On 12 and 13 November 2025, two major events marked the end of the European project Integrated Passenger-Centric Planning of Multimodal Transport Networks (MultiModX), which is supported by the SESAR Joint Undertaking, and highlighted the progress made towards a more integrated, sustainable, and passenger-centric European mobility system.
On 12 November, a high-level policy lunch debate entitled “Unlocking Seamless Multimodality in Europe” was held at the European Parliament in Brussels, hosted by MEP Sophia Kircher. The event brought together representatives from three EU multimodal projects: MultiModX, SIGN-AIR (also funded by SESAR JU), and TravelWise. MultiModX was founded by SESAR JU and Europe’s Rail, to discuss political and technological catalysts for advancing multimodality in Europe.
The discussions emphasised the importance of innovation, digitalisation, and harmonisation, particularly in building effective bridges between the rail and aviation sectors. The need to create knowledge-sharing and collaborative spaces was underlined, to better understand the specifics of each sector and to develop tailored solutions, especially in areas such as data sharing (ticketing) and modelling.
Key takeaways from the event included in-depth discussions on regulatory and business challenges, policy recommendations to support cross-border multimodal travel, and a renewed focus on data sharing, passenger rights, seamless customer experience, trust, and service continuity.
The event was opened by Kircher, and Andreas Boschen, Executive Director of SESAR JU.
Speakers included Delphine Grandsart, European Passengers’ Federation; Micol Biscotto, Deep Blue/TravelWise; Ismini Stroumpou, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya /Sign-Air; and Andrew Cook, University of Westminster/MultiModX.
The following day, on 13 November, the Airport Regions Council hosted the final MultiModX project event, bringing together stakeholders from the rail and air sectors to share the results of three years of collaboration.
After opening remarks by Sergio Alegre Calero, Director General of ARC; Erich Valentin, President of ARC; and Marcello Kivel Mazuy, Innovation Manager at SESAR JU; Dr Eric Tchouamou Njoya, project coordinator at Bauhaus Luftfahrt, gave a presentation on the overview and achievements of MultiModX. He especially highlighted the solutions developed to support air-rail integration through a performance-driven approach.
Three key solutions were presented by the project’s technical leaders:
- Lucía Menéndez-Pidal de Cristina, from Nommon, introduced the Schedule Design Solution, aimed at optimising integrated air-rail timetables.
- Christopher Szymula, from TU Dresden, presented the Disruption Management Solution, which enhances multimodal coordination through an improved Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) approach.
- Luis Delgado, from University of Westminster showcased the Performance Assessment Solution, designed to evaluate environmental and passenger impacts using robust performance indicators.
Next, a dynamic stakeholder panel, moderated by Sergio Alegre Calero, brought together sector experts to discuss the future of passenger-centric multimodality.
Panellists included Daniel Freire, Renfe Operadora; Jan Eklund, Swedavia AB; and Jan Brumagne, European Commission, DG MOVE. Their insights highlighted the importance of aligning multimodal strategies with passenger rights, operational realities, and long-term sustainability goals.
The two days served to underline the collective commitment among transport stakeholders to build a smarter, more sustainable, and seamless European mobility system. The MultiModX project leaves behind a concrete legacy of innovative solutions and policy recommendations to help make multimodality a reality for European citizens.
A special thanks goes to the MultiModX consortium members for their dedication: Bauhaus Luftfahrt, Nommon, Airport Regions Council, Technische Universität Dresden, International Union of Railways (UIC), and University of Westminster. Together, we are shaping the future of smart, sustainable, and seamless European mobility.
