drupa – Print Technologies Fair: Hotels & Where to Stay
9 May – 17 May 2028 Messe Düsseldorf 170,000 attendees
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drupa is the print industry's defining event — the fair where presses, inkjet lines and packaging systems are unveiled and bought — and drupa 2028 occupies Messe Düsseldorf for nine days in May 2028. Around 170,000 printers, converters, packaging producers and brand-owner technical teams travel in from well over 100 countries, and because drupa returns only roughly every four years, buying cycles across the whole industry synchronise to it. Nine days of that demand does brutal things to Düsseldorf accommodation: fairground-adjacent Stockum disappears first, the city centre follows, and the overflow spreads along the entire Rhine-Ruhr rail corridor. Exhibitors running multi-day machine demonstrations also hold rooms for full weeks, tightening supply further. Below you will find arrival routes from DUS, daily transit to the halls, 2028-relevant visa guidance and honest answers on pricing — plus live, bookable rates for hotels within realistic reach of the Messe.
Popular areas for attendees: Stockum (near Messe) · Altstadt · Königsallee.
- Hotel shortlists built around U78 access and walking distance to the Düsseldorf fairground
- Real-time 4–5 star pricing for drupa's nine-day window, not cached brochure rates
- Free-cancellation stays prioritised so week-long drupa itineraries can flex without penalty
- Tax invoice generated instantly at booking for straightforward reclaim and reconciliation
Event at a glance
- Dates
- 9 May – 17 May 2028
- Venue
- Messe Düsseldorf
- City
- Düsseldorf, Germany
- Airport
- DUS
- Attendance
- 170,000
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Hotels ranked by walking distance.
Flexible bookings
Pay Weekly available on free cancellation rooms.
Rates shown for the event window, Mon, May 8 → Thu, May 18 (arrive the day before, leave the day after) — or choose your own dates above.
Hotel rates near major event venues rise as the dates approach and the closest hotels sell out first. Booking a free-cancellation rate early locks the price with no downside.
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The venue, your hotel options and where to eat — all in one view. Tap the map to explore it full screen.
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- The best hotels within walking distance of the venue
- Where to host clients for dinner near the halls
- How to beat the sold-out fair-week rooms
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Where to eat during drupa – Print Technologies Fair
Fair weeks double Düsseldorf's restaurant demand — Michelin rooms sell out for MEDICA and K the day dates are announced. Mix one starred dinner with the Altstadt brewery classics every exhibitor team ends up in.
Nagaya
Japanese-European fusion
Little Tokyo — ~15 min from Messe Düsseldorf
Germany's first Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant, in the heart of the Japanese quarter — refined and discreet, ideal for international client dinners during MEDICA or K.
Tip: Starred rooms across the city sell out for fair weeks — book early.
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LA VIE by Thomas Bühner
Modern European
Flingern — ~15 min taxi from the Messe
The comeback of former three-star chef Thomas Bühner — starred 46 days after opening. Parallel omnivore and vegan tasting menus make mixed-diet groups easy.
Tip: State omnivore or vegan preference when booking.
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Brauerei Zum Schiffchen
Rhineland classics · Altbier · since 1628
Altstadt — U78/79 from the Messe
Düsseldorf's oldest restaurant (Napoleon dined here) and the default big-table venue for exhibitor teams — hearty portions and Altbier that keeps coming.
Tip: Beer mat on top of the glass when you want the Altbier to stop.
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Brauerei Schumacher
Altbier brewery tavern · since 1838
Oststraße — 5 min from Hbf hotels, U78 direct to the Messe
The city's oldest Altbier brewery, still family-run and more locals than tourists — an easy, authentic dinner by the Hauptbahnhof hotel cluster.
Tip: Schumacher Alt straight from the wooden barrel + the brewery platter.
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Naniwa Noodles & Soups
Japanese ramen
Little Tokyo — one U78 ride from the Messe
The legendary 25-year-old ramen counter of the Japanese quarter — the fastest, most satisfying solo dinner after a long expo day.
Tip: No reservations; closed Mondays and Thursdays.
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Rösterei VIER
Specialty coffee roastery
Carlstadt — 15 min via U-Bahn from the Messe
Düsseldorf's leading specialty roaster — a 500m² roastery-café pouring single origins from Panama to Yemen. The antidote to trade-fair filter brew.
Tip: Their Little Tokyo café near the Hbf is handy if staying by the station.
Open in Google MapsAfter the halls close: Düsseldorf
Client dinner, team night out or a free day after drupa – Print Technologies Fair — bookable experiences in Düsseldorf, same account, same checkout.
While you're in Düsseldorf
Messe Düsseldorf visitors can round off trade-fair days with second-division football, a giant Rhine funfair and big arena shows.
Fortuna Düsseldorf (2. Bundesliga)
Merkur Spiel-Arena is right next to the Messe grounds, so a Fortuna home match is the easiest possible add-on to a trade-fair trip.
Find ticketsRheinkirmes funfair
One of Germany's largest funfairs takes over the Rhine bank for nine days each July, complete with beer tents and a big fireworks finale.
Find ticketsPSD Bank Dome concerts
Düsseldorf's main indoor arena hosts international tours and show productions, giving you a solid evening option most weeks.
Find ticketsJapan Day (Japan-Tag)
Home to Europe's largest Japanese community, Düsseldorf throws a huge one-day Japanese culture festival ending in a famous fireworks display.
Find ticketsFixtures recur each season; exact dates for your fair week are confirmed at ticket search.
