The Fourth Annual World Bank Conference on Transport Economics will be held on March 13, 2026, in Washington, D.C., on the sidelines of Transforming Transportation. 

The conference is organized by the Transport Global Department at the World Bank. It is geared towards young researchers working on transportation issues relevant to developing countries, and is an opportunity to present and discuss their work with researchers, policymakers, and transport practitioners.

Gilles Duranton, Distinguished Professor and Dean's Chair in Real Estate at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, will give the keynote lecture.

9:00-9:10am

WELCOMING REMARKS

 

Binyam Reja, Practice Manager, Africa East, Transport

9:10-10:40am

SESSION 1

CHAIR: Shomik Mehndiratta, Practice manager, ECA Transport
 

Moving Opportunity Closer: How Public Transit Transforms Firm Composition and Employment

Akhila Kovvuri, Stanford University

Discussion
 
 

Public Transit, Residential Sorting and Labor Supply: Evidence and Theory from Lahore's Bus Rapid Transit System

Bisma Khan, University of Toronto

 

Discussion

10:40-11:00am

Coffee Break

11:00-12:50am

SESSION 2

CHAIR: Diego Puga, Professor of Economics at CEMFI, Madrid

Short presentation (Title TBD)
 

Public and Private Transit: Evidence from Lagos

Alice Duhaut, World Bank, DECST

Discussion
 

Travel Mode Choice and Distributional Impacts of Congestion Charge Policy in New York City

Yikuan Ji, University of Maryland

Discussion

12:50am-1:50pm

Lunch break

1:50-2:50pm

                                                        KEYNOTE ADDRESS

CHAIR: Stephane Straub, Chief Economist for Infrastructure, The World Bank
 

Around the world in 24 days? The speed of intercity road travel

Gilles Duranton, Distinguished Professor and Dean's Chair in Real Estate at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

 

2:50-4:20pm

SESSION 3

CHAIR: Stephane Straub, Chief Economist for Infrastructure, The World Bank

Effects of Transportation Infrastructure and Market Access on Conflict: Evidence from Peru

Alvaro Calderon , Stanford University

Discussion
 

Market Power at Sea: Micro Evidence, Macro Implications

Anna Ignatenko, Norwegian School of Economics

Discussion

4:20-5:00pm

Coffee and socialization

KEY DATES

Paper submissions: January 31, 2026

Paper selections: February 14, 2026

Pre-registration ends: February 28, 2026 

Conference: March 13, 2026