Dubai to host UITP Global Public Transport Summit in 2026

The world's renowned summit will be an influential platform for experts and specialists to discuss advancements in public transportation

Anam Khan

Published: Thu 8 Jun 2023, 10:16 AM

Dubai has been selected to host the UITP Global Public Transport Summit in 2026, as announced by the International Association for Public Transport (UITP) during this year’s summit in Barcelona, Spain. The prestigious event, which brings together industry leaders and experts, will be hosted by Dubai for the second time following its successful hosting in 2011.

Mattar Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the board of executive directors of the RTA and Mohamed Mezghani, secretary-general of UITP, during the signing ceremony.

The UITP Global Public Transport Summit is a premier global event that attracts over 1,900 delegates from 100 countries and more than 15,000 attendees. The agreement was signed by Mattar Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the board of executive directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Mohamed Mezghani, secretary-general of the UITP.

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Al Tayer attributed Dubai’s selection as the host city for the summit to the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as well as the contributions of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, and Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the UAE.

“Dubai’s successful bid to host this prestigious global event is in perfect alignment with the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, which strives to position Dubai among the top three cities worldwide. It underscores Dubai’s global leadership as a preferred destination for international events and highlights the international community’s confidence in Dubai’s outstanding global reputation. The selection also exemplifies Dubai’s proven capability to host successful international events, showcasing the excellence and efficiency of its public transport infrastructure,” Al Tayer said.

The partnership between RTA and UITP has been strengthened over the years, with Dubai hosting the UITP World Congress and Exhibition in 2011 and four editions of the UITP MENA Congress and Exhibition. Under the directives of Sheikh Mohammed, RTA has completed numerous large-scale projects valued at over Dh146 billion, including the Dubai Metro, Dubai Tram, and a modern fleet of public buses.

“The road network has expanded significantly from 8,715 lane km in 2006 to 18,765 lane km in 2022. The cycling tracks network has expanded from a mere nine km in 2006 to an impressive 543 km in 2022,” Al Tayer added.

Dubai’s efforts to develop an integrated, sustainable transportation network has significantly increased the proportion of mass and shared mobility means, reaching 19.4 per cent in 2022. The usage of public and shared transportation witnessed remarkable growth, with over 621 million riders in 2022. RTA has also adopted zero-emissions public transportation in Dubai Strategy 2050.

The UITP Global Public Transport Summit in Dubai in 2026 will showcase the city’s advancements in urban mobility. “When the UITP Global Public Transport Summit arrives in Dubai in 2026, it will be exactly fifteen years since the Summit was last hosted there in 2011. Even back then, the city was very well-advanced in terms of urban mobility. Since then, public transport has developed at a truly impressive rate thanks to the strong focus and commitment of RTA. With the changes to our global events strategy, Dubai will become the first city outside of Europe to host the new UITP Annual Summit. I’m excited to see what outstanding urban mobility options the delegates will experience upon their arrival,” said Mezghani.

Dubai Metro

Connecting districts, redefining transit

World’s longest driverless metro, spans 89.3 km with 53 stations.
Over two billion passengers served since its inauguration in 2009.
Punctuality rating of 99.7 per cent and a key factor in Dubai’s successful hosting of Expo 2020.

Buses

Low emissions, high convenience

A fleet of over 1,400 Euro six standard buses, ensuring low carbon emissions.
Facilitating 175 routes and 2599 stops.
More than four million trips and 157 million riders served in 2022.

Marine transport

A scenic and efficient option

Serving around 16 million passengers in 2022, with a fleet of over 200 vehicles.
Water taxis, ferries, and traditional abras operate on 24 lines and 54 stations.

Smart Mobility

Driving into the Future

Dubai’s Smart Self-Driving Transport Strategy targets 25 per cent smart journeys by 2030.
Collaboration with Cruise for the launch of autonomous vehicles in 2023.
Dubai to become the first city outside the US to commercially operate Cruise’s AV.

Huge Success: RTA stages unprecedented UITP World Congress

RTA successfully hosted the 59th UITP World Congress and Exhibition in 2011, a first for the MENA region.
The exhibition featured a record-breaking 12 per cent increase in exhibitors across 30,000 square meters.
Over 10,000 visitors attended the event, fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration.
The inaugural UITP PTx2 Challenge winners were announced, showcasing innovation in public transport.
The congress strengthened RTA’s partnership with UITP, leading to the establishment of the MENA Centre for Transport Excellence.
Dubai committed to hosting the UITP MENA Transport Congress biennially for the next 10 years, with the fifth edition scheduled for 2024.