National Public Transport Congress · 4th edition
Organised by the Romanian Smart City Association in partnership with URTP - the Romanian Union of Public Transport | the Federation of Urban, Suburban and Metropolitan Passenger Transport OperatorsOrganised by ARSC in partnership with URTP | TUSMC Federation
Answers for participants, sponsors and partners.
ROPAT - the National Public Transport Congress - is a national platform for passenger public transport in Romania. It brings together, in one place, central and local government, regulators, inter-municipal development associations, operators, manufacturers, technology suppliers, funders and experts, for professional dialogue about passenger public transport services.
From 18 to 21 November 2026, in Bucharest. It is the 4th edition of the event.
Passenger public transport, approached in practical terms: operations and fleets, infrastructure, digitalisation and ticketing, the passenger experience, safety, accessibility and metropolitan mobility. Practical topics, discussed by the people who put them into practice.
No. ROPAT is solely about passenger public transport and the ecosystem that supports it - it is not a logistics or freight event. That focus is exactly what gives it weight.
Professionals with responsibilities in public transport: mayors, deputy mayors, city managers, county council presidents, directors of inter-municipal development associations (ADIs) and of operators, central authorities, technology companies, manufacturers, infrastructure suppliers, funders, experts and the specialist press.
The partnership packages for the 4th edition offer five levels of visibility and involvement. Benefits may include branding, exhibition space, accreditations and, for certain packages, a partner intervention in a distinct slot of the programme, separate from the editorial panels, on a topic agreed with the organiser and without a commercial product presentation, as well as a reserved seat at the welcome dinner. Exclusivity covers brand visibility within a commercial sponsorship category and does not limit other organisations from the same sector from taking part in the professional parts of the event. Representatives of public institutions attend the main conference free of charge, subject to available places. Institutional partner status and the use of an institution's visual identity are agreed separately, based on that institution's confirmation. ARSC members get a 12% discount on any package. Write to [email protected] and we will send you the full partnership offer.
ROPAT is not a venue for commercial pitches. Panels are put together editorially, based on expertise, relevance and what each speaker brings to the topic. Partners' solutions gain visibility in the dedicated exhibition and networking areas, depending on the package agreed.
On clear criteria: professional relevance, hands-on experience in passenger public transport, institutional role and the ability to share practical expertise. Topic and speaker proposals can be sent to the ROPAT team, but inclusion in the programme is not automatic and does not depend on commercial partner status. Contributions focus on experience, results and case studies, not on commercial product presentations.
The Gala awards are granted by ARSC on the basis of the past year's activity, the investments made, the quality of management, the projects delivered and the results achieved. Winners are chosen on the basis of public information, recommendations received and documents provided. Commercial partners take no part in the selection.
Public transport operators, local and central public authorities, inter-municipal transport development associations, companies that have delivered projects in Romanian public transport, and professionals in the field. There is no application process. Recommendations can be sent to [email protected] and are considered alongside public information and the documents provided.
Attending the conference on Thursday 19 November is free of charge, subject to available places. Registration in advance is required.
Access to the Gala is by personal invitation. Partners receive accreditations as part of their contracted package.
Participants book their own accommodation. A list of recommended hotels and, where available, negotiated rates will be published on ropat.ro soon.
Around 300 participants at the main conference on Thursday and more than 400 professionals over the four days, with professional profiles relevant to the event's topics. The format aims for relevant, high-quality dialogue, not audience size.
In Bucharest. The conference and the Romanian Public Transport Awards Gala take place on Thursday 19 November at the National Institute of Statistics (Institutul Național de Statistică), Sala Amfiteatru, Bd. Libertății nr. 16, sector 5.
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