From 22 to 25 September, the 15th International Trade Fair for Transport Technology (InnoTrans 2026) was held at Messe Berlin. Marking the 30th anniversary of InnoTrans, this year's edition drew 3,170 exhibitors from 59 countries across 200,000 square metres of exhibition space and 42 halls—approximately 200 more than the previous edition and the largest edition to date. Our company sent a specialist team to attend the event in person, exploring emerging trends in green intelligence and onboard catering, with special attention to the latest developments in onboard dining and intelligent kitchen equipment.

Green Intelligence: A Central Theme Across the Fair

This year's fair featured 180 world premieres, with artificial intelligence and robotics spanning multiple exhibit categories—from infrastructure inspection and energy management to passenger experience—significantly expanding the range of AI applications.

CRRC unveiled three physical trains under the theme "Co-creating Multi-Value Capabilities for Future Transport." Among them, the VELLINK digitally integrated metro train is the first to use embodied AI, equipped with multiple sensors throughout the train to create an autonomous sensing network. The train is approximately 18% lighter and uses over 10% less energy overall. The 2,000 kW hydrogen fuel cell hybrid locomotive adopts a dual-stack parallel fuel cell configuration, requiring only 15 to 20 minutes for refuelling and achieving a hydrogen utilisation rate of over 98%, demonstrating a zero-emission traction approach. These developments suggest that rolling stock is accelerating its evolution along both green and intelligent lines.

Fresh Momentum in Onboard Catering

The interiors section brought together nearly 300 exhibitors, while the Travel Catering and Comfort Services (TCCS) zone hosted 18 exhibitors dedicated to the future of onboard dining. One notable example was the "Panarooma" concept unveiled by the Bucher Group—a concept that combines automated logistics, AI-assisted personalised service and flexible rest areas. Passengers can collect meals via integrated delivery lanes, self-navigating service robots handle meal delivery, and the onboard environment can be personalised according to passenger preferences.

What this concept points to is that the intelligent transformation of onboard catering is taking two main forms: first, operational automation, reducing manual intervention through AI algorithms and automated delivery systems; second, more efficient use of space, achieving full catering functionality within limited carriage space through modular design. It should be noted, however, that Panarooma remains at the concept stage, and how well its technical solutions will work in practice remains to be seen.

Intelligent Kitchen Equipment: From Trade Fair Concept to Industry Practice

As a company with deep expertise in intelligent kitchen equipment, our team carried out a detailed assessment of the technical requirements of onboard catering scenarios at this year's fair. The core demands placed on intelligent kitchen equipment in rail transit differ markedly from those of ground-based commercial kitchens: very limited space, narrow maintenance windows and stringent hygiene standards. These constraints mean that onboard kitchen equipment must be highly integrated and automated.

Beyond the fair itself, demand from the industry is also gathering pace. In 2026, CRRC Changchun published several framework procurement notices for EMU kitchens, comprising 40 sets of 2.0 intelligent EMU kitchens and 50 sets of intelligent 3.0 kitchens—a combined total of 90 trainsets. In the urban rail transit sector, the community canteen at Qingfeng Park Station on Changzhou Metro Line 2 opened in January 2026, installing two combi ovens equipped with AI algorithms as its main cooking equipment. The kitchen occupies only 20 square metres and can produce more than 2,400 dishes. According to some reports, the system's energy consumption is approximately 70% of conventional solutions. These examples show that intelligent cooking equipment is moving from proof of concept to real-world deployment in rail transit.

InnoTrans Berlin 2026 points to a clear trend: the green and intelligent transformation of the rail transit industry is extending from rolling stock to onboard services. As a key touchpoint in the passenger experience, onboard catering's intelligent transformation places greater demands on kitchen equipment in terms of space adaptability, energy efficiency and automation. Building on the research conducted at this fair, our company will focus on the technical adaptation and product development of intelligent kitchen equipment for rail transit, continuing to invest in core capabilities such as space efficiency, energy optimisation and automated operation, in order to deliver practical equipment solutions for onboard catering in rail transit.