About IFEMA Madrid
IFEMA Madrid is an exhibition venue in Madrid, Spain.
IFEMA (Institucion Ferial de Madrid) opened its Campo de las Naciones grounds in 1991 and has since become the largest exhibition operator in Spain, hosting over 65 trade fairs and 600 events per year. The 12 halls (Pabellones 1-12 plus the new Pabellon 14) total roughly 200,000 m of indoor exhibition space plus 50,000 m of outdoor area.
The hall portfolio
Halls 1-12 are arranged in two parallel rows connected by a central pedestrian street. Halls 9 and 10 are the largest single-volume halls and host FITURs travel-trade exhibitors. Hall 14, the newest addition, has the highest ceiling clearance and is used for ARCO Madrid contemporary art installations. Floor loads reach 3,500 kg/m in the central halls.
Signature fairs
FITUR every January is the second-largest travel-trade fair in the world after ITB Berlin - 9,000 exhibitors and 250,000 visitors with particularly strong Latin American participation. ARCO Madrid in February is one of Europes top-three contemporary art fairs. Fruit Attraction has overtaken Berlins Fruit Logistica in several Latin American produce categories. SIMA (real estate), Climatizacion (HVAC), Genera (energy) and Madrid Fusion (gastronomy) round out a calendar that runs 200+ days per year. IFEMA also hosted COP25 and the 2022 NATO Summit.
Logistics for exhibitors
The venue has its own metro station (Feria de Madrid, Line 8) and is 8 minutes from Madrid-Barajas Airport Terminal 4 by metro. Schenker is the official forwarder; Spanish operators DSV and Resa handle most domestic freight. The Spanish customs operation at Barajas is the largest in the country and clears most international shipments within 24 hours.
Exhibitor practicalities
On-site parking is paid (P1, P2, P3 multi-storey). The IFEMA Palacio Municipal de Congresos handles overflow conferences. Hotels closest to the venue include the Hotel Auditorium (literally beside the entrance), Eurostars Madrid Tower and NH Madrid Ribera del Manzanares. Build-up runs typically four to five days for headline shows. Spanish working hours apply - lunch is sacred (14:00-16:00) and crew dinners run late.
What your builder handles at this venue
Schenker is the official on-site forwarder. Spanish operators DSV and Resa handle most domestic freight and are typically cheaper for stands sourced within Iberia. International shipments clear customs at Madrid-Barajas Cargo (8 minutes from IFEMA) - allow 24 hours for non-EU clearance. ATA Carnets accepted.
Each pavilion has dedicated truck docks on its rear side. Truck slots must be booked through the IFEMA Servifema portal at least 14 days before build-up. The on-site staging area handles approximately 600 truck movements per day during FITUR build-up. Trucks without confirmed slots are redirected to the off-site IFEMA Logistica yard near Barajas.
Forklifts (3 and 5 tonne) and mobile cranes (up to 25 tonne) are bookable through Servifema. Rigging certifications must be stamped by a Spanish-licensed engineer (Colegio de Ingenieros). Maximum rigging point load is 800 kg in halls 1-8 and 1,000 kg in halls 9-14.
Standard stand connections are 16A or 32A 3-phase. All Spanish electrical work must be certified by an installer registered with the local Industria authority. Power-on inspection must clear 12 hours before doors.
Build-up: 08:00-22:00 with extended hours for headline shows. Sunday build-up is permitted with prior approval. Dismantle begins 1 hour after close and must clear within 48 hours. Spanish labour rules require minimum 30-minute break per 6 hours worked and crew working past 22:00 needs overtime documentation filed with the venue.