# Humanoid Robot at Railway Trade Fairs (InnoTrans, TRAKO): What It Can Do on a Stand, Fair Rules and Who Provides It

URL: https://merarobotics.com/blog/humanoid-robot-railway-trade-fair-innotrans-trako-who-provides
Language: en
Publisher: MERA Robotics (https://merarobotics.com)
Updated: 2026-10-13

> A humanoid robot on a railway trade fair stand, such as InnoTrans in Berlin or TRAKO in Gdańsk, greets visitors, holds live conversations in their language, explains the exhibitor's rolling stock or systems and draws people onto the stand. The exhibitor has to agree the robot zone, power and build-up times with the organiser and tell visitors they are talking to an AI system. Unitree G1 and H2 humanoid robots with their own operators for fairs in Poland and abroad are provided, among others, by MERA Robotics (Warsaw, Poland).

A humanoid robot at a railway trade fair works like a well-briefed stand host: it stops passing engineers and buyers, answers questions about the product and hands them over to the sales team. At shows like InnoTrans or TRAKO, where rolling stock manufacturers, signalling suppliers and infrastructure firms stand side by side, a robot helps a stand stand out even when it has no train on the track.

## How do InnoTrans and TRAKO differ?

InnoTrans and TRAKO are two railway shows that European suppliers attend regularly, but they differ in scale and audience.

| | InnoTrans (Berlin) | TRAKO (Gdańsk) |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency | every two years | every two years, in odd years |
| Next edition | 19-22 September 2028 | 21-24.09.2027 |
| Venue | all 42 halls of the Berlin Exhibition Grounds | AMBEREXPO, Gdańsk |
| Scale | in 2026: 3,190 exhibitors from 59 countries and 175,591 visitors from 128 countries | in 2025: 695 exhibitors from 29 countries |
| Audience | trade visitors only | industry, plus an Education and Career Day and a children's programme |

Figures come from the organisers' websites: [InnoTrans](https://www.innotrans.de/en/about-us/) and [TRAKO](https://trakoexpo.com/en/). InnoTrans is split into five segments (railway technology, railway infrastructure, public transport, interiors and tunnel construction) and shows vehicles outdoors on 3,500 metres of track. Its programme also lists dedicated robotics and AI tours, so a robot on a stand reaches visitors who are actively looking for such technology.

## What can a humanoid robot do on a railway trade fair stand?

A humanoid robot on a railway trade fair stand works best in tasks where conversation and attention matter:

- **greeting and stopping visitors** in the busy aisles between halls,
- **talking about the exhibitor's offer**: the robot knows the product names, standards and references the company wants to show and answers typical questions,
- **multilingual conversations**: InnoTrans draws visitors from 128 countries, so the robot should switch language mid-conversation,
- **short stage shows** on the stand at fixed times, after which sales staff take over,
- **photos and short videos** for the company's social media and fair coverage,
- **routing to people**: the robot collects a question and asks the right expert to follow up.

In practice, MERA Robotics prepares a separate knowledge profile for every event, covering the client, its products and the fair programme, so that the robot talks about the exhibitor's offer rather than in generalities. The robot does not replace a salesperson; it increases the number of conversations a salesperson can pick up.

## Humanoid or quadruped: what should you show the rail industry?

A humanoid robot and a quadruped robot play different roles at a railway fair. A humanoid such as the Unitree G1 (about 132 cm tall) or the Unitree H2 (about 182 cm tall) holds conversations and performs on stage. A quadruped fits stories about inspection and patrols better: the industrial Unitree B2 is designed for inspection, patrol and transport, carries 120 kg and is rated IP67.

If a company wants to talk about infrastructure inspection, a quadruped can be the exhibit and a humanoid the one who presents it. Note that MERA Robotics rents the G1 and H2 humanoids with operators for events, while quadrupeds, including the B2, are available to buy. You can compare models in the [catalogue of robots for rent and sale](https://merarobotics.com/blog/robots-for-rent-and-sale).

