IBC 2027 Amsterdam guide

When is IBC 2027 and what are the opening hours?

IBC2027 runs from Friday 10 to Monday 13 September 2027 at RAI Amsterdam, according to the organiser. The exhibition is open on all four days.

IBC has not published the 2027 opening hours yet (October 2026). At IBC2026 the halls opened at 10:30 on the first day and 09:30 on the other days, and closed at 16:00 on the last day. Expect a similar pattern, and check show.ibc.org before you travel.

The IBC Conference is shorter than the exhibition. In 2026 it ran over three days, 11 to 13 September, alongside the first three exhibition days. The 2027 conference days and agenda are not published yet.

Where is IBC Amsterdam and how do you get there?

IBC is held at RAI Amsterdam, Europaplein 24, 1078 GZ Amsterdam, just south of the city centre. The venue says it is about 10 minutes by direct train from Schiphol Airport, and Amsterdam RAI station is a 3-minute walk away.

IBC no longer runs a free airport shuttle. At IBC2026 every badge carried a GVB QR code that worked as a free pass on Amsterdam trams, buses and metro for the show days. It did not cover the train to or from Schiphol. Whether the 2027 badge includes the same pass is not confirmed yet.

• From Schiphol: NS train to Amsterdam RAI station, then follow the signs to the venue.
• From Amsterdam Centraal: Metro 52 to Europaplein, the fastest direct link, or Tram 4 to Europaplein.
• From Amsterdam Zuid or Amstel: Metro 51 to Amsterdam RAI, or bus 62 to Europaplein or bus 65 to Scheldeplein.
• Metro 50 (Sloterdijk to Gein) also stops at Amsterdam RAI.
• Taxi: IBC quotes about 20 euros from the RAI to the city centre.
• Car: the RAI sits next to the A10 ring road (exit S109), with car parks you can book in advance.

Is IBC free? Tickets and registration

The IBC exhibition is a trade event and the Visitor Pass has been free if you register early: for IBC2026 it was free until the end of August. Conference, Technical Papers and IBC Exchange passes are paid, and their prices rise closer to the show.

Registration for IBC2027 is not open yet (October 2026); only a register-interest form is live. IBC has not published 2027 pass prices. Exhibitors can also give customers a Customer Code, which registers them for a free visitor pass even after early registration closes. Children under 16 have not been admitted at recent editions.

1. 01

   Register interest

   Sign up at show.ibc.org to be told when IBC2027 registration opens.

2. 02

   Register at reg.ibc.org

   Enter a Customer Code if an exhibitor sent you one, or choose your pass type.

3. 03

   Keep the confirmation email

   It contains the QR code you exchange for your badge.

4. 04

   Request a visa letter if needed

   Visa invitation letters are only issued after you have fully registered.

Where is IBC badge collection?

You collect your IBC badge by showing the QR code from your confirmation email at a badge collection point, either at the RAI or at an offsite point in the city. The 2027 points and times are not published yet; this is how it worked at IBC2026.

In 2026 visitors collected badges at Entrance C or Hall 4 (Entrance L) at the RAI, from the day before the show (Thursday 09:00 - 18:00) and from 08:30 on show days. Conference delegates and speakers used Entrance G, and media used Entrance F. There were also seven offsite points, including the I amsterdam Store at Amsterdam Centraal and several hotels, open the day before and on the first morning. Offsite collection was Fasttrack only and required a complete registration with nothing left to pay.

Collect your badge the day before the show to skip the opening-morning queue.

Who exhibits at IBC and what is on?

IBC covers technology for creating, managing and delivering content: broadcast and production equipment, streaming and OTT, cloud, AI, and media business models. Exhibitors range from global technology brands to start-ups.

At IBC2026 the show filled 14 halls at the RAI. Hall 14 hosts Future Tech, with the Accelerator Media Innovation Programme, Future Tech Ignite start-ups and the Braindate Lounge. Content Everywhere covers multi-platform delivery, OTT and monetisation. Free sessions run on the Showcase Theatre and other show-floor stages, and the six bodies that own IBC (IAMT, SMPTE, SCTE, IET, RTS and IEEE BTS) run their own sessions.

Where are the IBC exhibitor list and floor plan?

The official exhibitor list and interactive floor plan are in IBC's online directory at directory.ibc.org, also linked from show.ibc.org. As of October 2026 it still shows IBC2026; the IBC2027 list will replace it once stands are sold.

The directory lets you search by exhibitor name, browse A to Z, filter by product category and featured exhibitors, and save stands to My Show Planner, which syncs with the official IBC mobile app. The app also carries the interactive floor plan and can plan a route around the halls. IBC says the IBC2027 app will be available soon. RAI Amsterdam publishes its own venue floor plan with entrances, hall numbers and the metro and train links.

Where to stay for IBC Amsterdam

IBC's official housing agent is RAI Hotel Services, which offers negotiated IBC2027 rates. Send the booking form to hotelservices@rai.nl by 1 November 2026 to be handled with priority.

IBC says many of Amsterdam's 500-plus hotels are within walking distance of the RAI. To save money, IBC's own trip page suggests staying in Hoofddorp, Amstelveen or Haarlem, which have easy links to the RAI. A stay near a Metro 52 or Metro 51 stop gives a direct ride to the venue. IBC warns against third-party companies offering IBC rooms and asks you to book through RAI Hotel Services. Hotel VAT in the Netherlands rose from 9% to 21% on 1 January 2026.

Tips for visitors and exhibitors at IBC 2027

For visitors, the main gains are registering early and planning your hall route; for exhibitors, it is inviting customers before the show.

IBC is taking stand enquiries for IBC2027 now: new exhibitors email exhibition@ibc.org, and sales@ibc.org handles rates. Space-only stands start at 30 square metres, and halls 1, 7 and 12 are premium halls.

Send your Customer Code to clients early: every visitor who registers with it becomes a lead for you and gets a free pass. For IBC2026 the official lead capture provider was Captello and Lead Liaison, ordered through the E-Zone. In 2026 space-only stands had to be built by Wednesday and technically set up by Thursday, with fines for stands that were late.

• Register before the free Visitor Pass deadline; last year it was the end of August.
• Build your list of stands in My Show Planner before you go, then use the app floor plan on site.
• Allow extra time to move between halls; there are 14, and meetings in another hall take longer to reach than you expect.
• Book a free Schiphol security time slot for your flight home; you can reserve it from 3 days before departure.
• Bring an umbrella and a refillable bottle; the RAI has water refill stations at the main entrances.

How do you get from Schiphol airport to IBC at the RAI?

Take the NS train from Schiphol to Amsterdam RAI station, which is a stone's throw from the venue; tickets are sold at the airport and trains run regularly. The free IBC travel pass for trams, buses and metro does not cover this train, so buy an NS ticket for it.

IBC no longer runs a free airport shuttle, and the organiser lists no hotel shuttles. From Amsterdam Centraal, Metro 52 to Europaplein is the fastest direct link.

By taxi, the organiser's partner TCA quotes about 20 euros between the RAI and the city centre; book on +31 20 777 7777 or corporate@tcataxi.nl. If you drive, the RAI has ample parking with 30 electric charging points, paid at machines or in advance.

Capturing contacts at IBC with DaGaMa

With DaGaMa's BoothBot you photograph a business card or a badge QR code in WhatsApp, Telegram or WeChat, and the contact lands in a Google Sheet shared with you. Add a voice note to remember what you discussed. The first 24 hours are free, counted from your first scan.