The digital revolution gets smarter: IT-TRANS 2024 concludes with a focus on the future

Technology is constantly accelerating – and the digital revolution taking place in public transport continues to develop.

As the largest event of its kind dedicated to I.T. and digitalisation in urban mobility, IT-TRANS brought together the biggest and brightest names in the sector (Karlsruhe, 14-16 May 2024).

Jointly organised and hosted by UITP and Messe Karlsruhe, the ninth edition saw our delegates discuss the next steps in innovation across the Conference and Exhibition.

For this year’s edition the key themes of IT-TRANS 2024 were Artificial Intelligence, Digital Transformation, Ticketing and Payment, Connectivity, 5G and Telecoms, Cyber Security, Shared Mobility and Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS), Data Standards and Governance and Autonomous Mobility.

Our programme held extra special moments throughout, including our keynote speaker Artificial Intelligence scientist and tech pioneer Inma Martinez, a focus on the growing role of AI in enhancing public transport, and a special UITP Summit-themed exhibition stand to launch our 2025 and 2027 editions in Hamburg.

Held under the patronage of the German Federal Ministry for Digital Transport and the Baden-Wurttemberg Ministry of Transport, IT-TRANS showed its relevance as the topic of AI grew within the 2024 edition.

With three plenary sessions, 14 parallel sessions, two power sessions, 13 market updates and 20 side events, the 2024 Conference programmeshaped the digital trends revolutionising public transport.

The latest products and innovations were launched and showcased during our exhibition, by the most recognisable names and faces, as our exhibition hallsaw market updates and start-up presentations.

Our Opening Ceremony saw keynote Inma Martinez deliver an informative speech on how AI can creates mobility benefits for our cities, Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing discussed the importance of developing the sector through collaboration, and UITP Deputy President Brieuc de Meeûs focused on the digital development of public transport. 

Other Conference highlights included the topic of the workforce shortage as one of the most critical challenges facing public transport – with UITP Secretary General Mohamed Mezghani moderating a session on how to best assist the recruitment and retention of staff, generating ideas to solve the crisis. 

The ninth edition of IT-TRANS saw a conclusion to the almost two decades of partnership between UITP and Messe Karlsruhe. The 2024 edition is the last to be co-organised between both, as UITP will focus its event efforts on the UITP Summit (with the next edition to be held in Hamburg, Germany, 15-18 June 2025). Mohamed Mezghani shared the stage with Messe Karlsruhe Managing Director Britta Wirtz to celebrate the achievements of IT-TRANS and to officially close the 2024 edition. 

With new discussions, a sector-leading Conference programme and an international Exhibition, IT-TRANS 2024 confirmed that the present and the future must be driven by technology!

Concluding IT-TRANS 2024 with our official press release

Links to all speakers’ presentations can be found on MyLibrary. An exclusive for UITP members!