photo: RAILTARGET/InnoTrans 2026
InnoTrans has closed its 30th-anniversary edition with record numbers. Around 175,000 trade visitors from more than 120 countries came to Berlin, where 3,190 exhibitors filled the Messe Berlin grounds and presented 180 world premieres.
InnoTrans 2026 has ended with the highest visitor and exhibitor numbers in the trade fair’s 30-year history. According to the press release, around 175,000 trade visitors from more than 120 countries passed through the 42 exhibition halls between 22 and 25 September. That was more than 5,000 above the figure recorded in 2024.
On the exhibitor side, the fair also reached a new high. 3,190 companies from 59 countries took part, around 200 more than two years ago. Of these, 750 were exhibiting at InnoTrans for the first time. The entire 200,000-square-metre Messe Berlin exhibition site was booked out.
RAILTARGET covered InnoTrans directly from Berlin as an official media partner, following the new vehicles, technologies and discussions shaping the rail sector throughout the four days of the fair.
3,190 Exhibitors and 180 World Premieres in Berlin
The anniversary edition brought together manufacturers, operators, infrastructure companies, suppliers and policymakers from across the international transport industry. A total of 180 world premieres were presented during the fair.
"The anniversary edition was an InnoTrans of superlatives," said Dirk Hoffmann, Chief Operating Officer of Messe Berlin.
"An increase of more than 5,000 trade visitors compared to 2024, plus 3,190 exhibitors from 59 countries and 180 world premieres: These figures make us very proud and demonstrate the influence InnoTrans still wields 30 years after its debut."
A representative survey carried out among participants also found satisfaction levels of more than 90%.
AI Was Everywhere at InnoTrans 2026
Artificial intelligence was one of the main topics running through this year’s fair. "In the past two years, AI has developed from a trend topic into the dominant topic of conversation," said InnoTrans Director Kerstin Schulz. The difference in 2026 was that many of the applications were no longer presented as distant concepts. AI appeared in maintenance, inspection, train operation and passenger services.
Alstom, for example, presented its "Talk to my train" assistant, designed to help maintenance teams identify faults and find solutions more quickly. InnoTrans also introduced the AI on Track hackathon and the AI Mobility Lab, giving the technology a dedicated place within the programme.
113 Vehicles Filled the Outdoor Tracks
The outdoor and track area once again became one of the busiest parts of InnoTrans. Manufacturers displayed 113 vehicles from 17 countries, ranging from high-speed trains and locomotives to alternative-propulsion vehicles.
Among them was CRRC’s hydrogen fuel-cell hybrid locomotive, which made its world premiere in Berlin. Stadler brought a hydrogen-powered narrow-gauge train, and Siemens Mobility presented its software-defined locomotive platform.
Industry Calls for Innovation to Move into Deployment
Several industry representatives used the end of the fair to make the same point: the technology is increasingly available, but deployment now needs to follow.
Sarah Stark, CEO of the German Railway Industry Association, described InnoTrans as the place where the industry can show "the way forward", while Ingo Wortmann, President of the Association of German Transport Companies, pointed to its role in bringing together an industry going through major change.
Wolfgang Weber of the German Electrical and Digital Industries Association pointed to ETCS, DAC and autonomous driving as areas where suppliers already have technical solutions.