12 Helpful Tips for drupa 2016
- Published: April 06, 2016
If this is your first trip to drupa, show organizer Messe Düsseldorf offers the following advice to help you navigate your visit to Germany.
Getting to the fairgrounds
1. Public transportation is recommended to get to the fairgrounds. From downtown Düsseldorf, Tram No. U78 goes to the North Entrance, Tram No. U79 to the East Entrance, and Bus No. 722 serves the East and South Entrances. From the airport, Bus No. 896 connects to all fairgrounds entrances.
2. Taxi fares are made up of a basic flat rate plus a charge per kilometer; fares are generally higher than in the US; for tips, round up to the next full Euro amount (maximum 10%). Taxis must be boarded at taxi stands.
3. Rental cars are available from Avis, Europcar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, Sixt, and other companies; offices are located at the Düsseldorf airport, the main train station, and several downtown locations. On the main streets in Düsseldorf, “Messe Düsseldorf” signs show the way to the fairgrounds; parking signs will lead to one of the fairgrounds’ 12 parking lots.
At the show
4. drupa will take place from May 31–June 10, 2016 at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany. Opening times are 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Monday to Friday and 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
5. Entrance passes and show directories can be ordered in advance of the show online at www.drupa.com at reduced rates (Euro 45 for a 1-day ticket, Euro 120 for a 3-day ticket, Euro 190 for a 5–day ticket) or show site at regular rates (Euro 65 for a 1-day ticket, Euro 175 for a 3-day ticket, Euro 290 for a 5-day ticket). The tickets will again include free use of all public transportation within the Rhine-Ruhr regional network (VRR) of Düsseldorf and the Rhine-Sieg (VRS) transportation network, which includes the neighboring cities of Bonn, Cologne, Dortmund, Krefeld, and Wuppertal.
6. The KATI electronic visitor guidance and information system makes it easy to find the location of every exhibitor and product category; KATI terminals are located in every hall.
7. The exhibit halls are linked by protected walkways, moving sidewalks, and shuttle buses.
8. Located in the middle of the fairgrounds is a small grocery, store, hardware store, and telecommunication store (where vouchers for wireless access can be purchased) as well as a courier service and travel agency.
Germany in general
9. Shops are generally open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. Larger department stores are often open until 8 p.m. on weekdays and until 6 p.m. on Saturday. All stores are closed on Sunday.
10. Banks are generally open from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Thursdays to 5:30 p.m.); the Euro is the single currency for the European Union Nations, including Germany. The Euro comes in denominations of Euro 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 bills and Euro 1 and 2 and 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents coins.
11. Restaurants: Asking for a quick service in a non fast-food restaurant is considered impolite; water does not accompany the meal but can be ordered by the bottle. Tipping: service charge is included in the bill (but a small tip should be handed to the waitress/waiter directly).
12. A brochure about German business customs and practices can be ordered from Messe Düsseldorf North America free of charge.
For more information on visiting or exhibiting at drupa 2016, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America, 150 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 2920, Chicago, IL 60601; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
