ISM 2025: Guide for a perfect trade fair experience

You work in the sweets and snacks industry? Then, you definitely shouldn't miss ISM 2025 in Cologne! This is where the industry comes together bringing with it new impulses, innovative product presentations as well as the biggest offer of retail brands.

Our guide supports you in organising your ISM experience in a relaxed and timely manner. We have put together a whole spectrum of tips about your trade fair visit and for your stay in the Rhine metropolis Cologne. This will ensure you can plan the time between 2 and 5 February 2025 as effectively as possible!

Thanks to its central and convenient location in Europe, you can reach Koelnmesse and the fair grounds quickly by car, train or plane and by public transport from many cities in Germany and abroad.

The following local public transport stops are located within walking distance of the fair grounds:

• Entrance South:
  Suburban train stop "Köln Messe/Deutz": Numbers S6, S11, S12 and S13
  Tram and underground stop "Bf Messe/Deutz (U)": Numbers 1 and 9
• Entrances East, West, North:
  Tram and underground stops "Koelnmesse" and "Messe/Deutz": Numbers 3 and 4

Your ISM ticket includes a public transport ticket that you will receive in a separate e-mail. Please print the PDF file out in A4 format and bring it with you to the trade fair.

The public transport ticket only entitles you to travel to and from Koelnmesse over the period of the trade fair (2nd class) using the extended network of the Rhine-Sieg transport system (VRS). Here you can also find VRS timetable information . Excluded from the offer are Deutsche Bahn trains subject to a supplementary fare, such as the IC/EC or ICE trains. Your public transport ticket is only valid in connection with valid photo identification and an admission ticket of Koelnmesse GmbH.

The ICE railway station Köln Messe/Deutz and the excellent connections to local public transport make arriving by train convenient. Our tip for both exhibitors and visitors: Take advantage of the Deutsche Bahn Special and travel for the best price.

Rail travellers follow this link.

Ten motorways are linked with the motorway ring around Cologne. This leads you directly to the fair grounds without being held up by crossroads or traffic lights. For the best route we recommend the Koelnmesse app NUNAV Navigation .

You can reach Koelnmesse fast and conveniently from many major cities around the world via Cologne/Bonn Airport. Inform yourself about the discounted offers of our partner, the Lufthansa Group.

Air travellers please follow this link.

You can find further detailed arrival information on our website.

The entire world of sweets at one trade fair - this is the layout of ISM 2025:

The following opening hours of the trade fair apply for the visitors and for the exhibitors.

For visitors:
2-4 February 2025: 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
5 February 2025: 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

For exhibitors:

2-4 February 2025: 8:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.

5 February 2025: 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

The fair grounds of ISM are found at the following address:

Koelnmesse
Messeplatz 1
50679 Köln

ISM is being staged in Halls 3, 4, 10.1, 10.2 and 11.2. These can be reached via Entrance East, West or South. You only have to compete the following three steps to ensure a successful trade fair visit.

• Obtain ticket : Register in the ticket shop and create your Koelnmesse account. Now you can purchase your ticket or redeem your digital voucher.
• Download the ISM app: You can either download your ticket as a PDF or call it up in the ISM app. You can download the app here . Log in by using the same e-mail address you used to register in the ticket shop. When you log in for the first time a password is assigned: After registration your ticket is automatically displayed in the ISM app.
• Access to ISM: On presenting the ticket in the ISM app you will be granted access to the fair grounds. The ticket is personalised and non-transferable.

Halal Market

The ISM Halal Market offers a purely halal assortment that focuses on the diversity and quality of these products. Discover new aromas and flavours here.

Trend Snacks

The product segment Trend Snacks presents snacking trends from all over the globe. Here you can find innovative snack creations of first-class exhibitors from 76 countries.

Specialised trade section "Finest Creations – hand-crafted"

The "Finest Creations – hand-crafted" specialised trade section focuses on the offer for the small volume business with sweets and snacks. This exhibition section brings together selected craft businesses, whose target groups are confectioners, cake shops, specialised sweet shops and delicatessen.

Scale-up Area

The Scale-up Area is the perfect place for high-growth companies. Companies that have successfully accomplished the start-up phase are gathered here. With between five and ten years of experience, these scale-ups offer innovative solutions and exciting perspectives for the future.

Start-up Area

Discover exciting start-ups and their innovative ideas! Let yourself be inspired by creative founders here. Numerous start-ups will present their innovations to you at ISM 2025.

In addition to many exhibitors a live programme also awaits you at ISM 2025. This includes exciting lectures and discussions on the Expert Stage. Furthermore, you can also look forward to the demonstrations of sweet creations by talented pâtissiers and sweet makers.

Continually updated information on the diversified live programme can be found on our website .

