You are warmly invited to the 17th Slovenian Congress on Transport and Transport Infrastructure, which will take place from 21 to 23 October 2026 at the Congress Centre of the Grand Hotel Bernardin in Portorož.

In previous congresses, we addressed individual transport subsystems somewhat separately, with a strong focus on motorway construction. However, the last two congresses have offered a more comprehensive view of the development of the transport system and transport infrastructure.

On one hand, we explored infrastructure functionality in terms of sustainable mobility for all, including the most vulnerable road users. On the other hand, we addressed the resilience and durability of infrastructure against various negative impacts, such as weather conditions, natural disasters, and safety-related challenges.

The last two congresses were held under the titles “Building a Transport Ecosystem for Sustainable Mobility” and “Resilience of the Transport System and Transport Infrastructure”. They were also shaped by extraordinary circumstances. In particular, the most recent congress, focused on resilient infrastructure, was significantly influenced by the devastating floods of August 2023 and the subsequent recovery efforts.

Slovenia lies at the crossroads of key European transport routes. The most efficient routes between Southwest and Southeast Europe (Milan–Budapest, extending from Barcelona to Kyiv) and between Central and Southern Europe (Munich–Belgrade, extending from Amsterdam to Thessaloniki) pass through Ljubljana.

According to the EU TEN-T regulation, Slovenia is part of the following corridors:

• Baltic–Adriatic
• Mediterranean
• Western Balkans–Mediterranean

Passenger and freight traffic along these corridors is increasing, both on roads and railways, placing growing pressure on national infrastructure and the environment. At the same time, public concern about the consequences of these traffic flows is rising, as infrastructure originally built primarily for national needs no longer meets the fundamental requirements of individuals, society, and the environment.

As a society, we must ensure that individuals have access to essential services—such as schools, post offices, shops, healthcare centres, and banks—within 15 minutes on foot or by bicycle in urban areas, and in more remote areas via public transport or on-demand mobility services.

Access to administrative or regional centres, hospitals, and the TEN-T network should be ensured within 30 minutes, while access to one of the three main national centres (hosting universities and key hospitals) should be possible within one hour at any time, regardless of traffic conditions.

Society is reflected in its collective activities, including economic activity, public services, education, healthcare, sports, recreation, and leisure. From a mobility perspective, it is essential to ensure:

• efficient access of goods and services to TEN-T networks (railways, roads, airports, ports, public transport),
• accessibility of all levels of education and healthcare,
• conditions for efficient logistics, including the Port of Koper, airports, intermodal hubs, and distribution centres.

A safe and healthy environment is the foundation of quality of life. Therefore, every measure in mobility and transport must contribute to improving environmental and social conditions. In addition to reducing negative impacts such as noise, vibrations, particulate matter, and traffic accidents, it is essential to increase the resilience of the transport system to weather and other external challenges.

To meet the mobility needs of individuals, transport infrastructure must be adapted to current and future demands. Trade flows along the TEN-T corridors are increasing with rising prosperity. Reducing these flows would negatively impact living standards and contradict the European principle of the free movement of goods and services.

Therefore, Slovenia must modernize its railway network and develop high-speed connections between the three main national centres, enabling travel times of under one hour. At the same time, motorway infrastructure must be upgraded to six-lane capacity to support both passenger and freight traffic efficiently.

This must be accompanied by appropriate spatial and transport policies that encourage greater use of public transport and more rational use of private vehicles.

The development of high-speed rail and motorway upgrades must be carried out in consensus with all stakeholders. On one side are individuals and local communities, who bear the greatest burden in terms of noise, pollution, and vibrations. On the other side is society, which expects a functional and efficient infrastructure system.

The title and introduction of this congress clearly indicate that the 17th Slovenian Congress on Transport and Transport Infrastructure will focus on an in-depth discussion of the relationship between infrastructure development, modernization, and maintenance, aligned with real societal needs.

We will invite international experts who have made significant contributions to transport infrastructure development and can present recognized results from their respective environments.

In recent years, it has been encouraging to see increased enrolment in civil engineering and transport engineering studies, even exceeding available places. This allows universities to select higher-quality candidates.

However, in the coming years, the gap between young professionals and the most experienced experts will continue to grow due to workforce outflow. This congress will therefore also address the factors that attract—or discourage—young professionals from entering the field.

Based on the announced topics, the congress will provide an overview of the current state and future challenges in Slovenia in areas such as:

• Railways
  (high-speed corridors between Koper, Ljubljana, and Maribor, progress of the Divača–Koper second track, upgrades of regional lines such as Gorenjska, Dolenjska, Kamnik, Brnik)
• Roads
  (six-lane motorway upgrade concept, ongoing projects, completion of the 3rd development axis, regional connections, maintenance and modernization)
• Public transport
  (system performance, station upgrades, multimodal hubs)
• Active mobility
  (cycling infrastructure, pedestrian areas, urban zones)
• Safety, maintenance, sustainability
  (traffic safety improvements, infrastructure management, sustainable construction)
• ITS and digitalization
  (traffic management systems across TEN-T and local networks, use of advanced planning tools)
• Young engineers
  (factors influencing career decisions in the field)

The challenges and expectations of society can only be addressed through broad consensus, which is why we invite you to engage in open discussions, exchange ideas, and share experiences and best practices.

High-quality presentations will provide an excellent opportunity for participants to showcase their work and highlight key insights from their specialized fields.

Of course, the congress will also include networking and a rich cultural programme, which has become a valued tradition of these events.

We warmly invite you to participate!

Evstahij Drmota – Chair of the Organising Committee
Dr. Peter Lipar – President of DRC Association
Andrej Jan – Chair of the Programme Committee