ERTICO – ITS Europe is pleased to announce the official launch of the 17th ITS European Congress, which will be hosted in Istanbul from 27–29 April 2026. The launch event, held on Wednesday 18 June, marked the beginning of the Congress life-cycle, bringing together senior representatives from the host committee, supporting local and national authorities and industry representatives.
Organised by ERTICO, in collaboration with the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and ISBAK, and supported by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Türkiye, the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye (TBB), and ITS Türkiye, the Congress will convene stakeholders across the broader mobility and transport ecosystem to experience innovation in real life. As a landmark event where participants can experience real-world solutions, participants will experience how current solutions and services already operate on the ground, learning from leading experts, and exchange knowledge on the practical deployment of intelligent mobility systems.
A Congress theme of Bridging Innovation towards Integrated, Safe and Seamless Mobility
This theme reflects both the geographical symbolism and the technological aspirations of Istanbul as a gateway between Europe and Asia. Anchored in a dynamic urban mobility strategy, the city is proactively working on key priorities to reduce congestion, advancing traffic management, promoting active mobility, and enhancing resilience, particularly in disaster management, one of its main priorities. These areas will form the backbone of the city’s contribution to the event, showcasing tangible progress at the local, regional, and national levels.
As Istanbul continues its transformation into a more efficient, liveable and intelligent mobility ecosystem, the Congress will highlight its unique position to showcase operational mobility solutions already in motion, providing a platform for sharing lessons learned, evaluating deployment outcomes, and identifying replicable models that address some of the most pressing mobility issues. From multimodal integration and urban accessibility to resilience, decarbonisation, and data governance, the event is expected to amplify the region’s innovative power in transportation, as Istanbul pursue its journey towards a mission to ‘build the cities of the future.’
“We had the honour to officially begin the journey towards the ITS European Congress in Istanbul 2026,” said Joost Vantomme, CEO of ERTICO – ITS Europe. “In close collaboration with Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and ISBAK, and the Host Committee as well as our Partners, we look forward to shaping an event that will bring solutions to the forefront that are already making an impact on the mobility landscape today.”
Acting Mayor of IMM Nuri Aslan, who presented during the event n and the signing ceremony mentioned that "Istanbul is a city that has pioneered transportation systems in history. The Tünel Metro is our treasure as the second metro system of the world."
The City of Istanbul connects Asia and Europe with three bridges, representing an intercontinental metropolis where projects that make transportation smarter ensures the accessibility in daily lives of more than 16 million people. Aslan continued, "As a result of a successful cooperation with ERTICO since 2022, participants will have the opportunity to observe and experience how a metropolis is effectively managed with ITS that combine historical heritage with modern technologies. They will discover a multimodal mobility system that is available in very few cities in the world, where new generation transportation modes such as Metrobus, Marmaray, Air Rail and Sea Taxi are integrated to the traditional transportation vehicles.”
Acting General Manager of ISBAK, Erdem Samut echoed Aslan’s statement, “As Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and ISBAK, the cooperation we have been engaging with ERTICO is a milestone in the transformation of our city in the field of intelligent transportation. By bringing together the vision of the public and the dynamism of the private sector; we are building an accessible, resilient and sustainable future of mobility. With the innovative solutions we develop, we are moving forward with the goal of making Istanbul one of the leading smart cities not only in Türkiye but also in the world. This Congress is a historic opportunity to consolidate Istanbul's place on the global arena as a technology brand and to prepare the ground for new international collaborations.”
Coinciding with the launch, the European Programme Committee (EPC) convened in Istanbul to begin shaping the programme . Composed of experts from across Europe’s mobility sectors, the EPC will ensure that the programme reflects both the policy landscape and the latest advancements in applied research and innovation. One of the main agenda points was the finalisation of the topics that will form the basis of the call for contributions for the programme, which will be launched at the beginning of September.
The 17th ITS European Congress will feature a wide array of content pillars, from technical and strategic sessions to commercial dialogues, live demonstrations and an international exhibition, bringing together innovators, policy leaders, academics, and mobility stakeholders.
As organiser of the ITS European Congress series, ERTICO remains committed to its role as a thought leader and enabler of collaboration, continuing to bring together public and private stakeholders to advance sustainable, inclusive, and intelligent transport solutions across Europe and beyond.
Discover more about the ITS European Congress.