From Planning To Operations: Implementing Effective Urban Rail Systems at the UITP Eurasia Conference 2025
The UITP Eurasia Conference 2025 brought together leading voices in urban transport from across the globe. Experts, innovators, and policymakers from regions as diverse as Belgium, India, Georgia, Spain, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and China came together to share knowledge, explore emerging trends, and discuss the future of urban rail systems.
The conference also benefited from strong and diverse participation from across Türkiye, with representatives from many metropolitan municipalities, transport authorities, operators, and industry stakeholders, reflecting the country’s dynamic and rapidly evolving urban rail landscape. Held in Kocaeli, Turkey, from 9–10 December, the conference placed particular emphasis on the entire life cycle of urban rail projects — from strategic planning and securing sustainable financing, to effective project delivery, digital transformation, and preparing the workforce for successful system launch and operation.
Success in rail system projects is only possible by managing all processes together with stakeholders, based on trust.
Through plenary sessions, technical visits, and interactive workshops, participants explored how well-planned metro, tram, and LRT networks can become the backbone of transit-oriented cities, reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality, and foster inclusive economic growth. The event highlighted the growing importance of integrated multimodal systems, customer-centric digital services, and resilient infrastructure in the Eurasia region and beyond.
The conference closed with a strong shared commitment: by collaborating across borders and accelerating the implementation of sustainable urban mobility solutions, the public transport community can deliver cleaner, more connected, and truly livable cities for current and future generations
Day One: Conference Day (9 December)
The UITP Eurasia Conference 2025 opened on 9 December in Kocaeli with three inspiring welcome speeches that perfectly set the tone.
Mayor Doç. Dr. Tahir Büyükakın stressed that sustainable transport is now a necessity for Turkey and the region, calling for bold investments, transit-oriented planning, and international cooperation. “Kocaeli is ready to be a laboratory for the future of mobility,” he declared.
Mohamed Mezghani, UITP Secretary General, highlighted the vital role of urban rail in the fight against climate change and praised UITP’s ongoing support for members through knowledge, research, and global advocacy.
Serhan Çatal, CEO of Kocaeli Ulaşımpark, proudly presented Kocaeli’s passenger-focused achievements and ambitious plans for high-frequency trams and new metro lines.
With this strong common vision, the conference began its deep dive into the full life cycle of urban rail projects — united in the belief that well-planned rail systems can deliver cleaner, more livable, and resilient cities across Eurasia.
The Planning and Investments in Urban Rail session of the UITP Eurasia Conference provided a comprehensive overview of the urban rail life cycle, bringing together strategic, technical, and policy perspectives on successful project delivery. Contributions from Dr. Hayri Baraçlı, Dr. Yalçın Eyigün, Mohamed Mezghani, and Prof. Ela Babalık highlighted the importance of integrated, forward-looking, and people-centred planning for sustainable urban rail investments across the Eurasia region.
The session highlighted that effective rail investments require a holistic and integrated approach, covering the full journey from early planning and governance to implementation and long-term operations. Speakers emphasized how personal assumptions and preconceived “lenses” can obscure real problems, underscoring the need for evidence-based and objective decision-making.
Discussions stressed the importance of transforming urban governance models, with decisions taken coherently at strategic, tactical, and operational levels and supported by clear policies. Participants underlined that solving today’s mobility challenges must not create future problems, making long-term, sustainable planning essential.
The adaptation of legal frameworks to urban needs and the proactive management of risks were also identified as key success factors.
The session further explored the growing role of digitalisation and artificial intelligence in addressing urban mobility challenges, alongside transport-oriented development (TOD) and value capture mechanisms as innovative financing tools. Speakers emphasized that transport planning must be aligned with land-use and zoning decisions and, critically, should begin before urban development takes place.
A strong focus was placed on holistic planning, integrating technical, economic, geographical, environmental, and urban development dimensions. Long-term planning consistency, effective communication with society during construction phases, and early stakeholder engagement were highlighted as essential. Several examples demonstrated how communities and local businesses, initially opposed to projects, became strong advocates once actively involved in the process.
In response to increasing climate impacts, the session addressed the importance of climate-resilient planning, including the use of green infrastructure, permeable surfaces, and white roof applications to strengthen the resilience of urban transport systems.
The Project Delivery and Infrastructure Implementation session addressed the complex and multi-stakeholder nature of metro and rail projects, emphasising the critical role of effective time and cost management across the entire project life cycle.
Moderated by Dr. Ferial Quahrani, Research Project Manager at UITP, the session featured valuable insights from Erman Eryılmaz (Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality), Özge Arıoğlu (Yapı Merkezi), Zhu Di (Beijing Traffic Control Technology), and Hasan Mohammad Al Mutawa (RTA Dubai), bringing together perspectives from authorities, operators, contractors, and technology providers.
Speakers underlined that successful project delivery goes beyond engineering excellence. Strong coordination, robust governance structures, and effective leadership are essential to manage complexity and ensure outcomes that are reliable, safe, inclusive, and of high quality—alongside meeting time and budget targets.
Key discussions addressed the role of BIM in minimising interface and integration challenges, as well as the need to define RAMS criteria from the earliest stages of project development. Participants emphasised the importance of anticipating uncertainty, optimising risks, and involving contractors early in the process to add value and reduce change requests during delivery.
The session also explored emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and virtual coupling, and their potential to improve operational efficiency. A recurring message was the need to remove traditional barriers between authorities, operators, and contractors, and to move towards trust-based collaboration models.
Finally, special attention was given to the critical transition from construction to operations—recognised as a major threshold in every rail project—where early planning, coordination, and organisational readiness are key to long-term success.
