APTA TRANSform & EXPO 2026

APTA TRANSform & EXPO is the American Public Transportation Association's combined conference and products-and-services showcase for the public transit industry, pairing the TRANSform education program with an exhibit floor of bus, rail and mobility suppliers. The event moves between US host cities.

APTA TRANSform & EXPO 2026

APTA TRANSform & EXPO runs October 4–7, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.

What it is

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) runs this as two linked events. TRANSform, presented by HNTB, is the conference, running October 4–7, with workshops, technical tours, keynotes and education sessions for transit professionals. EXPO, running October 5–7, is the products and services showcase for public transportation.

Its exhibitors supply bus, light- and heavy-rail and autonomous mobility systems, covering categories from fare collection and passenger information systems to zero-emission and alternative-fueled vehicles, railcars, cybersecurity and fleet management. The audience includes transit agency leaders, board members, government officials, planners, procurement officers, engineers, manufacturers and consultants. APTA says this is its first return to Chicago since 1981.

Two registrations, one of them free

• EXPO Only registration is free to the public. It covers the exhibit floor only, with no conference sessions or meal functions.
• TRANSform registration is paid and includes EXPO, the general and education sessions, the welcome reception, the APTA Honors Breakfast and the Innovation Summit. APTA members pay less.
• The Wednesday Innovation Summit and the Saturday Transit Board Administrators Development Day can each be booked on their own.

EXPO hall hours

• Monday, October 5: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Tuesday, October 6: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Wednesday, October 7: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM (short last day)

Free Learning Zones sessions run on the show floor from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Monday and Tuesday, and lunch is served in the exhibit hall on both days. Sunday, October 4 is for committee meetings and the opening reception, so the hall is closed that day. A complimentary shuttle runs between McCormick Place and the APTA block hotels that are not within walking distance.