The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and the International Union of Railways (UIC) are hosting the 8th World Congress on High-Speed Rail in Philadelphia from July 11 to 13 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

This is the first time that the World Congress on High-Speed Rail has come to the U.S. About 1,000 attendees from 37 countries are expected to attend. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will make remarks in the opening session.

“APTA is very excited to be hosting this prestigious, international high-speed rail congress,” said APTA President and CEO Michael Melaniphy. “High-speed rail experts from all across the world are coming to the United States to share their expertise and their proven success with high-speed rail in their respective countries.

The UIC World Congress on High-Speed Rail is the leading global event for showcasing and exchanging information on the developments and achievements of high-speed rail worldwide. Educational sessions and roundtable discussions will address technical and economic issues. The high-speed rail trade exhibition is the largest in the world dedicated to high-speed rail equipment, infrastructure projects and services.

At Wednesday’s opening session, APTA Chair and Dallas Area Rapid Transit President/Executive Director Gary Thomas announced the results of a national survey that show that nearly two-thirds of Americans are interested in traveling by high-speed rail and the figure jumps to 74% among those in the 18 to 24 age bracket.

“People want high-speed rail and it is time for high-speed rail to come to the United States,” said Thomas. “It is the logical next step in the evolution of a balanced transportation system needed to support mobility and economic growth in the coming decades.”

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