Sustainable mobility is the dominant theme in the industry – InnoTrans 2022 clearly confirmed that. From 20 to 23 September 2022 all the leading manufacturers and actors gathered at the international trade fair for transport technology and mobility in Berlin. Exhibitors and visitors drew a positive conclusion after the four-day event. 2,834 exhibitors from 56 countries presented the mobility sector’s entire range of products and services on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds, which were fully booked. Among the exhibits were 250 world innovations, 128 vehicles and 14 buses. Alternative drive systems, battery-electric and fuel cell-powered buses and trains were the main topics at the trade fair.

137,394 international visitors from 131 countries came to the German capital to find out about this uniquely wide-ranging overview of the industry’s products and services.

InnoTrans unites markets across borders

This year’s InnoTrans once again lived up to its reputation as an international forum and driving force of the industry.

At InnoTrans, Dr. Richard Lutz, CEO of Deutsche Bahn, and Oleksander Kamyshin, CEO of Ukrsalisnyzja (UZ), the state-run Ukrainian rail network, signed a memorandum of understanding. The agreement guarantees UZ support for reconstruction after the war, and includes collaboration on expanding goods supply corridors and terminal capacity as well as wide-ranging consultation services for introducing European rail operation and management standards.

At InnoTrans, Poland’s rail vehicle manufacturer Pesa and the mineral oil company and fuel station operator PKN Orlen reached an agreement to collaborate on hydrogen-powered rail vehicles. As a group, the two companies will put together an offer for rail transport companies that will include supplying rolling stock as well as hydrogen and refuelling solutions.

At InnoTrans, Saudi Arabia was able to move forward with ambitious plans for expanding its rail network. The country had already signed agreements with Deutsche Bahn and Siemens, said Dr. Bashar Khalid Al Malik, CEO of the Saudi Arabian Railway Company, at the trade fair. With Deutsche Bahn, the project included a knowledge transfer, while with Siemens the topic was also ticketing, he said.

Positive results ensure a good mood among exhibitors

According to a representative survey, exhibitors and trade visitors gave a positive assessment of their attendance at the trade fair. 90 per cent of trade visitors were highly satisfied with their visit. 94 per cent of exhibitors had a positive overall impression of the trade fair. At 91 per cent respectively, both groups said they would readily recommend InnoTrans to others. A high percentage of trade visitors attended in a decision-making capacity, with almost 50 per cent occupying a senior position in their company. 57.3 per cent of trade visitors came from abroad. Trade visitors from Europe showed particularly keen interest in the trade fair. Almost two-thirds came from the EU. A high proportion of exhibitors (around 18 per cent) reported successful business deals. Nine out of ten exhibitors expected good follow-up business.

Sustainable mobility and comfort for passengers

Numerous exhibitors made use of the rail track and outdoor display area at InnoTrans to draw maximum attention to their world innovations. Among manufacturers, sustainable mobility was the dominant theme. On the rail track and outdoor display area, Siemens Mobility presented the Mireo Plus H, the next generation of hydrogen-powered trains, as well as the Mireo Plus B, which features a modular high-performance battery system. For the first time Stadler displayed its hydrogen-powered FLIRT H2 multiple-unit train for the American passenger rail market. Visitors could even witness Alstom’s Coradia iLint hydrogen-powered passenger train live, which is currently operating twice daily from Berlin-Spandau to Berlin-Ostbahnhof. Hitachi presented its Blues Train, which combines diesel, electric and battery-electric drive systems. Vossloh exhibited its DM 20 hybrid locomotive, which can also rapidly switch operating modes and energy systems.

Deutsche Bahn was represented with several innovative trains (Ideenzug). The City version was incorporated in the middle carriage of Hamburg’s digital S-Bahn. That particular innovative train is still a future concept. However, the one operated by Südostbayernbahn, a double-decker carriage, is real and was exhibited by DB Regio on the outdoor display area.

New drive systems on the Bus Display

Once again, one of this year’s highlights was the Bus Display, featuring 14 buses being driven on the 500-metre long demonstration course in the Summer Garden. For the first time Solaris presented its Solaris Urbino 18 hydrogen, an 18-metre long bus with hydrogen as its main energy source. The ŠKODA H’CITY also uses hydrogen as a sustainable drive system. Van Hool was represented with its A12 electric bus. Ebusco presented its all-electric city bus 3.0 on the Bus Display. Also being shown was the Modell 2.2, the new electric bus for Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG).

Supporting programme with all the latest information

An outstanding supporting programme featuring wide-ranging discussion rounds, lectures and events gave visitors an opportunity to find out about all the latest topics and trends in the mobility sector, including driverless rail vehicles, tunnel construction, smart public transport and innovative passenger experiences. New: recordings of the livestreamed events are available after the trade fair on the InnoTrans Plus online portal.

Comments by exhibitors on InnoTrans 2022:

Henri Poupart-Lafarge, CEO of Alstom and chairman of the board of directors

“Yet again, InnoTrans succeeded as a unique forum for discussing our shared passion for innovations in the transport sector. The team at Alstom would like to thank the many thousands of visitors from around the world who came to see our sustainable and digital mobility solutions. After a four-year break, it was great to see the industry gathered here again. It was an opportunity to restate our commitment to sustainability and our calls for a transition to new forms of transport. Among the many business opportunities that arose in Berlin I would like to emphasise the memorandums of understanding agreed with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as they support our goal of contributing to an extremely environmentally friendly rail network.“

Dr. Richard Lutz, CEO, Deutsche Bahn

“We can only shape the future of rail together with strong partners. That is why exchanging views among industry members at InnoTrans is so important. For Deutsche Bahn, InnoTrans 2022 was an all-round success.”