Cologne is the only place where the entire value chain of the sweets and snacks industry is represented in one location thanks to ISM and the supplier fair ProSweets Cologne being staged here simultaneously. Visit the two trade fairs using just one admission ticket.

We place great value on allowing every person to participate at ISM, regardless of physical handicaps. We have thus taken several measures to guarantee that everyone can move around the fair grounds easily. Depending on the hall, there are different barrier-free routes to reach the halls from the entrances. Furthermore, the latter are equipped with toilets for the disabled. Most of the lifts on the fair grounds are also completely barrier-free. It is very important to us that all of the visitors feel at home and are able to enjoy the event unrestricted.

Viva Colonia! Cologne is the hometown of ISM. Learn which highlights (apart from ISM) Cologne has to offer:

Accommodation
You are still looking for accommodation close to the trade fair? In our Koelnmesse hotel booking portal you can book up to five rooms directly and conveniently.

Sights
The cosmopolitan city Cologne has had an eventful past over the course of its more than 2,000-year-long history. Let yourself be impressed by Cologne Cathedral, the Roman/Germanic Museum, Triangle Tower, the cableway over the Rhine and further highlights .

From brewery pubs through to rooftop bars – in Cologne there is something to suit all tastes. Discover Cologne's culinary offer with our insider tips: (Unfortunately, not all of our recommended locations have English websites.)

A cool Kölsch beer in one of Cologne's brewery pubs is a must. We have compiled a list with the city's top addresses for all beer lovers. This is where you will find the best traditional Kölsch gastronomy:

• Päffgen in the Friesenviertel, Friesenstraße 64–66, 50670 Cologne
• Gilden im Zims in the Old Town, Heumarkt 77, 50667 Cologne
• Deutzer Brauhaus in Deutz, Ottoplatz 7, 50679 Cologne
• Früh am Dom in the Old Town, Am Hof 12–18, 50667 Cologne
• Gaffel am Dom in the city centre, Bahnhofsvorplatz 1, 50667 Cologne
• Sünners im Walfisch in the Old Town, Salzgasse 13, 50667 Cologne
• Brauerei zur Malzmühle in the Old Town, Heumarkt 6, 50667 Cologne
• Brauhaus Pütz Rudolfplatz, Engelbertstraße 67, 50674 Cologne

Want to go for a nice meal? No problem. Here are our restaurant tips for you:

• The Bagatelle has a street terrace and an informal dining area. The lively pub in Cologne's Südstadt serves appetisers and French-style cheese.
  Bagatelle : Teutoburger Straße 17, 50678 Cologne
• The Henne is both a wine bar and a restaurant in Cologne's Old Town.
  Henne : Pfeilstraße 31–35, 50672 Cologne
• The Tanica also combines a wine bar with a restaurant. Cocktails and sophisticated, small dishes are prepared in a modern, rustic ambience.
  Tanica : Engelbertstraße 31a, 50674 Cologne
• Sattgrün, the verdant restaurant in the Old Town specialises in vegan dishes. Here you can find culinary delights made from fresh and purely plant-based ingredients.
  Sattgrün : Apostelnstraße 2 und Ludwigstraße 11, 50667 Cologne

You can enjoy the view over the rooves of Cologne in the following rooftop bars:

• The Monkey Bar in the 25hours hotel in the Old City North transforms into a hip location for locals and globetrotters in the evening. It is appreciated for its cocktail and long-drink creations.
  Monkey Bar : Im Klapperhof 22–24, 50670 Cologne
• The Sonnenscheinetage in the city centre excels with Cologne's highest city beach. The rooftop bar's motto is: Ride up to come down!
  Sonnenscheinetage : An St. Agatha 19–25, 50667 Cologne

The cocktail bars on the ground in Cologne also have plenty to offer:

• The Grid Bar in the Friesenviertel serves the finest cocktail compositions
  The Grid : Friesenstraße 62, 50670 Cologne
• Spirits in the Rathenauviertel describes its cocktails as liquid poetry.
  Spirits : Engelbertstraße 63, 50674 Cologne
• True cocktail art also awaits you in Ona Mor in the Rathenauviertel
  Ona Mor : Roonstraße 94, 50674 Cologne
• The Rosebud is an authentic, neighbourhood bar in the so-called Kwartier Latäng in the city centre.
  Rosebud : Heinsbergstraße 20, 50674 Cologne
• A large selection of delicious cocktails also awaits you at Samuel's Shep.
  Samuel’s Shep : Rathenauplatz 5, 50674 Cologne
• Popular for raising one's glasses after a successful trade fair:
  Suderman , Sudermanplatz 3, 50670 Köln

Bonus tip for a good start to the day

• At Dr. Smusy you can tank vitamins in the morning and get yourself geared up for representing your company in best style even after less than eight hours of sleep, for instance with a Glow My Skin smoothie.
  Dr. Smusy : Apostelnstraße 44, 50667 Cologne