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Istanbul 2026 ITS European Congress

27 - 29 April 2026 | Istanbul Congress Centre (ICC), Istanbul

Istanbul has always been a city defined by movement. Its history is shaped by trade routes, cultural exchange and the constant flow of people across land and sea. The city stands at the meeting point of continents, where ideas travel as easily as goods and where transport has long been a foundation of civic life. This sense of connection gives Istanbul a natural affinity with intelligent mobility. It understands the importance of networks, the value of integration and the power of innovation. These qualities make it an inspired host for the 2026 ITS European Congress, a gathering that will bring the continent’s transport community to a city that has been a crossroads for centuries.

The Congress arrives at a moment when Europe’s mobility landscape is evolving at speed. Cities are rethinking how people move through dense urban environments. Regions are exploring new models for freight, logistics and cross-border connectivity. Operators are adopting digital tools that reshape planning, operations and customer experience. Policymakers are navigating the pressures of climate commitments, economic change and public expectation. Technology providers are developing solutions that blend automation, electrification and data-driven intelligence. These developments are creating a sector where collaboration is essential and innovation is continuous.

Istanbul provides a compelling setting for these discussions. Its transport ecosystem is one of the most diverse in Europe, combining metro lines, tram networks, bus corridors, ferries, cable cars and emerging autonomous services. The city’s approach to mobility is shaped by long-term planning and a willingness to embrace new ideas. Delegates will encounter a context where digital traffic management is advancing, where multimodal integration is a daily reality and where infrastructure renewal is treated as a strategic priority. Istanbul’s blend of heritage and modernity gives the Congress a distinctive energy, allowing conversations about the future to unfold in a place that has always understood the importance of movement.

The conference programme will reflect the breadth of the sector. Sessions will explore how automation is influencing operations across public transport, shared mobility and freight. Discussions will examine the role of data governance in building trust, the importance of cybersecurity in protecting connected systems and the challenges of integrating new technologies with established infrastructure. Speakers will bring perspectives from cities that are navigating rapid growth, regions that are investing in resilience and operators that are redefining service delivery through digital transformation. The programme will also highlight the policy frameworks shaping Europe’s mobility future, from climate strategy to digital regulation.

The exhibition will showcase technologies that span every mode and every discipline. Visitors can expect to see advances in autonomous vehicles, electrification, traffic analytics, multimodal platforms, intelligent signalling, connected freight and active travel solutions. Demonstrations will reveal how these technologies interact across networks, showing the value of systems thinking in creating transport systems that are efficient, sustainable and responsive. Exhibitors from across Europe and beyond will present solutions shaped by their own urban and regional contexts, offering insight into how innovation is being applied in cities with different needs and priorities.

Istanbul 2026 will also shine a light on the human dimension of mobility. Transport is shaped by people who design networks, build infrastructure, operate services and rely on them every day. The Congress will explore how workforce skills are evolving in an era of automation, how leadership culture influences innovation and how public engagement shapes trust in new technologies. These conversations matter because mobility is not only a technical challenge. It is a social one.

For ITS Now, the Congress represents an opportunity to deepen our coverage of European mobility trends and highlight the ideas shaping the next decade of intelligent transport. Istanbul offers a setting where innovation can be observed in context, where international collaboration can flourish and where the future of mobility can be explored with both ambition and realism. Our role as Official Media Partner reflects our commitment to storytelling that blends technical insight with strategic understanding, bringing clarity to the complexity of modern transport.

As April approaches, anticipation is building across the sector. The ITS European Congress has always been a landmark moment in the mobility calendar, and Istanbul promises to deliver a gathering that is both ambitious and grounded, global in outlook yet shaped by the character of its host city. The event will bring together leaders, innovators and practitioners who are shaping transport systems that are safer, cleaner, more efficient and more resilient. It will showcase technologies ready for deployment, ideas ready for debate and strategies ready for adoption. It will also reinforce the importance of collaboration, because the future of mobility is a shared endeavour.

Istanbul 2026 will be more than a conference. It will be a celebration of European expertise, a moment of international connection and a platform for shaping the future of intelligent transport across the continent.

See our Istanbul 2026 ITSEC content below:

No.7 - ITS European Congress 2026
Review Special Edition

The special edition of ITS Edge Magazine has arrived, serving as the definitive review of what happened at the 17th ITS European Congress held in the historic and vibrant city of Istanbul between 27 and 29 April. This special issue moves beyond the headlines to explore how one of the world's most complex urban environments provided the perfect backdrop for a global strategy session on the future of mobility. Istanbul was not merely a host city, it was a living laboratory where the industry grappled with the transition from isolated pilots to city-wide platforms.

No.6 - Spring 2026
Welcome to Istanbul

In this edition of ITS Edge, we are celebrating the 2026 ITS European Congress in Istanbul. We are welcomed to the event by Joost Vantomme, CEO of ERTICO, who shows us what to look out for at the congress. We are also joined by Max Sugarman, Chief Executive of ITS UK, who explains how British innovation is class-leading in Europe. With so many technology developments occurring at the same time, I examine if 2026 is when ITS Comes of Age.

Istanbul as Crossroads
Our extensive roundup of what happened at the 2026 ITS European Congress?

Istanbul felt less like a conference and more like a continental crossroads where policy, industry and city practice were being actively stitched together.

Day 3 - ITS European Congress 2026 - What's Happening Today?
The 2026 ITS European Congress Third Day.

The final morning of the ITS European Congress in Istanbul has dawned with a sense of culmination, anticipation and, for many delegates, a quiet determination to make the most of the hours that remain.

Day 2 - ITS European Congress 2026 - Daily Round Up
What happened on the second day of the ITS European Congress?

The second day of the ITS European Congress in Istanbul opened with a sense of purpose that felt markedly different from the scene just twenty-four hours earlier.

Day 2 - ITS European Congress 2026 - What's Happening Today?
The 2026 ITS European Congress Second Day.

The second day of the ITS European Congress in Istanbul dawns with a sense of momentum that feels markedly different from the cautious optimism of previous years.

Day 1 - ITS European Congress 2026 - Daily Round Up
What happened on the first day of the ITS European Congress?

The first morning of the ITS European Congress in Istanbul began not with the usual polite warm-up of a major industry gathering, but with a sense of acceleration, as if the sector had collectively decided that 2026 would no longer tolerate incrementalism.

Day 1 - ITS European Congress 2026 - What's Happening Today?
Looking forward to what to expect at the first day.

What's happening at the Istanbul Congress Centre for the ITS European Congress, and a personal welcome from Joost Vantomme, CEO of ERTICO.

2026 ITS European Congress Istanbul - Look ahead
Whether you’re in Istanbul or at home, be HERE, at ITS Now.

As Official Media Partner for this year’s Congress, ITS Now will be reporting daily on the announcements, debates, technologies and sector-shaping conversations that will define Europe’s ITS agenda for the year ahead.