Kunden-News

Hamburg – On 26 and 27 November 2026, the INIT Mobility Forum – formerly the HanseCom Forum – will take place at the Hyperion Hotel in Hamburg. For the first time, the event will cover both sales and operational topics held across two parallel presentation tracks. Leading mobility experts from transport operators, business, politics and research will provide insights into current strategies and projects.

From Germany, speakers will include Tim Dahlmann-Resing, Spokesperson for the Executive Board at VAG Nürnberg, who will discuss how transport operators can actively shape the transformation of public transport. Merle Schmidt-Brunn, Executive Director of Finance and Sustainability at Hamburger Hochbahn AG, will provide insights into the use of AI, bridging the gap between current practice and future visions. Wolfgang Hackauf, authorised signatory at Kommunalverkehr Rhein-Nahe GmbH, will report on how his company built an e-bus depot for 50 vehicles in just 38 months.

Account-based ticketing (ABT) is one of the forum’s key topics. Under the theme ‘ABT worldwide: from strategy to successful implementation’, experts with practical experience will share their insights: Jean-Luc Rohner, Passenger Information, Timetable and Sales Officer at Verkehrsgesellschaft Rosenheim (VGR), will demonstrate how, starting this summer, passengers there have been travelling on buses using VGR-Tap without having to buy a ticket at all – simply by checking in and out using a bank card. Till Nikolaus Ponath, Head of Marketing and Sales at Rheinbahn AG, will demonstrate how public transport sales can be reimagined based on passengers’ everyday needs and realities. Paul Gwynn, Director of Business Development at INIT, will outline international best practices. Afterwards, participants will have the opportunity to ask the speakers their questions about ABT during a moderated Q&A session.

This year’s INIT Mobility Forum once again has an international focus. Among others, Rebecca Bissell, Director of Information Technology, Product and Operations at Transport for London, will speak about how cybersecurity, resilience and digital transformation can be reconciled. Further speakers from transport operators in the USA, Sweden and Finland will share insights and experiences in their respective markets. To round off the first day of the conference, Mohamed Mezghani, Secretary General of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), will answer questions in an interview about the challenges and opportunities facing public transport, such as funding, the potential of artificial intelligence and digitalisation, the use of new technologies, and the role of public transport in a changing mobility landscape.

The second day of the conference will begin with a welcome address by Dr Anjes Tjarks, Senator for Transport and the Mobility Transition of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, on shaping the mobility of tomorrow.

As well as practical and forward-looking presentations, participants can also look forward to an engaging panel discussion. Moderated by Mohamed Mezghani, Secretary General of the UITP, a high-calibre panel of mobility experts will discuss current trends and challenges facing the sector.

“For the first time, we are bringing together sales and operations in a single programme – covering everything from account-based ticketing and cybersecurity to e-bus infrastructure,” says Sebastian Neil Hölken, Managing Director of HanseCom. “Participants will gain insights into the latest innovations and trends in public transport, as well as the strategies of transport operators and networks from various countries. We look forward to stimulating discussions on how we can work together to make public transport even better – and there will also be plenty of time for networking.”

The INIT Mobility Forum 2026 will take place on 26 and 27 November at the Hyperion Hotel in Hamburg. The presentations, given in German and English, will be simultaneously interpreted in both languages. The full programme and registration details are available at www.initmobilityforum.com.