30 years of ‘unique growth’

It all started with an idea rather than a detailed, long-term plan. Be´fore the first InnoTrans was launched in Berlin in 1996, none of those involved knew exactly how successful the International Trade Fair for Transport Technology would be. It was just unforeseeable that it would not only rise to the status of the world’s leading trade fair within a very short space of time but also celebrate its 30th birthday in 2026 in such a global and festive setting.

“InnoTrans has achieved unprecedented growth in the trade fair industry,” emphasises Kai Mangelberger, the current Head of Mobility at Messe Berlin and himself a project member of InnoTrans in earlier years. “Each edition was characterised by dynamism, new challenges and an enormous willingness to innovate on the part of the exhibitors. We are continuing along this path in our anniversary year.” Kerstin Schulz, Director of InnoTrans since 2013, adds, “This year is a milestone for the entire Messe Berlin team. I am always amazed when I compare photos from 1996 with today’s images.”

The differences could not be more striking. The famous track area, which today, with around 3,500 metres of track, is a unique selling point of InnoTrans worldwide, did not even exist back then. When the German Federal Minister of Transport, Matthias Wissmann, spoke the opening words on 15 October 1996 together with the then head of Germany’s state-owned railways, Dr Heinz Dürr, and Berlin’s governing mayor, Eberhard Diepgen, the rolling stock was still on display eight kilometres away on the site of the Wilmersdorf freight yard - including temporary platforms that had been erected especially for InnoTrans.The timing was favourable. “Following the German Bundestag’s decision in 1991 to make Berlin the seat of parliament and the Federal Government again, leading German companies had also launched considerable activities to strengthen their presence in Berlin,” recalls HansChristian Maass, who was directly involved at the time as Head of PR at Adtranz. “Siemens AG also increased its involvement in the field of rail transport technology in Berlin. Both companies supported Messe Berlin’s concept of establishing InnoTrans as a leading international trade fair for transport technology.”

In the end, a total of 172 companies were on the list of exhibitors; some have remained an integral part of InnoTrans to this day. The same applies to the founding associations: the German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association (ZVEI), the German Transport Forum (DVF), the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV), the Association of the European Rail Industry (UNIFE) and the German Railway Industry Association (VDB). “Like no other trade fair in the world, InnoTrans stands for the mobility of tomorrow,” says its Managing Director Sarah Stark. “This world-leading trade fair focuses the spotlight on an industry that moves millions of people in their everyday lives. It is an international showcase for innovative railway technology and gives the industry and the people behind it a face.”

As a geopolitically important location in the centre of a European continent that is on the move, Berlin quickly established itself as the ideal meeting place for the industry. Two years later, the first 800 metres of track were laid on the exhibition grounds, enabling the first vehicle presentations in the immediate vicinity of the Berlin Radio Tower. By its third edition in 2000, the trade magazine ‘Eisenbahningenieur’ had already confirmed the status of InnoTrans as the leading trade fair for transport technology, and since then it has enjoyed an unrivalled international reach that goes beyond any comparable trade fair.

This has been followed by a success story that has been ongoing for more than 20 years and will reach its temporary peak in 2026. The approximately 200,000 square metre exhibition grounds are fully booked, as is the track yard. “Once again, we can expect the biggest InnoTrans in history,” emphasises Senior Vice President Mangelberger. “This is complemented by the fact that the next big growth step is already imminent with InnoTrans Asia next year.” The central pan-Asian transport technology trade fair will be held in Singapore for the first time in September 2027. As an InnoTrans event specially tailored to the Asian market, it will benefit from the 30 years of experience of the Berlin centrepiece.