On 17 November 2025, representatives and stakeholders from Slovenia, Italy and Austria gathered in Kranjska Gora for the conference “Cross-Border Public Transport – From Planning to Implementation.” The event was organised within the Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE project TRANS-BORDERS+, in close cooperation with the Interreg SI–AT project Mind the Gap, demonstrating strong synergies between different Interreg programmes and initiatives working to improve sustainable mobility in Central Europe.
The conference provided a platform for dialogue across administrative and national borders. Participants discussed shared mobility challenges, exchanged good practices, and explored solutions to strengthen coordinated public transport planning in the TRANS-BORDERS+ pilot regions.
A keynote by Dr. Markus Mailer (University of Innsbruck) highlighted why sustainable public transport is essential for regional development and how integrated planning approaches can improve accessibility in border areas.
Representatives from Friuli Venezia Giulia, Carinthia, and the Slovenian Public Transport Authority presented national and regional frameworks affecting cross-border mobility. Their contributions illustrated the importance of harmonised procedures, coordinated service planning and effective governance structures for developing long-term, user-oriented transport services.
The implementation block showcased concrete examples from the project regions. Aleš Rupreht (RRA Koroška) presented the evolution of the Štrekna Bus, underlining how TRANS-BORDERS+ builds on previous cooperation results to improve accessibility in peripheral areas.
Miro Kristan (RRA Posoški razvojni center) provided insights into governance approaches that support stable cross-border cooperation and facilitate the implementation of new mobility solutions.
The event directly contributes to the progress of TRANS-BORDERS+ by supporting knowledge exchange for the development of:
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the Open Journey Planner (WP2),
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upgraded mobility points and pilot actions in both border regions (WP3).
These activities form part of the project’s first implementation phase, as outlined in the TRANS-BORDERS+ monitoring plan.
Participants emphasised that continued cross-border cooperation is essential for making public transport more attractive and accessible for citizens, commuters and visitors in Central Europe’s border regions. The conference closed with a networking session fostering synergies for the next project steps.