Past IARO Events

2023 IARO Conference and Networking Meeting

Celebrating 25^th Anniversary of Heathrow Express and the International Air Rail Organisation

IARO and Heathrow Express jointly organised a Conference and Networking Meeting on 28 & 29 November 2023, to celebrate the 25^th Anniversary of the two organisations.

The event marked the re-launch of the IARO, after a 3-year break.

Tuesday 28 November 2023 – Site Visits and Welcome Reception

Day 1 of the Meeting comprised of visits to a number of air-rail locations, including Heathrow Airport and Heathrow Express, Luton Airport and Luton DART, and the Elizabeth Line.

The Day concluded with a Welcome and Networking Reception for all Participants, sponsored by Heathrow Express.

Wednesday 29 November 2023

In addition to marking the 25 years of Heathrow Express, Conference Sessions on Day 2 covered a range of issues relevant to the air-rail industry, with topics including:

- Connecting London with its Airports – with a focus on Heathrow Express and MTR Elizabeth Line
- A Nationwide Rail System for the UK
- A perspective on how has our profession changed over 25 years? Rail as a component part of a sustainable strategy
- Case Study: Logan Airport, Boston - while rail is the optimal solution for getting people out of their cars, there are situations where rail and bus must co-mingle to create the best solution.
- Heathrow’s Surface Access Strategy - how to de-carbonise travel to and from the airport, for passengers and staff
- How are operators recovering from 2020/2022 Pandemic?
- Airport Expresses and their Competitors
- MXP North Rail Access: An update from SEA Milan Airports and Ferrovienord on the investment in the connection to Milan

Webinar: Wednesday 5 July
“What’s been happening while we’ve been away?”

The recent IARO webinar, "A Review of Air-Rail Developments around the World over the Last 3 Years," is now available for viewing. This insightful webinar featured IARO Policy Advisor Andrew Sharp, who provided a comprehensive update on the significant developments and advancements that have taken place in the air-rail industry over the past three years.

To view the Webinar, click on this link: IARO WEBINAR

What happens to mode share when trains start running to airports?

The Webinar was presented by Andrew Sharp, IARO Policy Advisor - and examined the impact on mode share when trains run to airports.

Topics included:

What do we mean by “mode share”? What type of modes are we looking at?
Case studies of 10 different airports
What happens to parking revenue?
Summary of case studies

Sustainability at Airports and Air-Rail Terminals – with a focus on Riga Airport”

Insights and initiatives regarding sustainability at airports and air-rail terminals
Design of the new air-rail station at Riga Airport
Integration into the Rail Baltica network and terminal extension

Presented by global design consultants OneWorks, the Webinar covered the company’s initiatives on sustainability at airports and air-rail terminals. It included a Focus on Riga Airport – the design of the new air-rail station and terminal extension.

Getting the TGV to Paris Airport

The US High Speed Rail Alliance recently organised a Webinar - “Getting the TGV to Paris Airport”.
To view the Recording of the presentation, click on this link: HSRA TGV Paris

Webinar 5 - “Manchester Airport: Connections, Funding and Future Development

The 5th in the series of IARO Webinars took place on Friday 18 June 2021.

Focusing on Manchester Airport, UK, the Webinar covered the development and funding of rail links to the airport, future expansion – and the impact on mode share, airport parking and the road network.

To view the Recording, click on this link: IARO MANCHESTER AIRPORT WEBINAR

To View a PDF of the presentation, Click HERE

Webinar 4 - The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic Year on Transportation

The 4^th in the series of Webinars arranged by the IARO focused on the impact of COVID-19 on the transportation industry.

There were two speakers, each covering different aspects of the way the Global Pandemic has impacted the airport, airline and commuter sectors.

Matthew Coogan (Senior Director, RSG Inc.) reviewed how transportation demand has changed because of the pandemic - and why.
Martin Braun (Assistant Director, Airport Development, IATA) provided information on the how the airline and airport sectors have been affected by the pandemic - and the latest prognosis for the future.

