UITP Summit 2028: Meet the top three candidate cities bidding to host

This June, Hamburg will become the urban mobility capital of the world across the week of activities for the UITP Summit 2025 (15-18 June).

And next April, the global public transport community will arrive in Dubai for the 2026 edition (21-23 April), as we introduce our new annual format.

It’s an exciting time for UITP, our members, and the sector, as the most important diary event in the calendars of public transport professionals becomes an annual gathering. Under our new format, we will return to Hamburg for the 2027 edition, but where will we meet in 2028?

Following an initial call for interest for host cities outside of Europe, the UITP Executive Board has held extensive deliberations and selected a top three shortlist of candidates.

We’re proud to announce that the 2028 UITP Summit will arrive in one of these three exciting and international cities:

Guangzhou, with Host: Guangzhou Metro Group Co., Ltd

Hong Kong, with Host: MTR Corporation Limited

Vancouver, with Host: TransLink

Congratulations to all three candidate cities! 

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

The final decision on the winning host city will be announced in February 2026.

In the lead-up to next year, we’ll be spending more time with all three candidates, getting to know what it would mean for them to welcome the world of urban mobility to their city. But until then, let’s take a highlighted look at each one on the road to 2028 and beyond!

Guangzhou

Guangzhou is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in southern China. Located on the Pearl River, it is a major economic and cultural hub, and home to one of the world’s largest and most efficient public transport networks. Its metro is one of the busiest in the world, and its Bus Rapid Transit system is a highly integrated network, and one of the world’s largest BRT systems. Guangzhou also has daily high-speed services between ferry terminals, providing residents and visitors with multiple mobility options.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong has a highly developed and internationally renowned public transport network, with the majority of all daily trips by residents taking place aboard their local transport options. With an extensive rail network as the backbone of its system, Hong Kong is well connected to surrounding areas and districts through seamless intermodal integration. With a strong focus on smart ticketing, Hong Kong exemplifies how innovation can shape resilient, future-ready cities.

Vancouver

A major city in Western Canada, Vancouver is located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, and has regularly been ranked as one of the most liveable cities in the world. The city’s public transport system features a fully integrated network of SkyTrain, buses, ferries, and bike infrastructure, and offers its residents and visitors an inclusive system focused on sustainability and green initiatives.

There are many milestones along the way as we navigate the road to our next Summit location, and the announcement of the bid cities for 2028 is a special moment.

For the 2025 edition, alongside our local hosts, Hamburg Hochbahn, MOIA and the Hamburg Messe und Congress, the UITP Summit will welcome more than 10,000 public transport professionals ranging from operators, authorities, industry suppliers and policy makers from across the globe.

Stay tuned as we follow the journey to the 2028 Summit, and join us on the road to Hamburg 2025…

Register for the UITP Summit 2025 in Hamburg this June!