The CEETRA (Central European Excellence for Transport Research Association) initiative was launched in 2023 by Rafał Kucharski (Jagiellonian University, Kraków), Jacek Pawlak (Imperial College London) and Dániel Hörcher (Corvinus University, at the time of the founding Imperial College). Its aim is to create opportunities for networking and high-quality scientific exchange among transport researchers working at Central European institutions, as well as those with a Central European identity who are employed abroad. The association’s sole declared objective is to enhance scientific excellence and research performance in the region. Particular emphasis is placed on the transfer of knowledge from researchers with more established scientific achievements to PhD students and early-career colleagues.