InnoTrans 2026 (evaluation)
posted on 30th Oct 2026 23:10
From 22 to 25 September, the latest edition of the world’s most significant railway industry trade fair took place. The organizers deemed it a success (as always), as it once again occupied all the halls and the entire outdoor area of the exhibition grounds.
According to press releases from Messe Berlin, “the trade fair set records in almost every category on the occasion of its 30th anniversary.” It should be clarified, however, that this was actually the 15th edition. Strictly speaking, given that the first InnoTrans took place in 1996, it should have been the 16th edition; however, the fair could not be held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic (and an alternative plan to host InnoTrans in April 2021 also failed to materialize).
There were 3,190 exhibitors from 59 countries, including 753 first-time exhibitors. In addition, 32 national and joint pavilions from 25 countries were featured, with participants including Japan, Brazil, and Zimbabwe. There were also 14 visits by delegations, including those from Saudi Arabia, India, and Canada. All 42 exhibition halls, as well as the outdoor track-side display areas and their immediate surroundings, were fully occupied; the total net exhibition space amounted to 119,767 m².
According to a survey by Messe Berlin, 94.8 % of exhibitors were very satisfied with their participation. Regarding business transactions, the satisfaction rating remained high at 88.6 %. Overall visitor satisfaction reached 95.3 %, consistent with the high levels seen in the previous edition. The willingness to recommend the event increased slightly from 94.8 % in 2024 to 95.1 % this year.
This year’s InnoTrans featured 180 world premieres. In 2024, it featured 226 world premieres - compared to 250 in 2022;
We asked Messe Berlin about the percentage breakdown of exhibitors by continent for this year, as well as for previous years. The response:
In 2018, 77.6 % of exhibitors came from Europe, 15.9 % from Asia, 4.6 % from the Americas, 1.2 % from Australia, and 0.7 % from Africa.
In 2022, the breakdown was: 84.1 / 11.2 / 3.5 / 0.6 / 0.6.
In 2024, it was: 83.3 / 14.1 / 1.9 / 0.5 / 0.3.
Precise statistics for this year’s edition of InnoTrans will be published at the end of November.
A total of 113 vehicles from 17 countries were on display. In this regard, TATRAVAGÓNKA led the way with eight exhibits, followed by Stadler Rail with seven vehicles (though comparing wagons with passenger vehicles, specifically units, is not entirely precise...).
Asian competitors were also impossible to overlook; CRRC, for instance, presented a hydrogen fuel-cell hybrid locomotive, while Hyundai Rotem brought two cars from its high-speed EMU-320 trainset. Exhibiting all these vehicles requires complex logistics, especially for those arriving from Asia: vehicles from China and South Korea were first transported to Europe by ship, then continued on to Berlin via inland waterways, rail, or road.
To remember, at InnoTrans 2024, 133 diverse vehicles were on display across approximately 3,500 meters of track; furthermore, in the bus exhibition area located in the Summer Garden, visitors could experience eleven buses in motion on a 500 m circuit, whereas this year’s Bus Display featured only two exhibits.
Sticking with the statistics yet, the number of visitors to the Berlin exhibition grounds was as follows:
- 175,591 in 2026 from 128 countries,
- approx. 170,000 in 2024 from 133 countries,
- approx. 140,000 in 2022 from 131 countries,
- approx. 161,000 in 2018 from 149 countries,
- approx. 144,470 in 2016 from more than 140 countries worldwide.
Next year, InnoTrans Asia will be held for the first time in Singapore, taking place from 7 to 9 September at the Singapore EXPO center.
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