Urban Economics Association

Logo UEA 2026 Barcelona

15th European Meeting of the Urban Economics Association

May 8 - 9, 2026
CREI, Barcelona

Submission

The submission deadline was January 9, 2026. The program committee has emailed authors of submissions about their selection decisions.

Submissions are handled through https://editorialexpress.com/conference/emuea2026/.

Travel to Spain

Participants who need a visa to travel to Spain should apply as soon as possible. Please consult the official guidance on applying for a Schengen visa and the official information provided by your nearest Spanish consulate.

If you require an invitation letter for your visa application, please fill in this form.

After submitting the form, you will receive the invitation letter from uea26@bse.eu.

Accommodation

Barcelona is an extremely popular destination. It's crucial to book your stay as soon as possible. Hotel prices for the conference weekend are high already and expected to rise further. The neighborhoods around the conference venue (the Vila Olimpica and broader Poblenou, the Old Town, the Eixample) are always those with the greatest visitor demand. Less central areas may offer lower prices and better availability.

The urban area has excellent public transport overall, but a clear hierarchy of transport modes. The metro (whose line numbers begin with L) and FGC suburban trains (whose line numbers begin with S) are frequent, rapid and reliable. Trams (whose line numbers begin with T) and buses are equally reliable, but slower and less frequent. Rodalies commuter rail (whose line numbers begin with R) is infamously unreliable. Among the outlying residential suburbs, the best-connected and probably the nicest are those along FGC line S2 to Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (which has its own eponymous station).

Registration and Fees

Deadlines: Presenters had to register by March 8 to be included in the program. For non-presenting attendees, registration closes on April 29.

Fees: The registration fees for the conference are:

Cancellation policy: Registrants who cancel their registration prior to April 20 must pay a cancellation charge of 50% (plus currency conversion and transfer fees). Registrations cannot be cancelled after April 20.

Conference Venue

CREI (Centre de Recerca en Economia Internacional)
Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Campus de la Ciutadella
Ramon Trias Fargas, 25-27
08005 Barcelona
Google Maps

Registration, all sessions (including keynotes), and coffee and lunch breaks will take place on the UPF Ciutadella Campus, where CREI is located. The nearest metro station, Ciutadella | Vila Olímpica, is only two blocks away. Detailed room assignments and on-site signage will be provided closer to the conference.

Local Transportation

From the airport: Barcelona - El Prat airport (BCN) has two terminals (T1 and T2). Both have frequent connections to the city center by Aerobus and by metro, which are ticketed separately from public transport within the city. The Aerobus (€7.45, or €12.85 return) reaches Plaça Catalunya directly in slightly more than half an hour. The metro (€5.90) is usually slower because it requires connecting from L9 Sud (orange) to L1 (red) at Torrassa station. Infrequent Rodalies commuter-rail trains (R2 Nord) also connect Terminal 2 alone to Passeig de Gràcia.

From the train station: Long-distance trains operate from Barcelona Sants. Iryo and Renfe long-distance tickets allow connecting to Rodalies commuter rail within Barcelona. The commuter-rail station closest to the conference venue is Arc de Triomf, which has frequent and fast connections to Sants by lines R1 and R4.

Within the city: The UPF Ciutadella Campus is close to the city center and well connected by public transport. It has two nearby metro stations: Ciutadella | Vila Olímpica on the L4 (yellow) line and Marina on the L1 (red) line. They are within walking distance, and also two stops away from each other on the T5/T6 tram line, with the intermediate stop directly on campus: Wellington | UPF. Up-to-date information about public transport is provided by the official TMB website and app.

Parallel Sessions and Loading Slides

In parallel sessions, 20-minute presentations are followed by a 5-minute discussion and 5 minutes for audience questions and comments. Presenters should be in the room 15 minutes before the session starts. Each room is equipped with a projector and a desktop computer. Instructions for uploading/transferring slides will be posted closer to the conference.

Student Prize Sessions

Sessions featuring the finalists of the UEA student prize competition will take place during the conference. The winner(s) of the student prize will be announced at the conference.

Wi-Fi Access

Free Wi-Fi access is available via Eduroam. For participants without Eduroam, the local organizers will provide information on available guest access options.

Code of Conduct

Participants must adhere to the UEA conference code of conduct.

Dinner and Reception

Cafè Palau
Palau de la Música, 4-6
08003 Barcelona
Google Maps

The reception (including dinner) on Friday evening will be held in the ground-floor foyer and patio of the Palau de la Música Catalana, a Barcelona landmark and masterpiece of Catalan Art Nouveau architecture. Located in the heart of the Old Town, it can be reached from the conference venue by a scenic half-hour walk, or slightly faster by metro. Note that it is primarily a concert hall, and on the same evening it will also be hosting concerts both in its main auditorium upstairs and in its smaller underground auditorium.

Social Committee

A Social Committee, chaired by Rosa Sanchis-Guarner, is in charge of organizing pre- and post-conference social activities.

Surroundings

UPF's Ciutadella Campus is located near Parc de la Ciutadella and within easy reach of the waterfront. Barcelona offers extensive cultural and dining options, including the Gothic Quarter, El Born, and major landmarks such as the Sagrada Família.

CREI Barcelona School of Economics Universitat Pompeu Fabra