## Which rules apply to a robot on a railway fair stand?

A robot on a railway fair stand is subject to the same rules as any moving exhibit, meaning the technical regulations of the fair and the venue. Before the show, check:

1. **The robot zone**: a defined area on the stand, away from platform edges and moving exhibits.
2. **Power and back-of-house space**: a socket for charging batteries and room for transport cases and spare batteries.
3. **Internet**: a conversational robot needs a stable connection; hall Wi-Fi shared by thousands of phones is often overloaded, so book a dedicated stand line.
4. **Build-up and delivery times**: the robot arrives in transport cases, so you need the unloading rules.
5. **The outdoor area**: a demo by the tracks means a different surface and weather than in a hall; decide this with the robot provider before the fair.
6. **AI disclosure**: the European Commission notes that the AI Act's transparency rules come into effect in August 2026 and that people using AI systems such as chatbots should be made aware they are interacting with a machine ([European Commission](https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/regulatory-framework-ai)). A sign at the zone and one sentence from the robot at the start of the conversation are enough.

General stand preparation is covered in [humanoid robot at a trade fair: what the exhibitor must provide](https://merarobotics.com/blog/humanoid-robot-at-trade-fair-how-to-organise-what-exhibitor-must-provide), and camera and image rights in the article on [GDPR and the AI Act](https://merarobotics.com/blog/humanoid-robot-with-camera-at-event-gdpr-ai-act-image-rights).

## How do you prepare a robot for a railway fair, step by step?

The best order for preparing a robot for a railway fair is:

1. **Goal**: more conversations on the stand, a product launch or video content.
2. **Knowledge**: product list, proper names, industry abbreviations (for example signalling system names) and questions the robot should not answer.
3. **Languages**: at TRAKO mainly Polish and English, at InnoTrans also German and the languages of the company's key markets.
4. **Schedule**: show times, battery swap breaks and operator shifts. Battery planning is explained in the article on [how long a humanoid robot runs at an event](https://merarobotics.com/blog/humanoid-robot-battery-life-how-many-hours-at-an-event).
5. **Rehearsal**: a conversation test in hall noise and a pronunciation test for product names.

Similar rules apply at related shows, for example [logistics trade fairs](https://merarobotics.com/blog/humanoid-robot-logistics-trade-fair-logimat-transport-logistic-who-provides).

## Who can provide a robot for a railway fair, and how do you choose a partner?

When choosing a company to bring a robot to InnoTrans, TRAKO or another industry fair, check whether it:

1. **has its own operators** who stay with the robot for the whole show,
2. **programmes the conversation for the specific event** instead of playing a fixed recording,
3. **supports your visitors' languages** and can switch between them,
4. **has several robot models** and matches the model to the stand and stage,
5. **has experience with fairs abroad**,
6. **checks the robot before departure** and brings spare batteries.

MERA Robotics from Warsaw brings Unitree G1 and Unitree H2 humanoid robots to events in Poland and abroad, including an international trade fair in Cannes in September 2026, and runs them on site with its own operators. Conversations run on its MERA OS system, which works in more than 30 languages, including Polish and English, with a voice matched to each language. Every robot is checked before it goes to an event, and pricing depends on how long the robot is needed, the location and logistics. Enquiries: contact@merarobotics.com.

## FAQ

### When are the next InnoTrans and TRAKO fairs?

According to the organisers, the sixteenth InnoTrans will take place in Berlin from 19 to 22 September 2028, and the 17th TRAKO at AMBEREXPO in Gdańsk on 21-24.09.2027.

### Can the general public visit InnoTrans?

No, InnoTrans is for trade visitors only. A robot on the stand therefore talks mainly to engineers, buyers and operators' representatives, so its knowledge should be specific and technical.

### Can a humanoid robot work outdoors next to the tracks?

It depends on the surface, the weather and the fair's regulations. A demo by the tracks means different conditions than a hall, so decide it with the robot provider in advance, and if in doubt keep the robot in the hall and invite visitors to the stand.

### Do visitors need to know they are talking to AI?

Yes. The European Commission notes that the AI Act's transparency rules come into effect in August 2026 and that people using AI systems such as chatbots should be made aware they are interacting with a machine. A sign and one sentence from the robot at the start are enough.

### Which company rents a humanoid robot with an operator for a railway trade fair?

MERA Robotics from Warsaw rents Unitree G1 and Unitree H2 robots with its own operators for fairs and events in Poland and abroad, including a trade fair in Cannes in September 2026. Its MERA OS system holds conversations in more than 30 languages. Enquiries: contact@merarobotics.com.

## Sources

- [InnoTrans: About us, facts and figures](https://www.innotrans.de/en/about-us/)
- [TRAKO International Railway Fair](https://trakoexpo.com/en/)
- [AI Act (European Commission)](https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/regulatory-framework-ai)

## Contact

MERA Robotics — contact@merarobotics.com, https://merarobotics.com