International Bus Expo (IBE) 2026

Attendees, exhibitors & solutions

Who this event is for

Industry trends

Key trends shaping this market and its wider industry.

Hotel tiers

A range of accommodation options near the venue and across key areas.

Local transport

Get around the city with these convenient transport options.

Frequently asked

Glossary

1

BEV bus (battery electric bus)

A bus whose traction comes solely from an on-board battery charged from the grid. At IBE, BEV city buses are typically presented together with their depot charging and grid-connection requirements, not as stand-alone vehicles.

2

FCEV bus (fuel cell electric bus)

A bus that generates electricity from hydrogen in an on-board fuel cell. Relevant at IBE for operators weighing long routes and hydrogen refuelling availability against battery-electric depot models.

3

Depot charging

Slow or semi-fast charging at the operator's overnight base, usually with several vehicles drawing power at once. It is the decisive cost and layout question for a fleet conversion and is discussed alongside vehicle ranges at the show.

4

Opportunity charging

Fast top-up charging during service, at termini or intermediate stops, using pantograph or plug-in connections. It reduces battery size per vehicle but requires infrastructure on the route rather than at the depot.

5

TCO (total cost of ownership)

Whole-life cost of a vehicle including purchase, energy, maintenance, downtime and residual value. Operator teams at IBE use TCO models to compare diesel, CNG, hybrid, battery-electric and hydrogen buses on the same route duty.

6

BRT (bus rapid transit)

A bus corridor with dedicated running way, priority at junctions, level boarding and off-board ticketing that behaves like a light rail line. It appears at the show through articulated vehicles, station design and signalling or priority systems.

7

ITS (intelligent transport systems)

On-board and network-level digital systems: fleet telematics, driver assistance, passenger information, depot management and traffic priority. Suppliers present these as add-ons to the vehicle platforms shown at Rimini.

8

AFC (automatic fare collection)

Ticketing systems where validation, payment media and back-office settlement are automated, from contactless bank cards to account-based ticketing. Buyers compare validators, driver consoles and reporting tools.

9

MaaS (mobility as a service)

Bundling bus, rail, sharing and micro-mobility into one journey offer with a single payment. For bus operators it raises questions on data sharing, fare distribution and integration with the ticketing platforms exhibited at IBE.

10

PRM accessibility

Provisions for passengers with reduced mobility: low-floor boarding, ramps, wheelchair bays, visual and audible information and driver assistance. Accessibility compliance is a tender criterion for most European bus purchases and a recurring theme on the show floor.

11

Coach and touring vehicle

Long-distance vehicles for intercity, school, staff and tourism work, distinct from urban buses in seating, luggage volume and duty cycle. Coach builders and equipment suppliers sit alongside city bus makers at Rimini.

12

Retrofit and repower

Converting an existing diesel bus to battery-electric or another driveline instead of buying new. It matters for operators with young fleets facing low-emission zones, and is typically shown with driveline, battery-packing and certification partners.