Inside InnoTrans 2026: Your Guide to All 42 Halls

 

InnoTrans 2026: A Quick Guide to What to See in Every Hall

22–25 September 2026 · Messe Berlin

InnoTrans 2026 is enormous. The international Messe for transport technology takes over the entire Messe Berlin exhibition grounds, with 42 halls, around 200,000 m² of exhibition space, more than 3,100 exhibitors and 180 world premieres.

The exhibition covers five major areas: Railway Technology, Railway Infrastructure, Public Transport, Interiors and Tunnel Construction, alongside special areas dedicated to AI, new mobility, careers, buses and full-size railway vehicles.

With so much to see, knowing where to go matters. Here is a quick guide to what to look for as you explore InnoTrans 2026.

Halls 1–7: Interiors, Mobility and AI

Hall 1.1 — Interiors: Look for train seats, new interior concepts, materials, lighting and technologies designed to make travelling more comfortable.

Hall 1.2 — Railway Technology: Discover train components, mechanical systems and technologies hidden behind the finished passenger vehicle.

Hall 2 — Transport Technology: Look for railway and public-transport systems, passenger solutions and technologies connecting different forms of transport.

Hall 3.1 — Interiors: Search for premium interiors, innovative seating, accessibility solutions and modular train designs.

Hall 3.2 — Railway Technology: Find mechanical and electronic components used in modern rolling stock.

Hall 4 — Transport Technology: Explore vehicle systems, mobility technologies and engineering solutions for rail and public transport.

Hall 5.1 — Interiors & Catering: One of the most passenger-focused areas. Look for train interiors, onboard kitchens, catering technology, coffee systems and new ideas for passenger comfort.

Hall 5.2 — Tunnel Construction: Go underground with tunnel-construction, inspection, monitoring, maintenance and safety technologies.

Hall 6 — Transport Technology: Look for railway systems and solutions designed for public-transport operations.

Hall 7.1a — AI Mobility Lab: One of the technology highlights of InnoTrans 2026. Look for AI, robotics, autonomous systems, computer vision and cybersecurity. Confirmed participants include companies and organisations such as CRRC, SNCF Réseau, Fortinet, OTIV, Scout Robotics, Semvox and Isarsoft.

Hall 7 / Mobility+ — Digital Mobility: Search for mobility apps, shared transport, first- and last-mile solutions, ride pooling and connected mobility. This is a particularly interesting area for technologies that could directly change everyday urban travel.

Halls 8–21: Inside the Technology of a Train

The large Railway Technology area is the engineering heart of InnoTrans. More than 1,200 exhibitors participate in the Railway Technology segment in 2026, so these halls shouldn't be thought of as identical. Together, they show the enormous number of technologies required to make a modern train work.

Hall 8 — Railway Technology: Look for propulsion technology and major train components.

Hall 9 — Railway Technology: Search for specialist components and equipment passengers would normally never see.

Hall 10 — Electrical Engineering: Look for electrical systems, power electronics and technologies connected with railway electrification.

Hall 11 — Railway Engineering: Explore mechanical systems and components used to build and operate railway vehicles.

Hall 12 — Drive Technology: Search for propulsion, drive systems and technologies designed to improve railway efficiency.

Hall 13 — Railway Equipment: Look for specialist railway equipment and highly specific components solving unusual engineering problems.

Hall 14 — Railway Technology: Explore the combination of electrical and mechanical vehicle systems.

Hall 15 — Onboard Systems: Look for control, monitoring and onboard technologies that coordinate different functions inside a train.

Hall 16 — Energy & Railway Technology: Search for batteries, energy-management systems and technologies related to alternative propulsion.

Hall 17 — Railway Engineering: Look beyond the biggest brands and search for specialist manufacturers developing solutions to very specific railway problems.

Hall 18 — Connected Trains: Look for sensors, data systems, digitalisation and technologies allowing trains to communicate and monitor their own condition.

Hall 19 — Railway Components: Search for advanced components, electrical equipment and specialist engineering.

Hall 20 — Train & Infrastructure Technology: Look for technologies connecting railway vehicles with the infrastructure and networks around them.

Hall 21 — Railway Technology: Explore the connection between vehicles, railway networks and infrastructure before moving into the infrastructure-focused part of the Messe.

Electrification is particularly important in 2026. InnoTrans says around 60 new electrical-engineering exhibitors are appearing around the inner Funkturm ring, covering areas including power electronics, battery technology, energy management and data infrastructure.

Halls 22–26: The Railway Beneath the Train

After looking at trains themselves, these halls turn the attention toward the infrastructure that allows them to operate.

Hall 22 — Railway Infrastructure: Look for railway tracks, construction systems and infrastructure equipment.

Hall 23 — Railway Infrastructure: Search for switches, track systems and railway-engineering technologies.

Hall 24 — Smart Infrastructure: Look for sensors, cameras, monitoring technology and digital systems designed to understand what is happening across a railway network.

Hall 25 — Railway Maintenance: Search for inspection systems, maintenance machinery, automation and robotics.

Hall 26 — Railway Infrastructure: Look for infrastructure digitalisation, automation and technologies designed for the railway networks of the future.

This is a particularly interesting part of InnoTrans if you want to find robots, inspection technology and automation rather than finished trains.

hub27, CityCube and InnoTrans Campus

hub27 — Industry & Events: Look for industry presentations, forums, exhibitors and networking opportunities.

CityCube — Public Transport & Events: A place for mobility-related companies, conferences, presentations and industry discussions.

InnoTrans Campus — Careers: The place to visit if you're interested in working in the industry. Expect employers, universities, recruiting, Career Tours, a Jobwall and the Talent Stage.

Outdoor & Track Display: Don't Miss the Actual Trains

After exploring the halls, go outside.

The Outdoor & Track Display is one of the defining experiences of InnoTrans. Messe Berlin has approximately 3.5 kilometres of railway track built into the exhibition grounds, allowing manufacturers to present actual railway vehicles rather than models.

For InnoTrans 2026, 113 vehicles from 17 countries are expected. Look for locomotives, regional trains, battery-powered trains, alternative-propulsion vehicles, freight vehicles and railway maintenance machinery.

This is one of the best areas for photography and video. Rather than trying to document everything, try finding the most futuristic train at InnoTrans 2026.

Bus Display: The Future of Road-Based Public Transport

The Bus Display in the Sommergarten brings the road-transport side of the Messe to life.

Look for new buses, electric mobility, passenger technology and vehicle demonstrations. Unlike a conventional exhibition stand, the demonstration area allows visitors to see some of the technology in operation.

Where Should You Go First?

If you're interested in AI and robotics, start around Hall 7.1a. If you're interested in what future trains will feel like for passengers, prioritise the Interiors areas in Halls 1.1, 3.1 and 5.1.

For engineering, spend more time exploring Halls 8–21. For robots, inspection systems and the technologies underneath the railway, continue toward Halls 22–26.

And regardless of your interests, leave enough time for the Outdoor & Track Display.

With 42 halls and thousands of exhibitors, seeing absolutely everything at InnoTrans 2026 isn't realistic. A better strategy is to arrive with a few things you want to find: a futuristic train, an interesting robot, an innovative interior, a technology you didn't know existed and one idea that could genuinely change how we travel.

That turns 42 halls from an overwhelming exhibition into a journey through the future of mobility.