Opening the exhibition, public transport benefits, and a focus on data: UITP Summit Day 2 Recap

As they say in Hamburg, “moin moin!” This morning professionals from the global public transport sector came together at the Hamburg Messe to celebrate the official opening of the UITP Summit exhibition!

UITP President Renée Amilcar and Secretary General Mohamed Mezghani were present this morning with VIPs to cut the official ribbon to open the exhibition. The exhibition space is home to over 400 exhibitors over 30,000 square metres, so there is a lot to see over the next few days!

The link between public transport and health was highlighted in the Power Session: From a Doctor’s Perspective: Public Transport Health Benefits For All. Maria Neira, Director of Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health at the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasised how much public transport and public health are interlinked.

She noted the benefits of public transport for populations are enormous and the sector has a real opportunity to make a difference, noting “you are ministers of health … you have an incredible potential to create environments where health is protected” and encouraged the sector to work with doctors on making the case for public transport.

In the same session, Andy Lord, Commissioner for Transport For London (TfL), noted that the sector has done a lot already, but that “we don’t talk enough about what we are doing from a health and environmental perspective” and that “I do not see any other sector that can do more in terms of prevention, getting people fitter and healthier.”

For those who have an Elevate pass for the Summit, each day participants can join ‘Elevate Talks’, where they have a chance to exchange with peers about lessons learned, best practices, and the latest innovative developments. Today’s talk focused on autonomous mobility and was moderated by Bernt Reitan Jenssen, CEO of Ruter. Speakers included Jeremy Yap, Deputy Chief Executive at LTA in Singapore; and Tina Wagner, Director-General for Transport at the German Ministry of Transport and Mobility Transition.

UITP’s involvement in the future of public transport was on full display at the Summit’s third-party funded project sessions. UITP Secretary General Mohamed Mezghani attended the eBRT2030 User Group meeting, noting the impact of BRT systems — which can be developed affordably and efficiently.

Increasing the walkability of our cities and tackling the obstacles will increase the use of public transport and bring positive change for all — this was a key message from today’s joint session by the NetZeroCities and UPPER projects. Our host city Hamburg is already on this path with projects like the redesigning of the Hamburg-Harburg station, upgrading bus stops to be barrier-free, and establishing walkability as a cross-sectorial approach.

The Summit is a real chance for the sector to meet and collaborate. The Unión de Ciudades Capitales Iberoamericanas (UCCI) and UITP took the opportunity to sign a Memorandum of Understanding, to cement their existing partnership and to develop the IBERbarómetro project.

This project will be a powerful tool giving insights on public transport in the cities covered by UCCI. UITP Secretary General Mohamed Mezghani noted the collaboration is an opportunity for cities in the region to showcase their achievements.

The Summit was also the chance for some high-level discussions between Magda Kopczyńska, Director-General for Mobility & Transport at the European Commission, and a delegation of Ukrainian mayors.

UITP President Renée Amilcar moderated today’s Plenary session: From insight to impact: harnessing data, technology and planning to enhance the appeal of public transport services.

Magda Kopczynska, Director-General for Mobility and Transport at the European Commission, got the session started, noting that we need to address climate change with shrinking budgets, despite demography challenges and a world that is becoming less certain. Public transport is part of the solution, and Magda emphasised multimodality and that we must think in a systematic way to ensure we fix how we move in, and around, our cities.

Abimbola Akinajo, Managing Director of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), noted how the new Lagos metro system is using data to ensure a more reliable, efficient and accessible service.

Looking more at the benefits of data to make impact on people’s lives and experience with transport, Thierry Mallet, Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer of Transdev showcased data on how people travel during a work day, illustrating how data can identify demand and where and what services to offer.

The Chilean Minister of Transport and Telecommunications, Juan Carlos Muñoz also shared on how data developments have been influential, from GPS systems on buses to real-time data for passengers. He noted that a public transport system has to be designed to provide convenience to people. We have to focus on moving people to get where they need to go.

Financing is also key of course. Michael Peeter, CEO of Siemens Mobility GmbH noted that we can see important gains when money is directed well. Henri Poupart-Lafarge, CEO of Alstom Group also noted that “to finance, you also need data. To convince financiers, there is a good business case there.”

The UITP Global Awards Ceremony – the coveted prize in public transport – honoured nine outstanding projects shaping the future of urban mobility. Held just after today’s Plenary session, the 2025 edition showcased global excellence and innovation across our sector.

See the full list of winners here. Congratulations to them all!

Join us tomorrow for another packed day of sessions, exhibitions, networking and more at the 2025 UITP Summit in Hamburg!