Thirty Years of InnoTrans: Rail Leaders Gather in Berlin for Opening Ceremony

InnoTrans 2026 officially opened in Berlin on Tuesday, celebrating 30 years since the first edition of the international transport technology fair. RAILTARGET attended the Opening Ceremony, where European officials and railway industry leaders spoke about investment, cross-border connections, digitalisation, AI and the future of rail.

The Opening Ceremony at Palais Berlin began with a performance: a robotic conductor joined a guitarist for Beethoven’s Ode to Joy. It was a fitting start to an event where new technology is once again one of the main topics.

This year’s ceremony's theme is 'Mobility on a global scale – Shaping projects and growth opportunities.' More than 1,000 representatives from business, politics and science were expected at the opening, according to InnoTrans. The 2026 edition itself brings together more than 3,100 exhibitors.

From 172 Exhibitors to More Than 3,100

Opening the event, Dirk Hoffmann, COO of Messe Berlin GmbH, looked back at how far InnoTrans has come since its first edition 30 years ago.

In 1996, the fair had just 172 exhibitors. Today, that number has grown to more than 3,100, with companies from more than 60 countries represented in Berlin. Hoffmann also pointed to the work still ahead for European transport.

"Europe needs better cross-border connections. If we are to achieve our climate goals, we need more efficient means of transport," he said.

The anniversary, he added, is also a chance to look ahead. One of the next steps will come in 2027 with the first InnoTrans Asia, which will take place in Singapore from 7 to 9 September. The event will then be held every two years, alternating with InnoTrans Berlin.

EU Calls for Better Ticketing and Common Standards

Apostolos Tzitzikostas, EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, focused on the gap between what passengers and the industry expect from European rail and what the sector currently delivers. "We need to talk about our expectations but also reality and how to close the gap between those two," he said.

Tzitzikostas pointed to ticketing as one area that needs further work, both to make rail easier for passengers and to help operators compete. He also said the European Commission and the rail industry need to work closely together to strengthen the EU market. Standardisation will play an important role in this process, he said, mentioning ERTMS as one example.

German Federal Transport Minister Steffen Bilger also put rail at the centre of future transport policy. "Berlin plays a key role in the European railway network. And railway is the most important mode of transport for the future," Bilger said.

He also addressed one of the biggest problems facing Germany's railway today: reliability.

“I know that rail must be more on-time and reliable – this is my goal for Deutsche Bahn as well," he said, adding that Germany expects to invest EUR 96 billion in its railway by 2029.

AI Moves to the Centre of the Rail Industry

The speeches were followed by a discussion with Martin Sion, CEO of Alstom; Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility; Petr Novotny, CEO and Executive Chairman of Škoda Group; and Ian Choudri, CEO of the California High-Speed Rail Authority.

Much of the discussion centred on digitalisation and artificial intelligence. Sion said digitalisation can help increase railway capacity, although regulation remains a challenge. He added that Alstom is now putting major ambitions behind AI, while calling for smart rules governing how the technology is used.

Peter said the rapid development of AI is already changing the railway industry. For Siemens Mobility, access to data is becoming increasingly important. According to Peter, Siemens trains travel around one million kilometres every day, making reliable data essential for managing such large fleets and networks.

Novotny said Škoda Group is also looking at how AI can be used in engineering processes, including as a way to reduce costs. He also pointed to cybersecurity as an area where railway companies need to work together.

Choudri said the California High-Speed Rail Authority benefits from its proximity to Silicon Valley and the technology expertise available there. The California project aims to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco by high-speed rail. Choudri said many of the technologies being used are based on European systems, while comfortable trains will also be important if rail is to compete effectively for longer journeys.

What to Watch at InnoTrans 2026

Sion talked about Alstom’s new train developed for Germany and the company’s work with AI. Siemens Mobility is presenting the Vectron X, its signalling concept and an AI cinema, while Škoda Group is showing its battery-electric train and a trolleybus for the German market. For the California High-Speed Rail Authority, this is its first appearance at InnoTrans. Choudri said the organisation is in Berlin in part to look for opportunities for public-private partnerships.

AI, robotics and automation are among the main themes of InnoTrans this year. The fair runs from 22 to 25 September 2026, with 180 world premieres planned across its different segments.

RAILTARGET is on site in Berlin throughout InnoTrans 2026. Follow our coverage for interviews, industry news and reports directly from the exhibition floor.