bauma CHINA 2026 Guide: Dates, Venues & Visas

Quick answer bauma CHINA 2026 runs 23 to 27 November 2026 across two venues in Pudong, Shanghai. The Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center (SWEECC) is open 23 to 26 November, and the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) is open 24 to 27 November. Opening hours are 9 am to 5 pm, with the last day at each venue closing at 3 pm. Visitor registration is free before 21 November 2026, and one badge covers both venues. Citizens of many countries, including Germany, France, the UK, Australia, Canada and Japan, can enter China visa-free for up to 30 days under the current policy.

bauma CHINA is the construction machinery trade fair for Asia, organised by Messe München, and the 2026 edition is the first to run in two places at once. The organiser expects more than 4,000 exhibitors from more than 30 countries and regions across 400,000 square meters. For comparison, the 2024 edition recorded 3,542 exhibitors from 32 countries and regions and 281,488 visitors from 188 countries and regions, on 330,000 square meters, according to the organiser's figures page.

This guide covers the dates by venue, opening hours, what is at each site, tickets, visas, getting around Shanghai, and a short plan for a first visit. You can also see our bauma CHINA show page.

1. bauma CHINA 2026 at a glance

2. Dates and opening hours

The two venues do not open on the same days. Hours from the organiser's opening-hours page:

SWEECC (Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center)

• Monday 23 to Wednesday 25 November: 9 am to 5 pm
• Thursday 26 November: 9 am to 3 pm

SNIEC (Shanghai New International Expo Centre)

• Tuesday 24 to Thursday 26 November: 9 am to 5 pm
• Friday 27 November: 9 am to 3 pm

Monday 23 November is a SWEECC-only day, and Friday 27 November is a SNIEC-only day. On 24, 25 and 26 November both venues are open. The programme at SWEECC opens on 23 November with the Construction Machinery Technology & Innovation Conference, co-organised with the China Construction Machinery Association.

3. What each venue offers

The organiser describes the split like this:

• SNIEC continues to cover the full construction machinery value chain: large machinery, mining and building material equipment, construction vehicles, components, power transmission and fluid technology.
• SWEECC adds a stronger focus on emerging technologies, industry ecosystems, conferences and live demonstrations, including zones for new energy, intelligent equipment and digital solutions.

Some companies exhibit at both. SANY Group, for example, plans nearly 10,000 square meters across four zones over the two venues. The organiser names Caterpillar, Wirtgen Group, Komatsu, Fayat Group, Hyundai Doosan Infracore, Skyjack and Ammann among international exhibitors, and XCMG, SANY, Zoomlion, Shantui, Lingong (SDLG), LiuGong, Zhejiang Dingli, Lonking and Sunward among Chinese ones. The full list is in the organiser's exhibitor community.

4. What is new in 2026

• "One Show, Two Venues". The first time bauma CHINA is held across two sites.
• "One Badge, Two Venues". One badge works at both, with free shuttle buses between them.
• Supporting programme. The organiser lists the Construction Machinery Innovation Conference, a Marketing & Business Matching Conference, an Electrification & Green Development Conference and the Global Attachments Forum, plus live demonstrations including remote-control operation.
• Global Buyer Invitation Program. Buyer delegations from Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Americas.
• Theme: "New Quality, Boundless Innovation, Shared Future".

5. Tickets

Visitor registration is free if you pre-register before 21 November 2026 (00:00 UTC+8). After that the standard price is RMB 80 (about USD 12). The ticket is valid at both venues for the entire exhibition period. Register on the organiser's ticket page.

6. Visas and entry

Under the policy the organiser published in June 2026, citizens of 50 countries holding ordinary passports can enter China visa-free for up to 30 days for business, tourism and transit. The list includes the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Brazil, Japan and the Republic of Korea. A separate group of 29 countries has mutual visa exemption (30 days per stay), including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. If your passport is not on those lists, the organiser advises applying more than a month before travel, and an official invitation letter is needed; the organiser offers one.

Check the organiser's visa page and your own embassy before you book. Rules change.

7. Getting around

Both venues are in Pudong and about 8 km apart. A free shuttle bus runs between SNIEC and SWEECC during the show. By metro, the organiser gives this route from SNIEC to SWEECC: Line 7 from Huamu Road, change to Line 8 at Yaohua Road, exit at China Art Museum Station (Exit 3) and walk about five minutes to the North Gate. It takes about 40 minutes and costs RMB 4. SWEECC is also served by Metro Lines 7, 8 and 13. SWEECC has two entrances, North Gate (850 Bocheng Road) and South Gate (1099 Guozhan Road).

Accommodation and the full travel guide are on the organiser's plan your visit pages. Shanghai hotels fill up during large fairs, so book early.

8. A first-visit plan

1. Decide which venue matters most for your products. Heavy machinery and components are mainly at SNIEC; new energy, intelligent equipment and live demos lean towards SWEECC.
2. Spend Tuesday to Thursday if you want both venues. Use Monday for SWEECC conferences only, and Friday for SNIEC only (both close at 3 pm on their last day).
3. Pre-register before 21 November, save the badge to your phone and leave time for the shuttle.

9. Other shows that month

For everything else on in the same fortnight, see the November 2026 trade shows calendar.