INNOTRANS: The global rail market is worth approximately €180bn per annum. But surely the only place to see the industry come together in one place is at InnoTrans, the world’s largest transport technology trade fair.
And by any measure, InnoTrans is vast. As at the last edition in 2022, organiser Messe Berlin expects the venue to be fully booked by the time the gates open on September 24. That means no less than 200 000 m2 of exhibition area will be available for visitors to explore — not merely the 42 halls, many of which are multi-storey, but also the famed outdoor tracks, where a parade of new rolling stock will be on display.
InnoTrans 2024 will be the event’s 14th edition. Growing out of an event held in Leipzig in 1993 and 1995 aimed at fostering links between the rail industry and its supply chain following German Reunification, InnoTrans has been a growth story ever since. The event quickly outgrew the Bayerische Bahnhof venue, moving to Berlin in 1996, where it has been held ever since on a broadly biennial cycle.
To give a snapshot of just how far InnoTrans has grown, in 2000 Railway Gazette International previewed the forthcoming show the headline ‘Giant event storms to success in Berlin’. The 2000 edition covered 20 000 m2, encompassing just nine indoor halls, as well as some outdoor exhibits — the 2024 show will be more than 10 times bigger.
More digital, more diverse, more sustainable
At the last edition two years ago, it was becoming clear that further expansion on the site would be tough to accommodate following recent additions such as the CityCube near the south entrance and Hub27, a series of halls newly launched in 2022.
Instead, InnoTrans has been evolving thematically, retaining rail technology as its core focus alongside classical engineering disciplines such as tunnelling. Over recent years, a much more multimodal emphasis has emerged at the show, typified by the launch of a bus shuttle circuit in the famous Sommergarten and an increasing focus on technology that has use cases across the public transport sector.
A key pre-InnoTrans message from suppliers is that digitalisation and sustainability will play even more role in 2024’s show, which is also highlighted by Messe Berlin Event Director Kerstin Schultz who expects the show to be ‘more diverse, digital and sustainable’.
Among the elements picked out by the organisers include an AI Mobility Lab in the Public Transport zone in Hall 7·1; a Hospitality Forum addressing the topics of passenger comfort, entertainment and catering, organised by the International Rail Catering Group; and on the final morning of the event, September 27, a Rail Influencer event aimed at social media specialists.
‘Once again, InnoTrans underlines its importance as the world’s largest trade fair for mobility of the future. We can hardly wait for it to start’, says Schultz.
- The Railway Gazette Group’s stand is 115 in Hall 4·2, where visitors can meet the editorial team and watch live interviews with industry leaders.
