As cities continue to evolve, urban mobility systems are increasingly shaped by their role as critical nodes within wider transport corridors, linking local and regional networks. This changing landscape calls for preparedness for emerging trends such as automated mobility, alongside progress in energy transition, digitalisation, and data-driven approaches, while ensuring that social considerations remain central. It also underscores the importance of forward-looking policy frameworks and the readiness of policymakers to engage, discuss, and act in order to translate innovation into coherent, implementable solutions.
Held under the theme “ITS agenda for liveable, resilient and prosperous urban nodes: automation, electrification, multimodal hubs and societal aspects”, the Smart Mobility Summit of Cities and Regions, will take place at the 17th ITS European Congress in Istanbul on Monday, 27th April from 12:45 to 17:45. Invited public authority representatives and policymakers will convene to share smart mobility-related best practices, and successes, but also existing and emerging gaps to address potential solutions with their peers.
With 35 cities already confirmed for this year’s Summit, it reinforces the strong engagement from across European cities. Focusing on highlighting priorities and trends, the discussion aims to support local and regional governments in advancing innovative, sustainable mobility strategies that deliver tangible benefits for citizens.
Topics of focus at this year’s Smart Mobility Summit of Cities and Regions
As part of the EU’s broader climate and smart mobility agenda, the TEN-T regulations have strengthened the role of cities as vital enablers of sustainable, efficient, and multimodal transport. In the EU, 431 cities have been designated as urban nodes and have specific requirements to promote seamless traffic flows. While this framework is specific to the EU, the underlying challenges and ambitions are shared well beyond its borders, including in Türkiye, where major international transport corridors intersect, and cities play a critical role in connecting regional and global mobility networks. As host city, Istanbul illustrates the strategic importance of urban nodes in managing complex, high-volume multimodal flows and in supporting the performance of wider transport corridors.
The Summit will address four main topics:
- Beyond fleet electrification: Powering investable urban mobility systems
- Cities are ready to deploy connected and automated mobility
- Evolution of multimodal hubs by 2030 – role of digitalisation and data
- Social aspects of mobility and transport in human-centric cities
The outcome of each year’s edition of the Smart Mobility Summit of Cities and Regions reflects the importance of strengthening collaboration in delivering smart mobility solutions that are both scalable and inclusive. It offers a valuable opportunity for cities and regions to engage with peers and partners, and to contribute to shaping the future of mobility in Europe and beyond.
Participating cities, regions and municipalities:
Ankara Metropolitan Municipality (Türkiye)
Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality (Türkiye)
Bursa Metropolitan Municipality (Türkiye)
City of Cagliari (Italy)
Coventry City Council (United Kingdom)
Çanakkale Municipality (Türkiye)
Dublin City Council (Ireland)
Edirne Municipality (Türkiye)
Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality (Türkiye)
Flanders (Flemish Region, Belgium)
Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality (Türkiye)
Municipality of Genoa (Comune di Genova, Italy)
Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (Germany)
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (Türkiye)
Izmir Metropolitan Municipality (Türkiye)
Municipality of Kifissia (Greece)
Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality (Türkiye)
Municipality of Lamia (Greece)
Manisa Metropolitan Municipality (Türkiye)
Mersin Metropolitan Municipality (Türkiye)
Muğla Metropolitan Municipality (Türkiye)
Municipality of Patras (Greece)
Municipality of Prishtina (Kosovo)
City of Rzeszów (Poland)
Samsun Metropolitan Municipality (Türkiye)
Şanlıurfa Metropolitan Municipality (Türkiye)
Tekirdağ Metropolitan Municipality (Türkiye)
The Summit is a closed event, with participation limited to invited representatives. An official release summarising the discussions and outcomes will be made available following the event.