200 Years of Rail: What's On at UITP?
On 27 September 1825, rail as we know it took a big leap forward.
That day, 200 years ago, passengers in the North-East of England jumped aboard the Stockton & Darlington Railway. Decades of innovations and improvements later, and millions every day still take urban rail around the globe.
To mark the historic occasion, UITP is organising a Regional & Suburban Rail Division meeting in Newcastle-upon-Tyne hosted by Network Rail and Nexus. The timing is just right, making it an ideal opportunity to once again kick the Division for the first time in a long while.
The Division brings together rail operators, infrastructure managers, and authorities to gather the insights of all the different professionals who keep regional and suburban rail moving. At the event, global members join to define the future of urban rail at the same time as they explore its storied history.
The UK marks Railway200 with events and exhibitions all over the country and UITP members will be joining in.
The UITP Regional & Suburban Rail Division will consider four themes key to the future of urban rail:
Climate Resilience
From floods to snowstorms, extreme heat and unpredictable swings in weather, climate events can wreak havoc. And as these events become more frequent, the resilience of public transport and rail to them must become stronger.
Together in the Division, regional and suburban rail professionals will discuss how to improve resilience, safeguarding both services and passengers.
Reviving Regional and Rural Railways
Abandoned railways or freight-only tracks can be a perfect place to renew passenger services, especially in regional and rural areas.
UITP members will discuss the reopening of rail to enhance low-carbon connectivity, and they will also get to see a real example of success. Participants can join a technical visit of the Northumberland Line, where, in December 2024, passengers flocked to ride the 26km track for the first time since the 1960s – 50,000 in the first month alone.
Governance
Efficient and effective governance will help us better use the resources we have, in addition to being more responsive in times of crisis. And governance is a topic that the Division will also discuss.
Who decides what services should run? What governance models can help us make the most out of our network?
Railway Heritage
Celebrating 200 years of rail is the ideal time to share insights on how to promote and capitalise on railway history and heritage.
Participants of the UITP Regional & Suburban Rail Division will get the chance to visit the Hopetown in Darlington (located at the heart of that very first train’s route) to see the preservation of railway heritage and how it continues to work today.
Promoting Urban Rail Worldwide
As a global association, UITP promotes urban rail in regions across the world. In India, the international urban rail sector will gather to share success stories in rail, as well as big trends such IT modernisation, cyberthreats, and more.
That’s just the beginning of how UITP is advancing urban rail transformation. For one, at the NEXUS project’s General Assembly and Advisory Board Workshop the project’s contributions on future-proof metro systems will be showcased, with experts coming from all over Europe.
Meanwhile, October 2025 will see the UITP Metro Operations Platform meet in Tbilisi, Georgia at the same time as the Light Rail Committee in Toronto, Canada.
Sharing insights and new perspectives is global – our members bring value to the discussion wherever they are.
