Five days of meetings, expert talks and events: tickets for Frankfurter Buchmesse 2026 are on sale now
Frankfurt, 24. June 2026 – From 7 to 11 October 2026 Frankfurter Buchmesse will bring the international publishing industry together. For five days, Frankfurt will become the place for rights trading, business meetings and new partnerships. This year’s Guest of Honour is Czechia. The book fair’s ticket shop is now open; everyone planning to attend the fair is invited to purchase tickets online: https://www.buchmesse.de/en/visit/tickets (opens in a new window)
Shorter distances, more focussed business meetings and more networking
The fair’s renewed hall layout is designed to enhance the experience of trade exhibitors and visitors in Frankfurt. This year, all exhibitors with a B2B focus will be located on the upper hall levels, while those focusing on attracting the fair’s public visitors will be based on the halls’ ground levels. Thus, walking distances between appointments are being shortened and a more quiet, focussed business atmosphere is being created, since the majority of business meetings will be taking place on the upper levels. The Literary Agents & Scouts Centre (LitAg) will have a new central location in Hall 4.2. New additional networking areas – one at each stage – foster new business connections. Here, exhibitors and trade visitors can meet both familiar faces and new business contacts. To the hall plan: https://www.buchmesse.de/en/visit/hall-plan(opens in a new window)
From AI to audio: professional programme with international experts
CEO talks, discussions, workshops and happy hours: The 2026 book fair offers an extensive programme for publishing professionals to expand their knowledge and connect with experts and colleagues from all over the world. One highlight is the Frankfurt Rights Meeting, which marks its 40th anniversary in 2026. The conference has been a meeting place for decision-makers in rights and licensing since 1987. In 2026 it offers digital sessions in the run-up to the fair and an exclusive networking reception on 6 October on the fairgrounds in Frankfurt. Tickets are on sale, starting at 24 €: https://www.buchmesse.de/en/rights-licenses/frankfurt-rights-meeting(opens in a new window)
The Frankfurt Kids Conference, will take place under the motto “Rewriting the Future”. The trade event will bring together the international children’s and young adult media community. Key questions will include: How can publishers produce high-quality books with limited budget? What helps them look ahead with confidence? More information:
https://www.buchmesse.de/en/highlights/professional-programme/special-topics/frankfurt-kids#55620(opens in a new window)
More details about events and speakers of the 2026 professional programme will be published in summer.
Guest of Honour Czechia: “A Country on the Coast”
The 2026 Guest of Honour’s motto “A Country on the Coast” is derived from Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale. Czechia may have no coastline on the map, but it does in literature, where languages, stories and ideas come ashore in the centre of Europe. The Guest of Honour programme aims to enhance the number of translations from the guest country and to expand the ties in the international publishing network. In addition to numerous events with 75 Czech authors travelling to Frankfurt, the Guest of Honour is planning trade events for publishing professionals. More information: https://czechia2026.com/ (opens in a new window)
Events with international authors: Jill Lepore, Yang Shuang-zi, Cornelia Funke and many more
Internationally recognised names on this year’s book fair programme include the 2026 Pulitzer Prize winner Jill Lepore, who will be speaking at the fair’s Opening Press Conference on 6 October, as well as International Booker Prize winner and nominee Yang Shuang-zi and Shida Bayzar, and bestselling author Cornelia Funke. Further names and programme details will be announced in the upcoming months.
From Friday till Sunday (9-11 October), Frankfurter Buchmesse opens for the general public. Admission on Friday starts at 10.00 am and runs until 18.30 pm. With more stages and more event slots, the fair visitors have more opportunities to experience their favourite authors live – during talks, readings and signing sessions. The exhibitors focusing on offers and events for the general public will be located on the halls’ ground levels. Dedicated areas will highlight genres such as crime and fantasy. Relax zones, photo spots and a more accessible infrastructure are designed to make the fair experience more enjoyable.
Travel and accommodation recommendations
The German railroad company Deutsche Bahn offers special prices for book fair attendees who want to travel to the fair comfortably by train in a climate-friendly way. Travelling from further afield? Lufthansa Group Airlines offer discounted fares for the journey to and from Frankfurter Buchmesse. The fares apply up to one week before and one week after #fbm26. Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Edelweiss and Discover connect around 310 destinations worldwide, with transatlantic flights via Air Canada and United. For more information and tips on travel and accommodation, please visit https://www.buchmesse.de/en/visit/arrival-accommodation(opens in a new window).
Tickets
Please note that the number of tickets available is limited. Book sales are permitted on all days of the fair, in line with Germany’s fixed book price law. New: For 9 € a children’s ticket for all 7- to 12-year-olds can be purchased. Children up to the age of 6 can still visit Frankfurter Buchmesse free of charge.
To the ticket shop: www.buchmesse.de/en/visit/tickets(opens in a new window)