A transport apparatus is for conveying a shoe last along a conveying direction, and includes a rail unit, a transport device and a transfer device. The rail unit is divided into process, bridge and transfer regions. The transport device is movably mounted to the rail unit, is movable in the process and bridge regions, and includes a gripper for gripping the shoe last. The transfer device is movably mounted to the rail unit, is movable in the bridge and transfer regions, and includes a holding member for holding the shoe last. When the gripper is in the bridge region, the holding member is operable to hold the shoe last and transfer the shoe last from the gripper to the transfer region.