To view a PDF of Matthew Coogan's Presentation - Click HERE

To view a PDF of Martin Braun's Presentation - Click HERE

Webinar 3 - The History of Heathrow Express

The 3rd IARO Webinar looked at "The History of Heathrow Express" - how the project was planned in the 1980's, built in the 1990's and then operated for over 20 years until today.

To view a PDF of the Presentation - Click HERE

To read the book written by Paul Le Blond - Click HERE

To view a recording of the Webinar - Click HERE

Webinar 2 - Canada's Airport Rail Links: Status and Future Developments

The 2^nd in the series of IARO Webinars Took place on Thursday 28 January 2021. The Webinar focused on Canada’s air-rail links, with a look at current operations and projects planned and under construction.

To view a PDF of the Presentation - Click HERE

To view a recording of the Webinar - Click HERE

Webinar 1 - IARO Report and Webinar: “Case Studies in Metros Serving Airports”

Webinar Recording – now available to view
In-depth Industry Report – available to purchase

“Case Studies in Metros Serving Airports” is the subject of the latest Industry Study published by the International Air Rail Organisation.
It was also the subject of a Webinar recently organised by the IARO. Please find below further information.

Webinar Recording – Available to View

A recording of the recent IARO Webinar is now available to view.
Presented by Andrew Sharp, IARO Policy Advisor, the webinar gave examples drawn from 15 of the 180+ metros serving airports around the world.

View the Webinar here IARO Webinar Case Studies in Metros Serving Airports - YouTube

In-depth Industry Report – available to purchase

The Report, which provides extensive details of a number of important metro services linking to airports, provides considerable detail

To purchase the Report

The Report is available to purchase as a PDF.

Price: £250, €275, US$325.

To place an order, or for further information, contact: Patrick.hicks@iaro.com

Presentations from the following IARO events are available to IARO Members. To download them, click HERE

International Air Rail Transport Summit Conference - Bangkok
Air-Rail Growth Opportunities Explored at Bangkok Transport Summit

Conference Report - HERE

17th IARO Conference & Members Meeting - Manchester Airport, UK
"Developing Intergrated Airport Transport Systems"

John Pope, Chairman, Stansted Area Tansport Forum
Simon Earles, President, IARO
Anna Russell, Head of Stakeholder Liaison & Communications, MAN-TP
John Twigg, Planning Director, MAG
Scott Howard, Planner, MAG
Andrew Saunders, Surface Access Strategy Manager, MAG
David Sidebottom, Director, Transport Focus
Nick Brelsford, Partership Manager, Sustrans North
Dorota Konieczna, Events Lead, Women in Transport
Lucas London, Associate Director, OneWorks
Andrew Sharp, Policy Advisor, IARO
Philipp Engedal, CEO, Flytoget
Lucja Majewski, Stakeholder Manager, TransPennine Express
Chris Jackson, Commercial Director, Northern Rail
Matthew Coogan, Principal, Coogan Associates

To view a photo gallery of the event, click here: PHOTOS

16th IARO Workshop - Vienna, 18 October 2018
“What do Air-Rail Passengers Want?” - A Dedicated IARO Workshop offering participants the opportunity to share best-practice trends in rail services to airports, with a focus on identifying the needs and wishes of air-rail passengers.

Andrew Sharp, Policy Advisor, IARO
Lucas London, Senior Associate, One Works – Part 1
Christian Steyer Director Co-operations, HUB Vienna, Austrian Airlines
Dietmar Pfeiler, Manager – AIRail Product, Austrian Railway
Lucas London, Senior Associate, One Works – Part 2
Chris Crauford, Head of Commercial, Heathrow Express
Andy Saunders, Surface Access Strategy Manager, Manchester Airports Group

To view a photo gallery of the event, click here: PHOTOS

15th IARO Workshop, Hotel Saint James Albany, Paris, France - Wednesday April 11th, 2018
"A Dedicated Workshop offering participants the opportuinity to learn more about the CDG Express Project and to share best-practice trends in rail services to airports"

Guillaume Sauve, ADP Group
Presentations from Transdev
Michaela Vecinal, CAT
RIchard Dujardin, Transdev
Philipp Engedal, Flytoget
Frazer Brown, Heathrow Express
Martin Braun, IATA
Paul Le Blond, IARO
Matthew Coogan, Coogan Associates

14th IARO Workshop, Bergamo Airport, Bergamo, Italy - Tuesday September 26th, 2017
"What Type of Service is Right for You?"

