all transport networks – road, rail, waterborne, and aviation – and create a unique forum for researchers, academics, students, engineers, infrastructure managers, transport operators, SMEs, start-ups, industry representatives, public authorities, and policy makers to engage and exchange.
With a dynamic programme that includes plenary and technical sessions, an exhibition, and live demonstrations, TRA 2026 will showcase groundbreaking innovations and ideas that shape the transport systems of tomorrow.
Visit the ERTICO Stand B/33
ERTICO will be actively present across many sessions, connect with stakeholders in the exhibition hall, and contribute to shaping the research and innovation agenda in Europe. Alongside its joint presence with many EU-funded projects showcased in the exhibition, ERTICO will present BoostEDIC M&L SMARTIN ePowerMove ZEV-UP INCLUSIVESPACES CULTURALROAD SUM CORESPACES.
Visitors can also learn more about early engagement opportunities to exhibit and become a partner for the ITS World Congress 2027. Meet the team on-site to learn more about the thematic areas and forthcoming Call for Contributions - opening at the end of October this year.
ERTICO’s team of experts participate across the Conference
On Tuesday, 19 May, from 16:00-17:00, CEO Joost Vantomme will serve as the Rapporteur for Special Session on 'International Cooperation: One system, many actors', focusing on coordinating European research and innovation with global partners, including the United States, Asia, and Africa. He will also chair the technical session on Wednesday, 20 May, from 14:00-15:30, covering the topic of 'Workforce Shifts in Transport Policy' to explore the critical human element of the mobility transition, including the impact of automation (CCAM) and remote work on travel behaviour and labour markets, and further contribute to the high-level CEDR Workshop with the Governing Board of Europe’s National Road Authorities to address the emerging skills gap and the digital competences required for the future of road infrastructure.
On Tuesday, 19 May, from 09:00–12:00, (Pavilion C, Room G15–G16), Head of Transport for Logistics, Dr Eusebiu Catana, will be keynote speaker at the session: Key insights from leading experts on digitalisation, innovation, and compliance across Europe’s transport and logistics sector, “From Data to Action: Enabling Paperless and Smart Digital Enforcement Compliance in Transport & Logistics – Key Lessons and Next Steps from the EU-Funded Projects”. This session will explore the potential of the BoostEDIC M&L, eFTI4ALL, eFTI4LIFE, SCUDO, 3DxVERSE, and O-CEI by addressing challenges around regulation and compliances into existing T&L systems.
Head of CCAM, Dr Stéphane Dreher, will moderate the Special Session 5.1 on '27 Pathway to CCAM deployment in the EU' on Wednesday 20 May, from 16:00–17:30 (Room P1). The session will explore how Europe can scale CCAM deployment beyond pilot projects by addressing challenges around regulation, public trust, infrastructure, and integration into existing mobility systems, with perspectives from cities, public transport agencies, the European Commission, and industry.
On the same day, from 14:00 – 15:30, Dr Vassilis Agouridas, Senior Manager at ERTICO, and co-chair of the IDI Platform, will present in the session titled '12 New innovative air services for an integrated European multimodal transport ecosystem'. This session will explore how drones are enabling new air services that complement existing ground and rail networks, adding a new dimension to Europe’s transport system. Vassilis will share concrete case studies from the IDI Platform to illustrate how new air services can support more connected, resilient and sustainable urban mobility across transport modes, and how such approaches can be replicated in other European contexts.
John Paddington, Head of PMO, will also take the stage on Wednesday, from 14:00 - 15:30, to present how the MetaCCAZE project has developed new concepts for Business Innovation and Governance Models for European Cities.
As an organisation committed to enabling cooperation across sectors, ERTICO is proud to support TRA’s mission of bridging research, industry, and policy developments. Stay tuned for more updates on ERTICO’s role at TRA2026 and how we continue to lead the way in future mobility solutions.
