The International Union of Railways (UIC) participated in the global cycling summit Velo city 2025, held in Gdansk, Poland, reinforcing its cooperation with the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) in the field of sustainable and active mobility.
As part of the official programme, UIC took part in the session “Cycling for Joy and Health”, highlighting the strategic role of rail as the backbone of sustainable mobility and its natural complementarity with cycling – whether on a daily basis for last-mile mobility or to enjoy multimodal leisure experiences. Representing UIC in Gdansk was Vanessa Pérez, Senior Advisor in the UIC Passenger Department, responsible for topics relating to customer experience, accessibility and tourism. Her contribution to the session emphasised how improved integration between cycling and rail can enhance the attractiveness, inclusivity and sustainability of public transport systems. The marriage of trains and bicycles fosters a sustainable and enjoyable lifestyle, and drives us toward a smarter, more environmentally respectful future for mobility. The event, held under the theme “Energising Solidarity”, brought together key actors working towards greener, more inclusive transport networks.
Velo-city is the world’s leading annual conference on cycling and urban mobility, organised by ECF. It brings together over 1,500 participants from governments, institutions, academia, civil society and the private sector. The 2025 edition in Gdansk focused on building solidarity between sectors, regions and users to accelerate the shift toward sustainable urban transport.
With hundreds of sessions, workshops and site visits, the event acts as a global hub for innovation and policy dialogue around active mobility, climate action, health and accessibility.
UIC and ECF have intensified their collaboration over the past year, with a shared focus on:
- Sustainable mobility and intermodality
- Customer experience and accessibility
- Sustainable tourism
UIC has also supported the publication “Cyclists Love Trains 2025” report, which advocates for the improved integration of rail and cycling. This initiative supports the objectives of the EU Declaration on Rail, encouraging a modal shift by combining low-carbon, user-friendly transport modes.
UIC’s participation in Velo city 2025 reflects its active role in promoting a multimodal, climate-friendly transport future, in which rail and cycling work hand in hand to reduce emissions, improve quality of life and support a just transition across regions.
The UIC looks forward to continuing its fruitful cooperation with ECF and other partners to scale up sustainable transport solutions that are inclusive, efficient and resilient.
Want to know more?
If you are interested to learn more about the topic, please visit:
UIC publication: Optimising bikes and luggage transportation in railway systems
ECF publication: Cyclists Love Trains
EU publication: EU Declaration of Cycling