14th IARO Workshop report

Emira Lanari, Regione Lombardia
Francesco Mistrini, SACBO
Giulio De Carli, One Works
Luca Bassani, RFI
Renato Redondi, ICCSAI + Sebastian Birolini, SACBO/University of Bergamo
Andrew Sharp, Policy Advisor, IARO
Martin Braun, Assistant Director Airport Development IATA
Fraser Brown, Business Lead and Director, Heathrow Express
Andy Saunders, Surface Access Strategy Manager, Manchester Airport Group

To view a photo gallery of the event, click HERE

13th IARO Workshop, London Heathrow Airport, London - Wednesday May 24th, 2017
"What do Good Air-Rail Services Look Like?"

Fraser Brown, Buisness Lead and Director, Heathrow Express
Paul Le Blond, Board Member, IARO
Matthew Lee, Head of Customer Experience Readiness, MTRCrossrail
Mitchell Stirling, Surface Access Policy Manager, Heathrow Airport
Liam Henderson, Founder, Transporting Cities
Richard Davies, Director, Insitas Ltd
Andrew Sharp, Policy Advisor, IARO
Chris Joyce, Head of Surface Access, Heathrow Airport

To view a report of the Meeting, click HERE
To view a photo gallery of the Meeting, click HERE
To view the Andrew Sharp’s presentation (with commentary) “What do good air-rail links look like?” click HERE

12th IARO Workshop: "Making New York's airport rail links world class" - Four World Trade Center, New York, USA Monday 14th November 2016

- Thomas Bosco, Director Aviation Department, PANYNJ
- Paul Le Blond, Board Member, IARO
- Andrew Lynn, Director Planning & Regional Development, PANYNJ
- Chris Bastian, Associate Director of Transport Systems Analysis, MTA
- Winston Baijnath, Manager Airtrain, EWR
- Ruby Siegel, Vice President, AECOM
- Matthew A Coogan, New England Transportation Institute, Board Member, IARO
- Fraser Brown, Head of Business, Heathrow Express
- Massimo Corradi, Real Estate - Funding Programmes, SEA Milan
- Paolo Deforza, Infrastructure Department, SACBO/Bergamo

11th IARO Workshop: "Trams and Light Rail Connections" - NH Hotel, Lyon St Exupery Airport, Monday 12th September 2016

- Andrew Sharp, Policy Advisor, IARO
- Julien Bert, rhônexpress
- Michel Burgat, Sytral
- Bruno de Saint Louvent, Aéroports de Lyon
- Paolo, Gruppo Class
- Massimo Corradi, Update from Milan
- Ross Nimmo, Glasgow

10th IARO Workshop: “Air-Rail Links: Who are our customers?" - Cranfield, Monday 13th June 2016

- Matt Coogan, Director, New England Transportation Institute
- Andrew Sharp, Policy Advisor, IARO
- Tom Budd, Lecturer, Cranfield University
- Hermann Orth, Public Transport Strategy Consultant
- Fraser Brown, Business Lead, Heathrow Express

9th IARO Workshop: "Air-Rail Links: What Works in North America?" - Washington DC, Monday 19th October 19 2015

- Brandon Belford, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs, US Department of Transportation
- Charles Stark, Executive Project Director, Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project
- Stephan A. Mehr, P.Eng., Director Business Planning, Metrolinx/Union Pearson Express
- Lou Venech, General Manager, Regional Transportation Policy Development, Regional Transportation Policy Development, Planning Dept, Port Authority of NY & NJ
- Matt Coogan, Director, New England Transportation Institute, New England Transportation Institute
- Fraser Brown, Director, Heathrow Express
- Paul Le Blond, Board member and Past-President, International Air Rail Organisation
- Peter Thornton,Transportation Associates Pty Ltd