ERTICO's showcase and presentation of EU-funded Projects
In addition to leadership roles, ERTICO will showcase its extensive portfolio of EU-funded projects that are currently driving European innovation. As an organisation committed to enabling cooperation across sectors, we are proud to support TRA’s mission of bridging research, industry, and policy developments.
The SUM project is hosting an event called “Shared Mobility: Measuring Impact, Shaping Policy” that will take place on 19 May 2026 from 9:30 to 13:00. Cities from across Europe will present real-world experiences with shared mobility solutions, including bike-sharing, Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS), car sharing, demand-responsive transport, and mobility hubs. The session will focus on what has worked, what has not, and how these insights can inform future policy development. Participants can register via this form.
In addition, technical partners from the project will present four scientific papers, highlighting the latest research in transport and mobility.
CulturalRoad will present three papers during the event. “Accessibility as the Objective: An Equity-Focused Framework for CCAM Integration in Public Transport Networks” will be presented on Thursday, 21 May, from 15:30 to 17:00. The other two papers, titled “CulturalRoad: A Five-Pillar Framework for Equitable CCAM Implementation Across Europe” and “Accounting for vulnerable users in Public Transport Optimisation” will be presented during the poster presentation sessions.
The ZEV-UP project will also present three papers: “Electric Vehicle Adoption in Developing Economies: Literature Insights and Forecast for South Africa” will be presented on Monday, 18 May, 08:45-10:15, while the other two will be showcased during the poster presentation sessions. They are titled “Urban EV Adoption Charging Infrastructure Readiness Level (ECIRL) Index: A Strategic Tool for Policymakers to Assess Public Charging Infrastructure” and “Market Positioning for a New Compact Battery Electric Vehicle: Addressing Market Gaps in L6e And L7e Segments.”
The InclusiveSpaces project will showcase its TripleTread trike at the ERTICO stand, where participants will have the opportunity to see and try out the trike firsthand, highlighting its potential for accessible and inclusive mobility. There will also be a poster exhibition delivered by its technical partners, focusing on accessibility and inclusive design.
MACBETH will be showcased at the ALICE Village stand, and a charger mock-up will be exhibited at the European Commission booth. The project will also participate in the AEVETO session on Day 3 (Wednesday, 20 May), from 10:00 to 11:00.
CAMBER will be featured at the iRAP Innovation Workshop on 20 May, focused on “Future Ready Roads for Safe, Sustainable Mobility.” As part of the “Meet the Researchers” session (13:00–13:30), participants will have the opportunity to connect directly with project experts and learn more about CAMBER’s approach to enhancing safety on urban and secondary roads.
Finally, SYNERGIES, with the CCAMbassador project, will host an international workshop on Tuesday, May 19th, from 10:00 to 12:00, to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange among stakeholders.
SMARTIN will also be present at the ERTICO booth, where visitors can explore the project’s objectives and progress, and engage directly with the project coordinator, Anaïs Baudrier, to learn more about SMARTIN’s approach to smarter, safer and more resilient transport infrastructure.
NEXUS will actively contribute to TRA 2026 through technical sessions, poster presentations, and stakeholder workshops focused on the future of metro innovation and smart mobility in Europe. The project will also host its 3rd External Advisory Board (EAB) Workshop, bringing together key stakeholders to discuss project progress, validate ongoing work, and support the deployment of next-generation metro systems. More information is available here.
EvoRoads will participate in TRA 2026 with the poster presentation “Accelerometer-Based Pavement Condition Monitoring Using Connected Vehicle Data within a CCAM Framework”, showcasing an innovative approach to real-time road surface monitoring using connected vehicle data. The project demonstrates how accelerometer data and 5G V2I communication can support continuous pavement assessment, helping road authorities detect defects, optimise maintenance operations, and improve infrastructure management. Read more here.
FEDORA will contribute through a technical session on seamless urban mobility and multiple poster presentations, highlighting innovative approaches to multimodal traffic management, intelligent congestion pricing, and integrated reservation frameworks.