UK Rail to bring the sector together at NEC Birmingham in May 2026

The UK rail industry will come together at UK Rail on the 13^th and 14^th of May 2026, when the sector-wide event returns to NEC Birmingham. The two-day event will provide a national platform to bring together leaders from across rail projects, operators, rolling stock manufacturers, suppliers and innovators.

As a strategic partner, UKTram is supporting the event’s focus on collaboration, shared learning and insight across the rail industry. This year offers another multi-track conference programme and a large-scale exhibition; UK Rail aims to reflect the breadth of activity across the UK rail value chain. 

The conference agenda will explore some of the industry’s most pressing challenges and opportunities, including rail reform, the transition to Great British Railways, regional leadership, accessibility and the future shape of the network. Headline sessions will address topics such as building Britain’s future rail network, accessible-by-design principles and the role of operators in a modern railway. 

3000 attendees are expceted, with 150 speakers contributing across the programme, including Vernon Everitt, Maria Machancoses, David Hughes, Hannah Ross and James Richardson. 

Light rail will feature prominently within the programme, with sessions highlighting its role in expanding urban mobility, supporting sustainable travel and connecting communities to the wider transport network. 

Nicola Small, Programme Director for Very Light Rail (VLR) at Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) and UKTram Board Member will present a session exploring how very light rail can transform urban mobility and support accessible, low-carbon transport solutions in towns and city regions.

"I’m looking forward to Rail Live UK as over the last 4 years I have been participating in Rail Live Madrid, which has been an excellent event to foster relationships with international suppliers, gain insights and share updates on CVLR progress. I’m really glad that this event is now coming to the West Midlands – a centre for transport innovation in the UK. We have significant expertise in the UK, and it will be a great opportunity to learn from others and share home grown technologies that are supporting the move towards a low carbon future."

- Nicola Small, Programme Director for Very Light Rail (VLR) at Transport for West Midlands (TfWM)

The programme will also include a dedicated session led by the UKTram Rising Stars Group, bringing together early-career professionals from across light rail and tram systems. The session will provide space to discuss skills development pathways and explore future opportunities. 

James Hammett, Managing Director of UKTram, will share insights on customer excellence, drawing lessons from the UK’s light rail networks. The discussion will examine how approaches from light rail can inform wider rail operations, improve reliability and simplicity and place passenger needs at the centre of service and station design. 

UK Rail is designed to bring the full supply chain together, creating space for dialogue across engineering, digital technology, telecoms, energy, ticketing, customer experience and commercial strategy. With more than 3,000 industry professionals expected to attend, the event provides opportunities to share insight, build partnerships and explore emerging solutions shaping the future of rail.

Event details Date: 13^th and 14th May 2026  Location: NEC Birmingham 

Full speaker list: Speaker list | UK Rail 

Conference Agenda: Conference agenda