A conversation with Ms. Aba Garrote (CINEA) on multimodal passenger hubs and Urban Mobility Days 2025

At Urban Mobility Days 2025, one of the key discussions explores the future of multimodal passenger hubs and their role in connecting cities to the TEN-T network. Before the session, we spoke with Ms. Aba Garrote, Director at the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), about why these hubs matter and what lessons EU projects offer. 

1.  Could you introduce yourself and your role at CINEA?

Since 2023, I am the Director of the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), established by the European Commission to implement EU funding programmes that boost green growth and clean industry in Europe. My career spans more than 20 years in the European Commission and has included work on the EU budget across several EU policies. Before joining the European Commission, I worked in export and project finance, as well as corporate banking in Spain. I hold a Master of Business Administration from IESE Business School, University of Navarra, and I am strongly committed to sustainability and to advancing climate and infrastructure initiatives for a more sustainable and resource-efficient future.

2. The session you are speaking at is “Multimodal passenger hubs: connecting the city and the TEN-T network.” What themes or key points can participants expect to hear you discuss?

In this session, I will address three main points. First, I will outline the preconditions for the development of successful multimodal passenger hubs. Next, I will present our recommendations and share lessons learned from projects managed by CINEA, noting that both our research (Horizon programmes) and Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) projects are directly relevant to this topic. Finally, I will highlight the key success factors that underpin effective multimodal passenger hubs.

3. From your perspective, what makes multimodal passenger hubs critical for connecting local, regional, and TEN-T networks?

Multimodal passenger hubs lie at the heart of connectivity within the European transport network. They play a crucial role in linking local, regional, and long-distance transport, thereby directly supporting the objectives of the TEN-T policy.

More than infrastructure, these hubs act as gateways that enable seamless and efficient door-to-door travel. By integrating public transport, shared mobility services, walking, and cycling, they expand travel options and optimise mobility choices across different modes, making sustainable and efficient journeys easier for all passengers.

From CINEA’s perspective, based on insights from both Horizon Europe and CEF projects, several factors make multimodal passenger hubs essential for connecting local, regional, and TEN-T networks. Key success factors include integrated planning and governance, the adoption of innovative technologies, and thorough testing to ensure that solutions are both scalable and bankable.

4. What can Urban Mobility Days participants expect to hear about regarding strategies or approaches that improve passenger flow and efficiency at multimodal hubs?

Successful multimodal passenger hubs provide travellers with a seamless, reliable, and accessible travel experience. To achieve this, hubs must be carefully planned and designed to ensure not only physical connectivity and smooth transfers between different transport modes, but also full accessibility for all users - regardless of their mobility patterns, impairments, or constraints - as well as reliable real-time multimodal travel information and integrated ticketing.

Our projects explore how efficiency, sustainability, inclusiveness, and safety can work hand in hand. For example, they assess how scalable decarbonisation technologies—such as zero-emission buses or electrified fleets—can be integrated into hubs, and how hub design can optimise accessibility for all passengers, including vulnerable groups. A key conclusion from these projects is that passengers value not only sustainability but also reliability and ease of use.

5. How can the integration of shared mobility services and digital tools enhance the effectiveness of multimodal hubs in addressing transport challenges?

Our projects have examined this question in depth. Among other findings, they highlight the potential to enhance the effectiveness of multimodal passenger hubs by integrating digital tools into transport planning, operations, and mobility services. One prominent example is Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platforms, which enable passengers to plan, book, and pay for multimodal trips within a single app. In practice, this means that a traveller in Rome, for instance, could combine metro, bike-sharing, and on-demand minibuses in one seamless ticket.

6. Finally, what key messages do you hope UMD participants will take away from the discussions in your session?

Multimodal passenger hubs play a vital role in modern transport systems. I hope that by the end of this session, the audience will have a clearer understanding of their importance in connecting local, regional, and long-distance transport. These hubs are essential for enabling seamless travel and driving the modal shift toward more sustainable transport. I also hope the audience will leave with a clear grasp of the key factors that make multimodal passenger hubs successful.

The session “Multimodal passenger hubs: connecting the city and the TEN-T network” takes place at Urban Mobility Days 2025 (Vilnius) - Day 1, 30 September, 15:30–16:45 (Afternoon break-out sessions 1).

Author: Sara Mercatti

Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not reflect those of the European Commission.