In Europe alone, regional rail, light rail, tram and metro systems carry about 28 billion passengers annually – and each passenger demands that each rail mode runs smoothly on its own and that it offers seamless interconnection. There is a pressing need for local rail operators and infrastructure owners to work together more efficiently and effectively to be able to properly serve their daily customers.

Following the tremendous success of UITP’s rail-related conferences in previous years, UITP is delighted to present its first-ever Local Rail Summit in the City of Warsaw, Poland.

The Summit, prepared for you by the Metro, Light Rail and Regional Railways Divisions of UITP, will highlight the benefits of each local rail mode and its specific challenges, as well as underlying intermodal synergies. Overarching topics related to all modes such as policy, financing, customer services and the potential for rail integration will be discussed. The Summit will also include separate modal sessions focussing on specific issues and challenges.

Poland, having left behind the transition period of the last millennium with skyrocketing car ownership rates, quickly realised that cities cannot function without an efficient and attractive public transport system. A strong rail legacy was the basis for modernisation and new development efforts in the whole country. Warsaw, the capital, with its fast-developing economy and its location straddling the crossroads between Eastern and Western Europe, is the nucleus of the country’s development.

The Summit audience and speakers represent key stakeholders, leading figures and some of the best minds in the local rail sector presenting the most forward-thinking best-in-class solutions, sharing behind-the-scenes insights and fostering valuable contacts.

This is a must-attend event for any organisation or company wishing to access valuable and useful information on the multitude of aspects related to local rail, because the expansion of every rail network is key to providing a greener environment, reduced congestion and ultimately deliver what passengers demand.

Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz

Mayor of Warsaw