Vision Awards
TRA 2026 proudly celebrates innovation and research excellence through the TRA VISIONS Awards – one of the most anticipated moments of the conference. Established in 2014, these awards have grown into a key European platform for recognizing breakthrough achievements that push the boundaries of mobility, technology, and sustainability.
The awards shine a spotlight on outstanding individuals and teams whose work advances transport research, strengthens Europe’s competitiveness, and inspires collaboration between academia, industry, and policy. Winners gain international visibility, contribute to shaping the future of mobility, and become part of a growing community of changemakers dedicated to smarter and greener transport.
Award Types
Young Researcher Award – Honoring master’s and PhD students or recent graduates who demonstrate outstanding creativity, innovative research, and a forward-thinking approach to the transport challenges of tomorrow.
Senior Researcher Award – Recognizing established experts and academics for their long-term contributions to European research, innovation, and policy development in the transport sector.
Special Honorary Award – A lifetime recognition presented to individuals or institutions that have made an exceptional impact on European transport research and innovation through vision, leadership, or collaboration.
Host Award – Introduced for TRA 2026 by the Hungarian organizing committee to highlight remarkable regional research and innovation projects that embody the spirit of Re-Generation in Transport.
Categories of Young and Senior Researcher Awards
Below is provided the list of six categories with some indicative keywords.
Road: Connected and Automated Vehicles; Road Infrastructure; Traffic Management, Road Safety; Shared Mobility; Active Modes; Electric Vehicles; Electrification of Road Transport; Grid Integration; Batteries; Sustainable Fuels; Circular Economy; Alternative Materials; Life Cycle Assessment; Software Defined Vehicles; Artificial Intelligence, Digitalisation
Rail: High-Speed Rail and Beyond; Rail Traffic Management, Operation; Rail Vehicles and Infrastructure; Smart Railways, Autonomous Trains; Externalities of Railways; Freight Rail and Terminals; Railways Resilience, Safety and Security; Urban, Suburban and Rural Rail Networks; Rail Passenger Experience; Railway Stations; Railways Economics and Policy
Waterborne: Use of sustainable alternative fuels in waterborne transport, Energy efficiency of waterborne transport; Electrification of waterborne transport; Digital waterborne transport (digital includes automation); Design and retrofitting of waterborne vessels; Freight transport; Passenger transport; Shipyards and equipment manufacturers; Ports and infrastructure; Safe and secure waterborne transport; Green shipping corridors; All ship types (from inland waterway transport to intercontinental)
Airborne: Air Traffic Management; Sustainable Aviation Fuels; Electric Aircraft; Hybrid Aircraft; Urban Air Mobility; Airport Innovations; Drone Systems; Decarbonisation in Aviation; Air Passenger Experience
Cross-modal - Passenger transport: Public Transport; Multimodal Transport; Integrated Policy and Planning; New mobility services including Mobility-as-a-Service; Seamless Connectivity; Smart and Integrated Infrastructure; Transport Hubs; Behavioural change; Active mobility
Cross-modal - Logistics: Freight Transport decarbonisation; emissions measuring and reporting, automation; Physical Internet; Interconnected Logistics; Resilient logistics networks; Ports and hubs; Intermodality/Synchromodality; Transport modes integration in logistics networks, digital technologies (AI, 5G, Digital Twins…) applications in freight transport and logistics; Data exchange and data sharing, Urban logistics, Lastmile Delivery, Integrated Passenger and Freight Systems
Competitions
The Young Researcher Awards are open to master’s and PhD students, as well as graduates within two years of completing their doctoral studies. Applicants must be the main author of an abstract submitted to the TRA 2026 Call for Papers.
Why participate?
- Showcase your innovative thinking to leading experts and institutions.
- Gain visibility in front of an international audience.
- Strengthen your research profile and CV through a high-level European competition.
- Win monetary prizes: €5,000 for first place, €3,000 for second, and €2,000 for third.
- Receive complimentary full access to TRA 2026 in Budapest.
How to apply:
Submit your abstract via the TRA 2026 Call for Papers platform and indicate your interest in participating in the Young Researcher competition. You will be asked to upload additional materials such as a research summary, presentation, and letters of recommendation. Young Researcher Award Guidelines
The Senior Researcher Awards honor experienced scientists and innovators for their exceptional contributions to European transport projects and research excellence. Awards will be granted in six categories: Road, Rail, Waterborne, Airborne, Passenger, and Logistics.
Why participate?
Winning a Senior Researcher Award provides peer recognition, international exposure, and the opportunity to inspire the next generation of transport innovators.
How to apply:
Submit your paper through the TRA 2026 Call for Papers and indicate your interest in the Senior Researcher competition. Senior Researcher Award Guidelines
Launched in TRA 2022, this award recognises the lifetime achievements of an exceptional senior researcher in European transport R&I. Nominees are exclusively nominated by one of the partnering European Technology Platforms (ERTRAC, ERRAC, WATERBORNE, ACARE, ALICE and ECTP). Self-applications are not accepted. Special Honorary Award Guidelines
Why it matters?
- Celebrates outstanding work and dedication in European transport research
- Highlights research as a career with lasting impact on society
- Offers the winner full access to TRA 2026 and visibility during the conference
As a new addition for TRA 2026, this award highlights innovative contributions aligned with the conference’s theme, Re-Generation in Transport selected by Hungary. Winners will be selected among authors of accepted TRA 2026 papers by the Hungarian host together with the co-organiser European Commission. No application is required. Host Award Guidelines
Why it is valuable?
- Celebrates innovative thinking that responds to pressing transport challenges
- Highlights research tackling environmental, technological, and societal transformations shaping the future of mobility
- Offers the winner full access to TRA 2026 and visibility during the conference
