Mobility Move 2026 gathers 1,600 participants and 110 exhibitors in Berlin

Mobility Move 2026 opens today in Berlin with 1,600 participants and 110 exhibitors, marking the largest edition of the event dedicated to road-based public transport.

The 16th edition of Mobility Move (until 2022 known as Elekbu) takes place from 10 to 12 March 2026 in Berlin, bringing together public transport operators, manufacturers, suppliers and policymakers to discuss technological and operational developments in bus-based mobility systems. According to the German public transport association VDV, the event has reached its highest participation level so far, with 1,600 registered participants and 110 companies (vs 90 two years ago) exhibiting across a 7,500-square-metre exhibition area distributed over three halls.

Picture from previous edition

The conference is organised by VDV and DEVK and delivered by the Forum for Transport and Logistics together with the VDV Academy. The programme combines a technical conference and an exhibition space where vehicle manufacturers, infrastructure providers and digital technology suppliers present solutions related to the development of bus fleets, operational infrastructure and digital systems.

The political opening is scheduled for 11 March, when Germany’s Federal Minister for Digital and Transport Patrick Schnieder will deliver a keynote address and visit the exhibition area dedicated to electric buses and autonomous public transport technologies.

Five forums address electrification, automation and digitalisation

The conference agenda is structured around five specialised forums covering the main areas of development within the bus sector. Across three days, more than 100 sessions examine propulsion technologies, automation, digital systems, infrastructure and ticketing platforms.

The E-Bus Forum addresses vehicle electrification and alternative propulsion technologies. Sessions focus on financing models, charging and refuelling infrastructure, battery technologies and hydrogen systems. Several manufacturers are presenting vehicles during the event, including the premiere of the MAN Lion’s City E LE in Class II version and the presentation of the Mercedes eCitaro equipped with a new NMC4 battery generation. According to VDV, twenty bus manufacturers are present at the exhibition, including VinFast, IKARUS and Scania. Companies such as Hess, Škoda and Wrightbus are present without vehicles.

Automation technologies are discussed within the Autonomous Driving Forum, which examines deployment projects, regulatory frameworks and industrial developments connected to automated vehicles in public transport. Companies including Uedelhoven Studios and Staff-Eye are presenting projects. Holon is also present.

Digital technologies are addressed within the forum dedicated to artificial intelligence and digitalisation. Discussions focus on data standards, IT architectures and AI applications in public transport operations. More than forty companies are participating in the exhibition for the first time, many of them operating in the fields of software systems and digital infrastructure. Among them, the former Trapeze Group is participating under the new brand identity ebblo.

Infrastructure development forms another central topic within the programme. The forum on infrastructure and depots examines the modernisation of workshops, operating depots and maintenance facilities required for the deployment of new bus technologies.

The fifth forum integrates the 83rd edition of the KONTIKI conference, a platform dedicated to ticketing and passenger information systems.

Workforce availability and policy frameworks

Workforce availability represents another topic addressed during the conference programme. According to data presented by VDV, public transport operators in Germany currently face shortages of bus drivers, while a growing number of driving staff are expected to retire in the coming years. Sessions during the event focus on recruitment approaches, training programmes and working conditions in the sector.

Policy and financing frameworks related to public transport development are also addressed during the event. Discussions refer to the ongoing fourth amendment of Germany’s Municipal Transport Financing Act (GVFG), a federal instrument supporting investments in local public transport infrastructure. According to VDV, the mechanism is relevant for funding infrastructure upgrades and fleet modernisation programmes within German public transport systems.

VDV President Ingo Wortmann states: “We are here at a place of innovation – and modernization. Mobility Move stands for a change that we as an industry must shape together. The fact that we are experiencing such a rush today shows that it is relevant. We have increased the number of participants twentyfold within 16 years – an unprecedented success story. Public transport is not a luxury; it is a key public service, part of our economic foundation in this country – and more than ever, it depends on reliability, funding, and skilled workers.”