From 19 – 20 October 2017, the Spanish Rail Infrastructure Manager, Adif, together with the International Union of Railways, UIC, will be hosting in Madrid the 6th edition of the UIC NextStation conference, the global reference for leaders and decision-makers to share the latest experiences and best practices regarding the design, financing and operation of railway stations.
The 6th NextStation conference will tackle the key issues under the main theme “Smart Stations in Smart Cities”. The latest developments applicable to railway station design and operation and also the integration of the station in the city will be presented by high-level speakers, including decision-makers, representatives of leading industries as well as stakeholders involved in the city issue.
As part of the city, the future of railway stations needs to be discussed with a systemic approach. Well-connected and open to the city as one of possible centres of gravity of the daily life of citizens, railway stations foster commercial and social ties, with the need to develop the feeling of security. During this 6th NextStation conference, all these related themes will be addressed and discussed between participants coming from the five continents in a fully interactive conference.
The NextStation conference will also be a privileged venue for all technological companies interested in finding new business opportunities within the booming digitalisation process currently underway in the railway station sector at the global level.
The conference will be composed of:
- Plenary sessions, round tables and technical sessions on specific themes: Download the programme here:
http://www.nextstation2017.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/congress-program-Eng2.pdf
- A stand/exhibition area
- A programme of technical visits:
The NextStation Conference in Madrid offers the possibility to make several technical visits on October 21.
ATOCHA STATION IN MADRID
This is Spain’s main intermodal station, providing Commuter, Long and Medium Distance services as well as High Speed.
Atocha was recently refurbished and enlarged to ensure more efficient High Speed arrivals and departures and it is an example of industrial architecture, with its famous tropical garden under its canopy.
Atocha Station hosts one of Spain’s main traffic control centres, a strategic technical element that is a showcase of Adif’s technological capacities.
Estimated schedule: from 08:00 to 14:00.
MÁLAGA
In this beautiful southern city, located two hours 30 minutes away from Madrid by High Speed train, Adif manages one of the main stations in the country, Málaga Maria Zambrano, and the Vialia PPP project, one of the most successful examples of the combination of railway and commercial use of stations.
Málaga is also the capital of the world-famous Costa del Sol, where visitors will enjoy fine weather, long sand beaches, cultural activities and delicious food.
Estimated schedule: from 08:00 to 23:00.
TOLEDO
This medieval city, located only 30 minutes away from Madrid, can also be reached by High Speed train. Its 1919 station is an architectural jewel with Moorish influence which is part of Spain’s cultural heritage.
Toledo itself is a must-see in Spain, with its finely preserved religious buildings and narrow streets, combining a rich, centuries-old legacy from the roman ages to the Visigoths, and with a strong Arabic, Jewish and Christian influence, which led to Toledo’s designation as the City of the Three Cultures.
Estimated schedule: from 08:00 to 22:00, including a visit to Atocha station. Trip to Toledo only: 11:00 to 22:00
Fee for the visits: 15€ each. This fee includes lunch (except Malaga) and a guided tour of the chosen station.
For Málaga and Toledo, it does not include the train ticket.
This international event will follow the successful high-profile railway conferences held previously in Rome (2005), Paris (2007), Brussels (2011) Moscow (2013) and Marrakech (2015).
Congress programme, Registration, Accommodation, Sponsoring and Exhibition, all information here:
