The countdown is on: 17th Austrian Cycling Summit and 2nd Austrian Pedestrian Summit in Burgenland From 9 to 11 September, Eisenstadt will become the meeting place for everyone who wants to shape the future of active mobility.
The 17th Austrian Cycling Summit and the 2nd Austrian Pedestrian Summit will be jointly hosted by the Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure as part of the 'klimaaktiv mobil' climate protection initiative, the state of Burgenland, and Eisenstadt. The special feature: for the first time, cycling and pedestrian travel will be jointly highlighted in a specialist conference. More than 400 expert guests from politics, administration, business, and science from all over Austria as well as international experts are expected to set new impulses for the national agenda for active mobility.
Mobility Minister Peter Hanke emphasises: “Active mobility is a key factor for climate-friendly, liveable cities and regions. With the 2026 Cycling and Pedestrian Summit, we are sending a clear message to further strengthen the importance of cycling and walking in Austria and to promote multimodality in combination with public transport. Everyone benefits from this – all generations and regions, as it increases the quality of life in our cities and municipalities, keeps us fit, and brings more movement into everyday life.”
Regional Councillor Heinrich Dorner adds: “Burgenland has set itself ambitious targets to actively promote cycling and pedestrian travel. By 2030, we aim to double the number of trips made by bicycle. With the 'Burgenland on Foot' master plan adopted in March 2026, we have created an important foundation to invite even more people to walk and to equally consider this form of mobility in traffic planning. In this way, we want to jointly create vibrant and liveable places with a high quality of stay.”
Eisenstadt's Mayor Thomas Steiner is delighted: “Cycling and walking in everyday life is becoming more popular in Eisenstadt. With the joint Cycling and Pedestrian Summit, we are bringing top-notch expertise to the city and creating space for dialogue, new ideas and concrete impulses for further mobility development. At the same time, it shows: we're not starting from scratch. With the Climate Action Plan 2040 and the consistent expansion of public transport, cycling connections, and safe footpaths, we have long since set the path - and continue step by step.”
Catering for professional development with top speakers
Throughout the three-day conference, current trends and developments will be discussed, successful practical examples showcased, and networks built. The list of speakers includes renowned names like Chiara Molinar (Pedestrian Traffic Officer/City of Paris), Friedemann Goerl (Pedestrian Traffic Officer/City of Leipzig), Helge Hillnhütter (Mobility Researcher/Norwegian University of Science and Technology), Judit Rab (Head of Public Space and Transport Infrastructure Development/ Budapest Transport Centre), Stephanie Peer (Mobility Researcher/WU Vienna), Rul von Stülpnagel (Cognitive Scientist/University of Freiburg), Kathrin Viergutz (Mobility Researcher) and Anna Mayerthaler (New Mobility/ÖBB Passenger Transport). A comprehensive supporting programme with excursions on foot and by bike allows participants to experience implemented measures first-hand.
Public event and #MeterMaking-Challenge
The conclusion of the 17th Austrian Cycling Summit and the 2nd Austrian Pedestrian Summit will be marked by a publicly accessible lecture by Public Health expert Hans-Peter Hutter and environmental psychologist Lisbeth Weitensfelder from the Medical University of Vienna. With the start of the specialist conference, the starting signal for the #MeterMaking Challenge is given. The participation event invites cyclists and walkers of all generations to collect as many cycling kilometres or steps as possible between 9-22 September 2026 and win prizes. Cyclists register in the 'Austria Cycles' app or at radelt.at. Those who prefer to walk collect their travelled routes in the Walk15 app at walk15.app.