Dr. Florian Eck, managing director, Deutsches Verkehrsforum

“Here at InnoTrans we saw a lot of impressive solutions with which we can embark on a sustainable and customer-oriented future. These solutions are market-ready and scalable. After a four-year break, one could see at this InnoTrans that the industry is sensing change. Everyone agrees – manufacturers, policymakers, operators and customers – that we are on the right track for a sustainable future. We need to seize this opportunity and make things happen. Above all, funding the infrastructure and digitalisation has to be assured. The watchword now is ‘let’s move’.”

Pedro Fortea, chief executive, Mafex

“As always, the trade fair was a big success for the representatives of Spain’s rail industry. Despite the four-year break, InnoTrans was a lively, forward-looking event. In particular, the high quality of visitors created an outstanding environment for business.“

Michael Peter, CEO, Siemens Mobility

“InnoTrans is the most important gathering of the industry and after four years we were delighted to finally meet our customers and partners in person again. Taking as our slogan ’Destination Digital’, we presented Siemens Xcelerator, our new digital business platform, which we want to use for open digital interfaces that will enable a continuous data exchange between all sub-systems of the railway network. That will help our customers to establish sustainable, comfortable and cost-efficient rail transport systems of the future.“

Mateusz Figaszewski, PR E-mobility Business Development & PR Director, Solaris Bus & Coach

“The trade fair was a big opportunity for us, as we were able to meet lots of different customers from around Europe as well as suppliers and business partners. InnoTrans is a fantastic platform for exchanging industry news. Often the first people we met were new customers, whom we could show our latest technology such as our new fuel cell bus. Over a period of four days we met lots of people we would otherwise be unable to reach.”

Peter Spuhler, CEO, Stadler Rail AG

“The feedback from our visitors clearly showed how inspiring face-to-face meetings with our customers and partners are for the future of mobility. As an innovative supplier of sustainable rail transport solutions, Stadler was represented at InnoTrans with seven ultra-modern sustainable vehicles and a wide-ranging signalling and service portfolio. The customer reactions to our world innovations were overwhelming. The products that Stadler, the market leader in alternative drive systems, exhibited on its station display included its FLIRT H2 multiple unit, the first hydrogen-powered train for the USA. During the trade fair we were able to sign a memorandum of understanding with the State Transportation Agency and the Department of Transportation of California for the delivery of four hydrogen-powered trains. There was also keen interest in our other exhibits, including the battery-electric FLIRT Akku, the TINA generation of new trams and the EURO9000 family of new locomotive products.“

Philippe Citroën, chief executive, UNIFE

“After a four-year break due to the pandemic this was a wonderful opportunity to meet the entire railway community again in person. Taking part in InnoTrans was strategically important in order to press ahead with the priorities of UNIFE and the European rail supply industry within the framework of the Green Deal, a single European railway area, and the technologies and innovations that will enable it to become reality, as well as the legislative and technical progress that must take place before it can become operational."

Geert Van Hecke, head of Sales, Public Transport, Van Hool

“This was the first time we were represented on our own stand at InnoTrans and we will definitely be coming back. What was special was that we were not only able to present our vehicle on the display area, but could also offer a test ride.”

Axel Schuppe, managing director, Verband der Bahnindustrie (VDB):

“InnoTrans 2022 was a spectacular trade fair. Despite fewer exhibitors from China than four years ago and none at all from Russia, the numbers were just as high as in 2018 – and we established even more quality contacts up until the final day. That fills us with optimism for the two years to come. At the same time a dark cloud has cast its shadow over the industry. The energy crisis, the prices for raw materials and exorbitant energy costs are making life difficult for our companies. Policymakers must free themselves from dogmatic decision-making. If they do not act, companies will close or move elsewhere.”

Martin Schmitz, managing director, Technology, Verband Deutscher Verkehrsunternehmen (VDV)

“Lots of optimism and a lust for innovation characterised InnoTrans 2022 – all this in spite of the difficult current political and economic situation. In the railway industry we are always strategically oriented and looking far ahead. That is why the European Union’s ‘Fit for 55’ programme has given us a major boost: we know that that can make a big impact. The innovations and topics that dominated InnoTrans 2022 showed that we really are shaping the future together here. Thus, it was all the more important to meet again and see products on the ground.

Dr. Stefan Gutschling, managing director, Fachverband Elektrobahnen und -fahrzeuge, ZVEI e.V. (Verband der Elektro- und Digitalindustrie)

“When we talk about digitalisation, decarbonisation and demographics, the three big challenges we face for shaping mobility today, then our member companies are the ones who can offer solutions. Particularly with a view to decarbonisation, rail is the most effective instrument for achieving Europe’s CO2 targets. InnoTrans 2022 showed that the solutions basically already exist. Witnessing such a wide range of innovations and know-how was impressive. The focus must now be on rolling them out. We need to get these new products up and running, and Europe-wide, not just at home. That is indeed ambitious, but at the trade fair one could sense those taking part were elated to exchange views and start making things work together.“

About InnoTrans

InnoTrans is the world’s leading trade fair for transport technology and takes place every two years in Berlin. The five segments at InnoTrans are Railway Technology, Railway Infrastructure, Public Transport, Interiors and Tunnel Construction. InnoTrans is organised by Messe Berlin. The thirteenth edition of InnoTrans took place on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds from 20 to 23 September 2022. More details are available online at www.innotrans.com.