From 18 to 21 May 2026, Budapest will host Europe's largest transport research and innovation event, the Transport Research Arena (TRA) conference and exhibition. The biennial event is organised jointly by the host country and the EU's professional institutions, serving as the most important meeting point for those exploring and shaping the future of sustainable, safe, and smart mobility.
BUDAPEST, HU / ACCESS Newswire / November 26, 2025 / The central theme of the 2026 Budapest conference, "Re-Generation in Transport," highlights the need for renewal and for involving the next generations. The event aims to provide space for ideas and developments that support the transformation of transport amid environmental, social, and technological challenges.
TRA 2026 will focus on four main areas:
User-centric mobility, centered on new service models, the integration of multimodal transport systems, and the development of personalised, smart solutions;
Green mobility and decarbonisation, with emphasis on electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles, alternative fuels, energy-recovery systems and the implementation of zero-emission urban zones;
Planning and operations, including system-level planning, data-driven traffic management, predictive maintenance and integrated logistics solutions;
Digitalisation of transport, covering autonomous vehicles, IoT devices, digital-twin-based systems and big-data analytics for more efficient mobility.
"TRA 2026 is not only a meeting point for the scientific community, but also for industry stakeholders and start-ups. A key goal is to enable real collaborations between exhibitors and partners, and to showcase their developments to the broadest European audience," - said Tamás Bartal, Chair of the TRA 2026 Organising Committee.
European Collaboration, Hungarian Participation
The organising consortium of TRA 2026 consists of nine Hungarian and international partners: Magyar Közút Zrt. (Hungarian Public Roads), the KTI Institute for Transport Sciences, the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), the BKK Centre for Budapest Transport (BKK), Széchenyi University (SZE), the Hungarian Scientific Association for Transport (KTE), the European organisations FEHRL and ECTRI, and University College Dublin (UCD).
The conference offers an opportunity for Hungarian researchers and companies to connect directly with European innovation networks. Hungarian transport innovations - such as the ZalaZONE test track and the National Laboratory for Autonomous Systems - demonstrate that domestic research and development play an active role in shaping the future of European mobility.
Background Information - About TRA
The Transport Research Arena (TRA) is a joint initiative of the European Commission and leading European organisations, showcasing the latest results in transport research and innovation every two years since 2006. Previous host cities have included Gothenburg, Ljubljana, Brussels, Athens, Paris, Warsaw, Vienna, Helsinki, Lisbon, and Dublin.
TRA 2026 will be the 11th edition of the conference, held from 18 to 21 May 2026 at the HUNGEXPO Budapest Congress and Exhibition Centre. The event brings together stakeholders from research, industry, and policy, fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing to shape the future of sustainable transport in Europe.
More information: www.traconference.eu
Contact Information
Patrik Erdei
PR Account Manager
patrik.erdei@lounge.hu
+36202757909
SOURCE: Lounge Communication Kft.
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/budapest-to-host-europes-largest-transport-research-event-transp-1111879