8th IARO Workshop: “Extending Rail Links at a Growing Airport” - SEA Milan Malpensa Airport, 15th June 2015

- Paul Le Blond, Past President, International Air Rail Organisation
- Massimo Corradi, SEA Milan Malpensa Airport
- Laura Stiriti, Railway design and planning FERROVIENORD Nord Ing
- Roberto Ceresoli, Infrastructure Development Director, FERROVIENORD
- Lanfranco Senn, Senior Professor and Director of CERTet, Milan Bocconi University
- Simon Earles, Planning and Surface Access Director, Heathrow Airport
- Mark Walbrun, Practice Leader for Rail & Transit, Hatch Mott MacDonald
- Dr Peter Pfragner, Commissioner for Intermodality, Frankfurt Airport

7th IARO Workshop: "Rail links to Airport Cities" - Manchester Airport, 16th April 2015

- Paul Le Blond, Past President, International Air Rail Organisation
- John Twigg, Group Planning Director, Manchester Airports Group
- Martin Lax, Head of Policy and Research, Transport for Greater Manchester
- Nick Donovan, Managing Director, First TransPennine Express
- Stephen McFarlane, Head of Community & Stakeholder ENgagement, HS2 Ltd
- Thomas Kreij, Head of Commercial Services, Swedavia Stockolm Arlanda Airport
- Hermann Orth, Research Assistant and Doctoral Student
- Paul Neal, Principal Consultant, Parsons Brinkerhoff

6th IARO Workshop: "Air-Rail links in the planning stage - London, 18 November 2014

- Paul Le Blond, President, International Air Rail Organisation
- Simon Earles, Head of Surface Access, Heathrow Airport
- Malcolm Parsons, Senior Programme Development Director, Western Route, Network Rail
- Ross Nimmo, Planning and Development Manager, Glasgow Airport
- Matthew Coogan, Director, New England Transportation Institute
- Andrew Sharp, Policy Advisor, IARO

5th IARO Workshop: "Which air-rail service - metro, express or commuter?" - Stockholm, 16 September 2014:

- Paul Le Blond, President, International Air Rail Organisation
- Tomas Kreij, Head of Commercial Services, Swedavia Stockholm Arlanda Airport
- Per Thorstenson, Chief Exectuive, Arlanda Express
- Ulf Lundin, Managing Director, Arlandabanan
- Julia Gregory, Head of Airport Development, Gatwick Airport
- Hermann Maier, Technical Director, Jacobs SKM

4th IARO Workshop: Effect of EU on Air-Rail Links - Brussels, 10 June 2014

- Gabor Nagy, European Commission
- Andrew Sharp, IARO
- Massimo Corradi, SEA Milan Airports
- Paul Le Blond, IARO
- Stephan Jugelt, European Railway Agency

3rd IARO Workshop: Airport Rail Stations - Dallas, 9 April 2014

- Paul Le Blond, IARO
- Peter Pfragner, Fraport
- Matt Sibul & Kevin Cox, Salt Lake City
- Steve Salin, DFW
- Mark Walbrun & Paul Neal

2nd IARO Workshop: Air-Rail Branding Workshop - Gatwick Airport, 17 September 2013

- Paul Le Blond, IARO
- Julia Gregory, Gatwick Airport/Matthew Labuda, Angel Trains
- Simon Earles, Heathrow Airport/Daniel Smith, Heathrow Express
- Stephan Mehr, Union Pearson Express

1st IARO Workshop: High Speed Rail and Airports - Birmingham, 15 July 2013

- Paul Le Blond, IARO
- Peter Pfragner, Fraport
- Stephen Macfarlane/Stefano Minini, HS2 Ltd
- Michelle Thurgood, Birmingham Airport.

Presentations from other IARO events are available to members by contacting Patrick Hicks.