Tracks to the Future
Powered by Global Neighbours
A Think Train, not a Think Tank
In October 2026, leaders and innovators will board a train running from Europe, across Central Asia, to China. The mission? Find new and powerful ways to build a better future together.
About
A Storied Route Reimagined for the Future
Central Asia is at the heart of this journey, a vital bridge between Europe and China, where trade, culture and ideas have crossed for centuries. We will retrace a voyage celebrated for its history, spectacular vistas, unrivalled cultural wonders, and vital economic role over centuries. This storied past will enrich and inform the ride, but business on board will be firmly focused on the future.
This unique and ambitious adventure will renew and reshape cultural links, and forge new connections, across Europe, Central Asia, China, and all points between. Conceived by Global Neighbours and shaped by the expertise and experience of the organisation's founder Jovanka Porsche, Tracks to the Future combines the rigour and focus of a conference with the serendipity, surprise and constant momentum of a grand tour.
We will explore and assess landscapes, business opportunities, perspectives, natural resources and innovative projects along the way, with actionable and meaningful outcomes by its end. Our intended destination is the creation of new formats for economic, political and cultural cooperation, driven by multi-perspectives and interdependencies.
Valley
The train
Where true partnership is born
The journey takes place on specially adapted long-distance trains equipped for personal comfort and convenience, with dedicated spaces for meetings and the mission.
The stunning views rolling past are more than just beautiful. They invite the space for deeper conversations, unexpected connections, sharper thinking, and new ideas. We recognise that the scale of this ambition is what makes it compelling. We are therefore designing the operational framework with the same innovation we apply to the concept itself.
People
Aboard the train, world leaders, interdisciplinary teams, and experts from politics, business, culture, and science come together, transforming it into a moving laboratory—an engine for new ideas and a lively forum for developing policy.
Model
In comparison to rushed meetings of a typical conference, this model allows for the meaningful and open interaction where true partnership is born.
Context
Rarely found elsewhere, this journey offers extended time, shared experience, and freedom from distraction. As landscapes change outside, conversations deepen inside, building trust that transforms how leaders work together.
Engagement
The projects and locations we consider won't just be names on screens or points on maps: they'll be real-life interactions and exchanges on the journey, in host countries who also have active input on our programme.
The Route
From Duisburg to Xi’an
With conversations that will shape the next decade, the trip traces the ancient trading route of the Silk Road, in three distinct sections.
We begin with the Europe section, from Duisburg on to Istanbul, a route made legendary by the great intercontinental trains of the golden age of travel. The second, Central Asia section moves from Samarkand to Almaty, across Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. The third, the China section, stretches from Khorgos to Xi'an. Every stop is part of a carefully considered narrative progression along these ancient trade and cultural pathways, transforming what might otherwise seem abstract discussions through the tangible reality of shared history and common destiny.
EUROPE and TÜRKİYE
Duisburg → Istanbul
EUROPE and TÜRKİYE
Central Asia
Samarkand → Almaty
Central Asia
China
Khorgos → X’Ian
China
Themes & Topics
Conversations on board, business roundtables, cultural events, and site visits along the route will explore both investment opportunities and cultural heritage. Together, we will address the big questions shaping our future.
  1. 1Future of Cities & Urban Planning: Sustainable development, infrastructure, and the evolution of how we live.
  2. 2AI and Ethics: Governance, responsibility, and the societal implications of machine learning and artificial intelligence.
  3. 3Food Security: The role of AI and technology in agriculture and global food systems.
  4. 4Robotics: Automation, manufacturing, and the future of work.
  5. 5Connectivity: Digital infrastructure, trade corridors, and the physical and virtual networks linking continents.
Route
Duisburg
The
Journey
Begins
Onboard are world leaders, interdisciplinary teams, experts, and stakeholders from politics, business, culture, and science, turning the train into a mobile lab, an engine for ideas and a dynamic platform for shaping policy.
Xi’an
Destination:
The
Future
The final stop on the journey is Xi’an. One of China's Four Great Ancient Capitals and home to the Terracotta Army and the ultimate destination for many travellers on the old Silk Road, the city is the country's second most popular with tourists. In the modern era, it's become a globally significant economic and industrial centre and vital connection point in the growing economic development of inland China.
Itinerary
Departs 18 October 2026 for 18-21 days
The inaugural Tracks to the Future ride will depart Duisburg on 18th October, 2026. Join roundtable discussions, thought-leading talks, special site visits, and cultural events on the journey, and in each place we pause along the route.
18 Oct -> 06 Nov
City
Flexible participation
There are multiple ways to engage with this journey and its mission
Whether your interest lies in exploring innovation, resources and development, manufacturing and technology, or attending particular discussions at specific locations, there is a format designed to suit your focus and schedule. Participants can join for the full journey, board for individual regional segments, or attend distinct events and conferences at key stops.
Onboard are world leaders, interdisciplinary teams, experts, and stakeholders from politics, business, culture, and science, turning the train into a mobile lab, an engine for ideas and a dynamic platform for shaping policy.
1. Full Journey Participants
Join for the complete 18-21 day experience from Duisburg to Xi’an.
2. Regional Segments
Board for one of three distinct sections:
Europe and Türkiye (Duisburg → Istanbul)
Central Asia (Samarkand → Almaty)
China (Khorgos → Xi’an)
3. Event-Based Participation
Attend specific conferences, roundtables, site visits, or cultural events at key stops along the route without joining the train journey.
Itinerary Gala
The Opening Gala
A Gala in a
House of
Modern Art
Duisburg's MKM Museum, Küppersmühle
The evening before departure, we'll celebrate the journey to come with a gala dinner and evening at Duisburg's MKM Museum, Küppersmühle. As a former granary that became a home for the cream of Modern Art and Contemporary art masters, the museum should set the tone for an odyssey that travels through these famed connections of the past to pioneer the future.
Pagoda
Xi’an, China
The
Concluding
Gala
When we reach Xi’an, there will be a concluding conference where the trip’s findings are collected, analysed and presented before an international audience, with a focus on identifying investment and geostrategic opportunities and understanding complex economic interdependencies. Core points and key insights will be incorporated into a full white paper, meaning findings can be shared more widely, and providing a clear platform for future trips. Finally, proceedings will conclude with a closing gala evening in Xi’an.
Tracks to the Future
Strategic Partnership
Tracks to the Future is not just a journey but the beginnings of a genuine movement. A clear strategic partnership model, anchored by founding governments and global corporations, will ensure its longevity and ability to scale to other themes and focuses.
Looking ahead
Following this inaugural voyage, it will become an annual event, its route potentially varying each time so as to best reflect the most relevant and rewarding opportunities across this great expanse of countries and cultures, renewing old bonds and forging valuable new connections.
Contact
Tracks to the Future is invitation-only. To join the journey, a segment, or specific events, or for partnership and press, please contact us.
ContactEmail the executive office