Getting there
From Düsseldorf Airport (DUS)
- DUS to the fairground is a short hop — about 7 km, or 10–15 minutes by taxi costing roughly €20–30 off-peak
- The rail route runs one stop from the airport to the Hauptbahnhof, then U78 to the Messe stations; allow 35–40 minutes in total
- DUS has dense European connections, so morning arrivals from most EU hubs can reach the halls before midday
- During drupa, taxi demand spikes with each wave of arrivals — the SkyTrain-to-rail route is immune to the queue
By ICE rail into Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof
- Frequent ICE services connect Düsseldorf with Cologne in about 25 minutes and with Frankfurt Airport in roughly 1.5 hours
- From the Hauptbahnhof the U78 delivers you to the fairground in around 20 minutes
- Basing in Cologne, Essen or Duisburg and commuting by train is a well-worn drupa strategy once Düsseldorf sells out
- Book long-distance train seats ahead for the opening weekend — drupa traffic is visible on the whole corridor
Getting around during drupa – Print Technologies Fair
Getting to Messe Düsseldorf daily
- Ride the U78 to Messe Ost/Stockumer Kirchstraße or the Merkur Spiel-Arena/Messe Nord terminus depending on which entrance suits your first hall
- drupa admission usually includes free VRR public transport on the day of validity — verify on your ticket before paying for transit
- The pre-opening crush runs from roughly 08:30; machine demonstrations are timed through the day, so a slightly later start rarely costs you anything
- Staying in Stockum means walking to the halls and skipping transit altogether — the single biggest quality-of-life upgrade at drupa
Around Düsseldorf
- U-Bahn, trams and S-Bahn run on the VRR network with app-based mobile tickets; single fares are a few euros
- Evening taxi and ride-hail demand centres on the Altstadt and Medienhafen — short waits are normal, but allow margin after big industry dinners
- Roads around the Messe and the Theodor-Heuss and Rhine bridges congest badly at drupa opening and closing times
- Nine days is a long fair — build in a quieter evening or two; the Rhine promenade and Kaiserswerth are close by for decompression
Visa & entry
Visa-free / visa on arrival
- Around 60 nationalities — among them the US, UK, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Brazil and Mexico — enter the Schengen area visa-free for 90 days in any 180, sufficient for even a full drupa stint
- EU, EEA and Swiss nationals face no entry restrictions
- By 2028, visa-exempt visitors must hold an ETIAS authorisation obtained online before travel, and first entries are registered biometrically under the EES system
eVisa / visa required
- Travellers from India, China, Pakistan, Nigeria, Egypt, Vietnam and most other non-exempt countries need a Schengen short-stay business visa from German missions before travelling
- drupa draws heavy visa demand from Asia in particular — German consulate appointment slots near the fair dates fill months out, so apply as early as the six-month window allows
- Exhibitor or organiser invitation documents materially strengthen a business-visa application
Documents to carry
- Passport valid three months beyond your Schengen departure date
- drupa ticket or registration confirmation and any exhibitor invitation letter
- Hotel bookings, return ticket and evidence of funds or an employer letter covering your stay
Entry requirements are subject to change — check with the German embassy in your country and official EU sources before finalising travel plans.
First time at drupa – Print Technologies Fair?
- Decide early which of the nine days you will attend — most visitors come for two to three days, and mid-fair weekdays offer the best balance of full stands and manageable crowds
- Major press manufacturers run scheduled live demonstrations; check exhibitor programmes in advance and build your day around demo slots rather than improvising
- Register online beforehand so your badge is a QR scan, not a counter queue
- The fairground is large enough that hall-to-hall meetings need 15-minute buffers
- Reserve accommodation as soon as drupa dates are confirmed — week-long exhibitor blocks make this the tightest hotel market of any Düsseldorf fair
Insider tips from repeat attendees
- The final weekend and last days see exhibitors far more open about pricing and delivery slots — veterans schedule commercial conversations late in the fair
- Evening networking gravitates to the Altstadt breweries and exhibitor-hosted events along the Medienhafen; the halls empty fast after closing
- Hall catering peaks 12:30–14:00 — the stands between halls and an early lunch keep your schedule intact
- If you are commuting from Cologne, sit towards the front of the regional train and you will exit closest to the U78 interchange at Düsseldorf Hbf
drupa – Print Technologies Fair travel FAQs
Where should I stay for drupa 2028?
Stockum and the northern districts nearest the fairground are the prize locations and vanish earliest. Central Düsseldorf around the Altstadt and Königsallee offers a 20-minute U78 commute with far better evenings, while Cologne and the Ruhr cities are proven fallbacks with fast rail links.
How much do hotels cost during drupa?
drupa is Düsseldorf's most extreme hotel event — its nine-day length plus exhibitor week-long blocks push rates to a multiple of normal levels, often more than double, and minimum-stay conditions appear on the busiest nights. Early booking is the only reliable lever.
How early should I book hotels for drupa 2028?
Aim for as soon as your attendance is likely — a year out is not excessive for fairground-area hotels, and six months out choice is already thin. Free-cancellation rates make early commitment low-risk.
Which airport do I fly into for drupa?
Düsseldorf (DUS) is the natural choice, roughly 15 minutes from the halls. Frankfurt (FRA) plus a 1.5-hour ICE is a strong intercontinental alternative, and Cologne/Bonn (CGN) works well for European low-cost routes.
How long is drupa and how many days should I plan?
drupa runs nine days — far longer than most trade fairs — because machine demonstrations and procurement discussions take time. Trade visitors typically plan two to three days; anyone evaluating major equipment purchases often stays longer or returns for a second visit within the fair.
Register for your attendee badge
Your entry badge is separate from your hotel — get it from the official drupa – Print Technologies Fair portal before you travel. We handle the travel; the event handles the badge.
EventEscapes is an independent travel platform and is not affiliated with drupa – Print Technologies Fair or its organizers. Dates and venues can change — verify with the official event site before booking travel.