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
At ROPAT 2026, public transport operators present their investment priorities directly to the ministries, managing authorities and institutions that will design and run the next funding programmes.
The discussion starts from what operators see every day: what needs modernising, which investments are urgent, which types of expenditure should become eligible, and what funding conditions are needed so that projects can be delivered and then run sustainably.
The next funding programmes should not be built without input from the people who run public transport every day. Operators know first-hand the problems with fleets, depots, infrastructure, digital systems, operating costs, staffing and the relationship with passengers.
ROPAT brings this experience in at the stage when public priorities and funding mechanisms can still be properly grounded. The discussion is not only about applying to calls that are already set, but about the investments that the next programmes need to provide for.
The conclusions of the congress will be brought together in the document "Investment priorities for public transport in Romania 2028-2034", drawn up with the operators and the TUSMC Federation and sent to the ministries, managing authorities and relevant national and European institutions.
This way, ROPAT 2026 is more than a space for debate: it is where operators' real needs are turned into concrete proposals for the next funding programmes.
ROPAT 2026 is launching the National Consultation of Public Transport Operators, which will underpin the document "Investment priorities for public transport in Romania 2028-2034". The projects and proposals submitted by operators will form the sector's joint position in its dialogue with the ministries, managing authorities and European institutions preparing the next funding programmes.
The initiative is coordinated by the Romanian Smart City Association (ARSC), together with the TUSMC Federation. Participating operators will help define the priorities, validate the conclusions and endorse the final document.
Operators submit their projects, investment needs and proposals on eligible expenditure.
ARSC analyses the responses and builds a national map of the investments needed.
The results are debated at ROPAT 2026 and validated with the TUSMC Federation and the participating operators.
The final document is sent to the ministries, managing authorities and relevant European institutions.
The Bucharest Declaration will summarise the priorities agreed at ROPAT 2026 and the joint requests addressed to the institutions preparing the next funding programmes.
ARSC is a member of the Working Group on Cohesion Policy 2028-2034, coordinated by the Ministry of Investments and European Projects.
ARSC is the National Contact Point in Romania for the Smart Communities Network, a programme supported and coordinated by the European Commission.
Publication of the form through which public transport operators can submit their projects, investment needs, bottlenecks and proposals for the next funding programmes.
The form closes and analysis begins of the information received from operators across the country.
The main needs, projects and proposals identified will be presented and discussed at the main conference, in dialogue with operators, ministries, managing authorities and the relevant institutions.
The conclusions of the consultation and the shared priorities will be reviewed and validated with the TUSMC Federation and the participating operators.
The document "Investment priorities for public transport in Romania 2028-2034" will be published and sent to the ministries, managing authorities and relevant national and European institutions.
The consultation closed on 23 October 2026 and responses can no longer be changed. The preliminary results will be presented on 19 November, at ROPAT.
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