Global Rail 2027

Global Rail 2027

Global Rail 2027 returns to ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi from 28 to 30 September 2027, bringing together ministers, chief executives and industry leaders to advance integrated, resilient and sustainable transport infrastructure. Organised by dmg events, the exhibition and conference is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court.

Who Attends

Global Rail draws senior decision-makers from across the transport and infrastructure value chain, including rail operators, OEMs, transport system manufacturers, logistics and supply chain specialists, freight and intermodal operators, port and airport authorities, construction and EPC firms, and technology providers working in AI and digitisation. Ministerial delegations and heads of national transport authorities are also expected to attend, alongside institutional investors and development banks.

Exhibition

The exhibition floor spans a broad cross-section of the global transport ecosystem, with companies active in rail transport, strategic transport infrastructure, trade corridors, economic zones, warehousing, dry ports and logistics parks represented alongside those working in freight, intermodal operations and airport cargo. National pavilions are confirmed for Austria, Germany, India, Jordan, Poland, Qatar, South Korea, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Alongside the main exhibition floor, a number of specialised features will run throughout the event:

• AI, Innovation & Start-Up Hub — a dedicated space spotlighting next-generation technologies including AI-driven operations, autonomous systems and smart infrastructure, with a focus on start-ups and emerging innovators.
• Capital & Investment Pavilion — connecting major rail and transport projects with financiers, institutional investors and development banks, with a focus on deal-making and project financing at scale.
• Mega Projects Marketplace — providing direct access to significant rail and transport infrastructure pipelines, with delegations from Asia, Europe, Africa and the Gulf.
• Transport Leaders Club — an invitation-only environment for senior executives, ministers and C-suite leaders to exchange ideas on the future of global transport.
• Ministerial Majlis — a closed-door forum bringing together ministers and heads of national transport authorities for high-level dialogue on policy, investment and cross-border collaboration.
• Future Transport Leaders Programme — aimed at the next generation of transport professionals, featuring a Youth Hackathon, mentorship initiatives and live innovation challenges.

Conference Programme

Global Rail 2027 will host two parallel conference streams: a Strategic Conference and a Technical Conference.

The Strategic Conference will bring together ministers, chief executives and policymakers to address how governments and industry can collectively shape and finance the next generation of transport infrastructure. Key themes include:

• Economic Growth, Trade & Connectivity — covering trade corridor development, supply chain resilience, transport hub creation and intermodal capacity
• Sustainable Mobility & Energy Transition — addressing modal shift, decarbonisation and the relationship between transport infrastructure and energy systems
• Digital & Intelligent Transport Systems — examining AI as mobility infrastructure, transport data governance and autonomous mobility
• Customer Experience & Network Performance — exploring passenger experience, network performance and Mobility-as-a-Service

The Technical Conference will operate across two dedicated stages, with more than 100 speakers and over 100 sessions planned across 12 thematic categories. Topics include:

• AI, automation and intelligent transport systems
• Data, analytics and decision intelligence
• Digital infrastructure, connected networks and smart cities
• Sustainable mobility and decarbonisation technologies
• Innovation in construction and infrastructure
• Passenger experience and network performance
• Safety, security and operational resilience
• Intermodal operations and integrated networks
• Asset and lifecycle management
• Transport electrification and the transport–energy nexus
• Megaproject delivery and infrastructure execution
• Urban mobility, MaaS and public transport systems

Roundtables will also run alongside both conference streams, providing additional closed-door dialogue for senior attendees.

Registration

Visitor registration and stand bookings for Global Rail 2027 are open via the event website.