Exhibition centre · Essen
Messe Essen
Trade show on Norbertstraße in 1913; rebuilt into eight large ground-level halls in 2016–2019. Run by Messe Essen GmbH. Next major trade fair here: Essen Motor Show, 27 November – 6 December 2026.
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- 10
- halls
- 110,000 m²
- hall space
- 20,000 m²
- outdoor space
- 1913
- opened
- Hall 3 by Mario Bellini (2000), over 230 m long, regarded as Europe's longest column-free hall
- Grugahalle: a historic multi-purpose hall, linked to Hall 7 by a bridge
- The leaded glass window “Energie” by Jörg Immendorff in the Galeria (2004)
Entrances
Which entrance for which route
| Entrance | How to get there |
|---|---|
| East entrance | U11 “Messe Ost/Gruga” and car park P1 right outside the entrance; access to Hall 8 |
| West entrance | U11 “Messe West-Süd/Gruga” right outside the entrance, multi-storey car park P6; access to Hall 3 |
| South entrance | Access to Halls 1 and 1A; U-Bahn station “Messe West-Süd/Gruga” nearby |
Getting there
How to get there
Rail and local transport
From Essen Hauptbahnhof, the U11 takes five minutes to the East/Grugahalle and West/South exhibition entrances. The last U11 leaves at 23:30.
From Düsseldorf Airport
About 20 minutes away, also reachable by train. For a short trip: Essen/Mülheim Airport, about 10 minutes by car or taxi.
Car and parking
Via the A52 (exits 27 Essen-Haarzopf and 28 Essen-Rüttenscheid) or from the city centre/A40 via Norbertstraße to the car parks; a green low-emission sticker is required.
Stops at the venue
- At the venue
- U-Bahn “Messe Ost/Gruga” · 100 m to the East entrance
- U-Bahn “Messe West/Süd/Gruga” · 700 m to the East entrance
- The last U11 leaves at 23:30; after that, Ruhrbahn's night network runs (according to Messe Essen)
- Main station
Essen Hauptbahnhof · 2.6 km straight-line distance to the East entrance
- U11 direct to the exhibition centre: 5 minutes (according to Messe Essen)
Location of stops and stations: © OpenStreetMap contributors, retrieved on 11 October 2026; distances are straight-line. Lines, journey times and tickets: the linked official pages, checked on 11 October 2026. Timetables and ticket rules change – check them before you travel. How we work
Major trade fairs
What takes place here
E-world energy & water
Trade fair for the energy and water industries · every year in February
SPIEL Essen
The world's largest public event for board games · every year
Essen Motor Show
Motor show for sports cars, tuning, motorsport and classic cars · every year in late November/early December
Hotels 27 November – 6 December 2026Security Essen
The world's largest trade fair for security and fire protection technology · every two years
All dates in the trade fair calendar.
For the day of the fair
Good to know
- After the last U11 at 23:30, Ruhrbahn's night network runs.
- From the car parks you walk or take the fair bus to the entrances.
- Essen is in the Ruhr low-emission zone – entry only with a green sticker.
Hotels near Messe Essen – by straight-line distance to the entrance
See hotels