In May 2009, the Complex Transportation Infrastructure Systems (CTIS) students participated in the second annual “CTIS Technical Tour,” led by Prof. Jorge Pinho de Sousa and accompanied by Ms. Teresa Afonso. The students visited and learned about a number of transportation facilities, including ports, airports, logistics facilities, tramways, high-speed rail systems, and one-way bicycle rental schemes in various European countries. The sites visited were as follows: Barcelona Port and Logistics Platform (Spain)
Students learned about the ZAL facilities, a major logistics platform of the Port of Barcelona, and saw a presentation regarding the expansion of this port. This visit outlined the economic importance of intermodality in the operations and the business model of the platform. Port of Antwerp and Railway Station (Belgium)  The visit to the Port of Antwerp started with a presentation by Mr. Jan Blomme at Port Centre Lillo. Then the students had a guided visit of the Port. They learned about the physical distribution of mineral water and general cargo. They also visited the chemical cluster, the Container handling, and the lockage. Students then visited the Antwerp Central Train Station to learn about its expansion. The station is an incredible adaptation of a magnificent old building with modern facilities and quality of service.
RFFand TGV EST (Paris) In a visit to RFF, the French Railway infrastructure manager, students were made privy to information, including contractual agreements, financial documents and various regulatory documents that are key to understanding this innovative and complex project. In the evening, on their way to Stuttgart, students experienced a High Speed Rail link that significantly reduces travel times between Paris and the East of France. RATP (Paris) CTIS students visited RATP, the state enterprise responsible for transportation in the Paris metropolitan area. Representatives of RATP presented the main strategic principles of the company, emphasizing the role of mobility, and describing some concrete projects such as the Tramway at Boulevard des Maréchaux. Major aspects of this urban project, including financing, public participation, and the different phases of construction, were discussed in depth. VéliB (Paris) The one-way bicycle rental scheme in Paris became an innovative solution to stimulate the use of bikes as a regular means of public transport. CTIS students visited the department responsible for the VéliB project, where they received a detailed explanation of the business model as well as of the various stages of implementation of this project. The system, based on more than 20,000 bicycles and hundreds of docking stations, has a significant impact concerning the mobility of the local population and in environmental terms. Stuttgart 21 (Germany) CTIS students were introduced to Stuttgart 21, the project that will transform Stuttgart's nineteenth-century main railway station into a modern transit hub. The near-invisibility in the city center of an extensive light rail system will be made possible by a tunnel construction program with the relocation of heavy rail tracks. Moreover, Stuttgart 21 will provide an opportunity for restructuring and accelerating services that will be felt across the country and on Europe's high-speed rail network. Frankfurt Airport (Germany) CTIS students had a guided visit of Frankfurt airport by bus with very detailed explanations regarding the expansion of the airport. During this bus trip in the airport, students visited the terminals, the logistics center, and other infrastructures. After this guided visit, they saw a 3D presentation at Fraport facilities related to the expansion of the airport. | 
