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26 January, 2023

Hooray for Hamburg! The UITP Global Summit Will Head to Germany for the 2025 and 2027 Editions

Global Events

Let’s Hear It for Hamburg as the German City Wins the Summit Bid

In November 2021, UITP announced our new approach to bringing the public transport sector together with our updated event strategy.

Following conversations and consultation with our membership, we decided to make the UITP Global Summit an annual gathering.

But what did that mean for those wonderful and impressive cities who bid to become our host location?

Well, with the news that the Summit would take place every year starting from 2025, we opened the tender for the 2025 and 2027 editions to any city on the European continent. In the new format, that same winning city would host both editions…

And now, after site visits, Board deliberations, and a nervous wait for our four shortlisted candidates, UITP is delighted to announce our winning city: Hamburg!

Hamburg will become the centre of the mobility world in 2025 and 2027, with the Hanseatic city becoming the first location for our new Summit venue format.

"The choice as the venue for the world's largest public transport congress confirms Hamburg's pioneering role in innovative mobility solutions. I am delighted that our partnership has enabled us to contribute to bringing the UITP Summit to Germany. This is also good news for the transport industry. German mechanical engineers can show the world that they have their finger on the pulse when it comes to intelligent on-demand transport, alternative drives or energy-efficient technologies. Public transport plays a key role in climate-friendly mobility. This makes international exchange and learning from each other all the more important. Together with the City of Hamburg, we want to use the full potential of the UITP Summit in 2025 and 2027 to advance climate protection worldwide."
Dr. Volker Wissing
Federal Minister for Digital Affairs and Transport

A Winning Bid For Our New Summit Format

With the news that the Summit will take place every year starting from 2025, we opened the tender for the 2025 and 2027 editions to any city on the European continent.

The UITP Executive Board spent time liaising, studying, and visiting our bid cities, and reached their conclusion on Hamburg as the winner in January 2023.

An impressive metropolis, Hamburg is Germany’s second largest city, and lies on the River Elbe. Home to Europe’s third largest port, it is a major international tourist destination. Housing several World Heritage Sites, the city has the highest number of bridges in all of Europe, with more than 2500 of them crossing the city’s rivers and canals…

Whether travelling by train, bus or ship, Hamburg is very well-connected, with public transport running across the city as the backbone of urban mobility.

“All that remains is to say: After the game is before the game! The award is a great confirmation of Hamburg’s ambitions for the future of mobility and, of course, an incentive for us to give further impetus in the field of innovation.” said Henrik Falk, CEO of Hamburger Hochbahn AG.

The winning news is now public and the city is starting to feel the excitement of becoming the global capital of public transport not once, but twice, in 2025 and 2027!

"I am delighted that Hamburg will become the host of the UITP Summit in 2025 and 2027. Our new event format will see the world of urban mobility arrive in the city not once, but twice, across two editions. Hosting the UITP Summit is not only about the positives for public transport, and the benefits for the local economy, but the impact it has on the host city: the Summit leaves a legacy to be proud of, and for Hamburg this will only increase. This is an incredible opportunity for UITP, our members, and delegates to build a new kind of relationship with our host city, and in a location with public transport to admire. I look forward to seeing what both editions will bring."
Mohamed Mezghani
UITP Secretary General *acting on behalf of Mohamed Mezghani SARL

Before We Head to Hamburg the Road to Barcelona Is Set!

We must also offer a huge congratulations and thanks to our other city bidders for 2025 and 2027, Geneva, Switzerland, Istanbul, Turkey and Vienna, Austria for their enthusiasm, dedication and interest.

Each location was and is an excellent example of an innovative, well-connected city, offering public transport to admire.

We will also make an announcement on the location of the UITP Summit in 2026 in the weeks ahead…

And we’ll be bringing you more from Hamburg in the coming months! 

But until then, it’s time to focus on 2023 with the Global Public Transport Summit heading to Barcelona under the theme “Bright Light of the City”.

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