Invitation to an expert seminar

Tuesday, 10 March 2026, from 11:00 to 12:30

The Transformative Transport Planning Research Group (TTPRG) of the Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia invites you to an expert seminar:

How to Achieve Better Regional Railway Connections Quickly and Without Major Investments

For decades, Slovenia has planned the development of passenger rail transport primarily through costly infrastructure projects. Meanwhile, existing railway infrastructure remains underutilised. International experience shows that it is possible to significantly improve the performance of passenger rail services through organisational and governance changes, without waiting for new lines and multi-million-euro investments. Such measures can deliver tangible results within a single political term.

At the expert seminar, speakers will present examples of good practice from abroad:

• Stefan Walter (Provincial Government of Styria, Austria)
• Karl-Heinz Posch (Institute for Traffic Education, IVP)
• Prof. Dr Tom Rye (Transformative Transport Planning Research Group, UIRS)
• Dr Aljaž Plevnik (Transformative Transport Planning Research Group, UIRS)

The expert seminar will be held in English, both in person at the premises of the Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia in Ljubljana (Trnovski pristan 2, classroom on the 2nd floor) and online, on

Tuesday, 10 March 2026, from 11:00 to 12:30.

REGISTRATION:

Participation is free of charge. Prior registration via the registration form is required by 5 March 2026. The number of in-person participants is limited.

Credit points:
• ZAPS – 1 credit point, Section B (Theory and Reference Practice)
• IZS – pending approval.

You are kindly invited!

PROGRAM

Stefan Walter is responsible for the strategic development of public transport in the province of Styria, Austria. He studied civil engineering in Graz and Prague and completed his PhD at Graz University of Technology on long-term railway infrastructure development through the expansion of the integrated timetable. His main areas of expertise are transport planning, timetable design, infrastructure development, and transport strategies. He also lectures on urban and local transport at Graz University of Technology.

Karl-Heinz Posch is a traffic planner from Graz, former director of Austrian Mobility Research and former coordinator of the European Platform on Mobility Management. Currently he is an activist for sustainable transport within MoVe-iT-Graz, researcher in the framework of URBIS (the urban innovation studio) and chairman of the Grüne Akademie Steiermark.

Prof. Dr. Tom Rye is an internationally recognised expert in sustainable transport policy and mobility management. He has extensive experience in research, teaching and advisory work, supporting governments and public authorities in the development and implementation of sustainable transport strategies. His work focuses on transport governance, parking policy, travel demand management and behaviour change.

Dr. Aljaž Plevnik is a transport planning expert with more than 30 years of experience in the field. He leads a professional group specializing in sustainable mobility and integrated transport planning, with a strong emphasis on cooperation and evidence-based policy development. He is actively involved in national and international initiatives promoting sustainable transport policy.

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Additional information:

E: stpn@uirs.si         W: https://www.uirs.si/stpn

The expert seminar is organised by the Transformative Transport Planning Research Group of the Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia. It is intended for professionals working in transport and spatial planning, media representatives, and the interested public.

This activity is co-financed through the integrated project LIFE IP CARE4CLIMATE (LIFE17 IPC/SI/000007), funded by the European LIFE Programme, the Climate Change Fund, and the project partners.