InnoTrans 2026 will present 180 world premieres from more than 3,100 exhibitors, with the show’s World Innovation Guide highlighting artificial intelligence, robotics and automation as increasingly central to rail rolling stock, infrastructure and maintenance.
InnoTrans 2026, taking place from 22 to 25 September, will see more than 3,100 exhibitors present 180 world premieres, according to the show’s World Innovation Guide. The guide points to artificial intelligence, robotics and automation as key trends shaping the latest developments across the international rail industry, alongside new propulsion technologies.
The guide notes that AI is increasingly being applied in specific operational uses, from inspection and energy-efficient operation to the passenger experience, rather than only analysing data in the background. Kerstin Schulz, Director of InnoTrans, said: “The 180 world premieres impressively demonstrate the pace at which the rail industry is driving innovation. It is particularly exciting to see that artificial intelligence is increasingly being applied in very specific ways, from inspection and energy-efficient operation to the passenger experience. At the same time, we see the important role that digitalisation and automation play in the modernisation of rail infrastructure.”
AI and automation applied across maintenance and operations
Among the exhibitors, Australian company Downer is demonstrating how AI and automation can transform maintenance. Working with Future Maintenance Technologies, Downer combines an automated tensile testing system with drones, alongside LiDAR, laser and optical sensors, using AI and machine learning to inspect vehicles and infrastructure and detect anomalies through a fully automated process from data collection to reporting.
Knorr-Bremse is presenting its LEADER Flow driver assistance system, which integrates real-time traffic data from trains ahead to reduce unnecessary stops and conserve energy. According to the company, the system achieved average energy savings of more than 10 per cent in tests.
CRRC is showcasing a 2,000-kW hydrogen fuel cell hybrid locomotive that combines high-performance fuel cells with traction batteries, alongside an intelligent driving platform based on deep learning, featuring 360-degree environmental detection and multi-sensor fusion.
New concepts for passenger experience and infrastructure maintenance
The Panarooma concept, developed by zweigrad in collaboration with Bucher, Siemens Mobility, Lantal and Probatec, will be unveiled for the first time at the show, envisioning a train restaurant of the future combining autonomous service robots, passenger-tailored experience zones and AI-powered personalisation, with meals delivered via integrated food lanes and robots.
system7 rail holding is unveiling what it describes as the first fully digitalised tamping robot with a dual-sleeper mode, which the company said exemplifies how digital and automated technologies are increasingly being applied to infrastructure construction and maintenance.
Most of the innovations featured will be in the Railway Technology segment, the largest at InnoTrans, with the Interiors, Railway Infrastructure, Public Transport and Tunnel Construction segments also represented. Trade visitors and media will be able to explore the innovations through six guided World Innovation Tours, with exhibitor booths listed in the World Innovation Guide marked with a special button.
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