Berlin, 25 September 2026 – Czech companies are concluding this year’s InnoTrans 2026 trade fair in Berlin with a number of business opportunities under discussion and the potential for new contracts in the years ahead. Negotiations held by Czech manufacturers during the fair with global rolling stock manufacturers, transport operators and infrastructure managers represent business potential worth billions of Czech crowns. In addition to projects already under concrete development, further opportunities for cooperation have opened up in European and non-European markets – from the supply of components for new rail vehicles, through interiors and signalling technologies, to ETCS and projects related to railway infrastructure modernisation.
InnoTrans confirmed the importance of the Czech railway industry as one of the Czech Republic’s most strongly export-oriented sectors. Dozens of companies in Berlin not only presented new products and technologies, but also held hundreds of business meetings with existing and potential customers during the four days of the trade fair.
“InnoTrans is not merely a showcase for Czech companies and their technologies. Above all, it is a place where concrete contracts for the years ahead are prepared. We can already say that Czech companies are leaving Berlin with new contracts and very specific business opportunities whose total potential amounts to billions of Czech crowns. This confirms that the Czech railway industry is perceived globally as a technologically advanced and reliable partner, and that our companies are able to succeed alongside the largest global players,” says Marie Vopálenská, CEO of ACRI – Association of the Czech Railway Industry.
The significance of the Czech railway industry’s strong export position was also highlighted by Minister of Transport Ivan Bednárik at the official opening of the Czech exhibition.
“In the thirty years since the first InnoTrans, the Czech Republic has moved into the ranks of the leaders of the European railway industry. Economic diplomacy has also played a major role in this, enabling us to successfully open foreign markets to Czech companies and their technologies. Innovation is precisely what will determine the further development of railways and the competitiveness of the entire sector,” said Ivan Bednárik, Minister of Transport of the Czech Republic.
InnoTrans 2026 was held in Berlin from Tuesday, 22 September, and will close its doors this afternoon. Czech companies presented themselves at the trade fair both independently and as part of the joint exhibition of the Czech railway industry organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic and ACRI – Association of the Czech Railway Industry.
Czech companies leave Berlin with concrete business opportunities
AŽD Praha held a number of business talks at InnoTrans focused on international signalling and ETCS projects. The company considers its discussions with the Japanese company NIPPON SIGNAL particularly significant, as they could open the way for strategic cooperation, especially in the field of ETCS in Asian markets. AŽD is building on its long-standing experience with implementing the European Train Control System at a time when its principles are increasingly gaining ground outside Europe as well. During the trade fair, the company also discussed cooperation on equipping rail vehicles with onboard components of signalling systems. AŽD estimates the total business potential of the contacts and projects initiated at InnoTrans at hundreds of millions of Czech crowns.
BONATRANS GROUP used InnoTrans primarily for intensive discussions with the world’s leading rolling stock manufacturers and to prepare projects for the coming period. During the trade fair, the company met, among others, representatives of Siemens, Alstom and Škoda and sees particularly positive prospects in the passenger rail transport segment. An important business result is a contract linked to the Zurich S-Bahn project won by Siemens, in which BONATRANS will participate. At the same time, it is discussing further planned contracts with Škoda, including a project for new electric multiple units for the Central Bohemian Region. Although specific contracts are generally not signed directly at the trade fair, BONATRANS estimates the potential of the contacts and projects under discussion at billions of Czech crowns.
BORCAD considers InnoTrans one of the key milestones in shaping its business plan for the next two years. During the trade fair, the company held meetings with major rolling stock manufacturers and transport operators from the Czech Republic and abroad, including partners from Germany, Ireland and Croatia. BORCAD estimates the business potential of the projects under discussion at approximately CZK 300–500 million. The long-distance transport segment is becoming increasingly important for the company, as it offers greater scope for customised interiors and new passenger comfort features. The trade fair also confirmed market interest in the FLATwhite concept presented by BORCAD in Berlin. The company is already discussing two specific projects based on this concept.
DT – Výhybkárna a strojírna rates its participation at InnoTrans very positively. Its representatives discussed a number of potential contracts with existing partners as well as prospective customers from markets to which the company does not yet supply its products, including Estonia, Kazakhstan, Algeria, Iraq, Japan, Ukraine and Lithuania. A sensor developed in-house by DTVS, which measures the dynamic response of passing vehicles, also attracted attention. It can detect the passage of a vehicle and determine its speed and direction of travel. Further development is aimed at measuring accumulated load, detecting wheel defects and, above all, complementing the concept of smart diagnostics and predictive maintenance of switches. The company officially presented the sensor for the first time at InnoTrans, where it also attracted interest from representatives of the French railway infrastructure manager.
Starmon presented its own technologies for railway infrastructure diagnostics and signalling systems at InnoTrans, while also holding discussions with potential customers from Europe and other regions of the world. Particular attention was attracted by a device for the automatic inspection of pantographs on passing vehicles, which the company is already installing at several locations in the Czech Republic. Starmon also presented the Sirius distributed signalling system, which includes technology for electronic level crossings, axle counters and LED signals. The company recorded international interest, including from potential customers in India. Given the nature of signalling technologies, Starmon expects the concrete business results of many contacts made at InnoTrans to gradually translate into contracts over the coming years.
Škoda Group used this year’s InnoTrans to present its latest vehicles and technologies and to hold discussions with customers from Europe and other global markets. The new generation of the battery-powered RegioPanter BEMU and the Škoda ForCity Plus 52T tram for Prague attracted considerable interest, with the latter drawing particular attention from potential customers in Western European markets. In Berlin, the company also presented its trolleybuses and proprietary technologies in the fields of digitalisation, signalling and ETCS. Škoda Group’s position in Central Europe is also being strengthened by a new contract with ZSSK for the supply of trainsets for long-distance services, which will also be capable of operating in Austria and Hungary. According to the company, the solutions presented have attracted strong interest from both public and private transport operators.
ZKL Group regards this year’s InnoTrans as an important platform for presenting new products and meeting existing and new business partners. According to the company, the concentration of key global players in one place significantly facilitates and accelerates business negotiations. ZKL Group now has customers on almost every continent and, in addition to the European market, sees further potential, for example, in South America. Ukraine also represents an important opportunity, where the company is developing long-term cooperation with local manufacturers and anticipates opportunities connected with the country’s future reconstruction. According to the company, this year’s trade fair met expectations both in terms of maintaining existing customer relationships and securing new projects.
InnoTrans as a gateway to global markets
For Czech companies, InnoTrans is one of the world’s most important business platforms. This year in Berlin, Czech companies presented complete rail vehicles, components, solutions for high-speed rail, signalling systems, digital technologies, infrastructure diagnostics and new products aimed at reducing railway operating costs and its environmental footprint. More than thirty Czech companies took part in the trade fair either independently or as part of the National Exhibition of the Czech Railway Industry organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and ACRI.
According to ACRI, this year’s business meetings confirm that Czech companies are increasingly involved not only as suppliers of individual components, but also as technology partners in major international projects. Alongside traditional European markets, further opportunities are opening up in Asia, Ukraine, South America and other regions.