The Operational Readiness and Starting Up session focused on the critical transition from construction to operations, highlighting the organisational, human resource, and leadership elements required to ensure a safe, efficient, and timely start-up of metro services. Moderated by Dilber Tekgöl, Operations Manager at EsTram, the session featured insights from Serhan Çatal (Kocaeli UlaşımPark), Dr. Özgür Soy (Metro İstanbul), and Mehmet Canbulut (Kayseri Ulaşım).
Speakers shared valuable experiences on establishing robust operations and maintenance organisations, defining roles and responsibilities, and developing effective recruitment and training plans. A key message was that the success of any rail system depends fundamentally on a well-prepared and competent workforce.
Discussions emphasised the importance of long-term career planning when commissioning new projects, retaining experienced staff, and systematically training new teams. The session also highlighted encouraging progress in gender diversity, with women’s employment in public transport in Istanbul exceeding 15%, serving as an inspiring example for the sector.
Finally, participants underlined that performance management alone is not sufficient; leadership qualities, crisis management capabilities, and problem-solving skills must also be assessed and developed to build resilient and high-performing rail operations.
The Digitalization for Efficient and Sustainable Operation session explored how digitalisation is transforming urban rail systems, highlighting global trends such as automation, data-driven planning, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), new financing models, and the growing importance of customer experience. Moderated by Dr. Büşra Buran, Head of Strategy Development Department at İETT, the session brought together international perspectives from Zaza Sharkovi (Tbilisi Metro), Sinan Karakuzu (İzmir Metro), Artur Sarrate (TMB), Fatih Tiryaki (Kocaeli UlaşımPark), and Michael O. Banjo (Transport for London).
Speakers emphasised that digitalisation is no longer optional but a necessity for modern rail systems. The use of sensors, data analytics platforms, predictive maintenance, and decision-support systems was shown to significantly reduce costs while improving safety, operational efficiency, and passenger experience. Real-world examples demonstrated that digitalisation is not merely a technological upgrade, but a broader organisational and cultural transformation.
Discussions also compared in-house and outsourced maintenance models, with İzmir Metro’s fully in-house approach highlighted as a strong example. Barcelona’s digitalisation journey further illustrated how digital switch motor applications can positively impact both operations and maintenance processes. The session reinforced a fundamental principle: “If you cannot measure it, you cannot manage it.”
Passenger-facing staff and their influence on service quality, safety, and customer satisfaction were examined through case studies from Transport for London, underlining the importance of integrating passenger feedback into continuous service improvement. Overall, the session confirmed digitalisation as a key enabler of efficient, resilient, and customer-centric urban rail systems, supporting proactive decision-making and sustainable urban mobility.
One of the most inspiring sessions of the conference brought the spotlight to young professionals shaping the future of urban rail. Moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Güzin Akyıldız Alçura, the session highlighted the energy, expertise, and fresh perspectives of the next generation of transport professionals.
Huzeyfe Kara (Kayseri Ulaşım), Furkan Karakuş (Metro İstanbul), Anıl İşcan (Yıldız Technical University), Ayhan Koyun (Metro İstanbul), and Safa Bacak (Kocaeli UlaşımPark) shared their ongoing projects and innovative approaches, offering new insights into planning, sustainability, R&D, operations, and maintenance in public transport.
Their presentations clearly demonstrated that the future of rail systems is in capable hands. The session reinforced our confidence in the sector’s future, showing how young talent, supported by knowledge and collaboration, will play a key role in shaping more efficient, sustainable, and people-centred urban rail systems.
Day Two: Technical Visit and Workshop Day (10 December)
During the visit, participants explored the Tramway Control Centre, where real-time transport data is collected and analyzed through the integration of line cameras, road sensors, and GPS data.
The system enables dynamic traffic signal management, prioritizes emergency vehicles, and supports data-driven decision-making through detailed travel and performance analyses. The visit also included the Akçaray Tramway Maintenance and Depot Facility, which meets modern light rail maintenance standards.
The facility features seven maintenance tracks, the capacity to service six vehicles simultaneously, and a depot area accommodating up to 33 tram vehicles. Operating 24/7, the workshop carries out daily inspections, scheduled and corrective maintenance, cleaning, repairs, and overhauls. The integrated depot infrastructure ensures efficient, safe, and reliable tram operations, supporting Ulaşımpark’s commitment to a smart, efficient, and sustainable urban transport system.
Two interactive workshops were held focusing on the key challenges of rail project delivery and operational readiness. The first workshop addressed the complexity of rail system development, highlighting the importance of structured project management, coordination across engineering disciplines, risk management, and stakeholder collaboration to ensure timely and cost-effective project delivery. Practical exercises were conducted on project planning and performance monitoring, including the definition and use of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
The second workshop focused on preparing for operations and maintenance, emphasizing workforce development, mobilization planning, and organizational readiness. Participants engaged in hands-on exercises to identify required competencies and determine the necessary fleet size to meet passenger demand, ensuring a safe, efficient, and reliable start of service.
Key takeaways
Success in rail systems can only be achieved by addressing planning, design, construction, system integration, testing and certification, operations, maintenance, and customer experience as an integrated whole. Each phase is interconnected, and every decision shapes the next stage. For this reason, interdisciplinary collaboration, a shared understanding, and strong governance are more critical than ever.
This year across the Eurasia region, digitalisation, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) applications, climate-resilient infrastructure, data-driven management models, innovative financing tools, and sustainable mobility solutions emerged as key trends. Throughout the conference, we witnessed how this transformation is accelerating across cities in the region.
As UITP, our mission is to bring together knowledge, experience, and experts to support the development of stronger, safer, and more sustainable rail systems across Eurasia. We would like to sincerely thank all our speakers, participants, partners, and our host, Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality and Ulaşımpark A.Ş., for making this valuable gathering possible.
Together, we will continue building safer, more efficient, and more sustainable rail systems for the future of Eurasia.
