IITF 2026 Delhi Trade Fair: Dates, Tickets, Gates and Metro
Updated 2026-10-04 · 7 min read · by the delhi2go team
IITF 2026, the 45th India International Trade Fair, runs from Friday 13 to Friday 27 November 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan. The nearest metro is Supreme Court on the Blue Line. ITPO hadn’t announced 2026 ticket prices or the business/public-day split by early October. In 2025, the first five days were for business visitors, and public tickets cost ₹80 on weekdays and ₹150 on weekends.
IITF 2026 at a glance
| Detail | IITF 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Edition | 45th | Organised by ITPO |
| Dates | 13–27 November 2026 | Confirmed |
| Venue | Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan | Confirmed |
| Theme | “Vikas aur Virasat” (Development and Heritage) | Confirmed |
| Business days | Not yet announced | 2025: first five days |
| Public days | Not yet announced | 2025: from day six onwards |
| Timings | Expected 10 am – 7:30 pm | 2025: entry closed at 5:30 pm |
| Nearest metro | Supreme Court (Blue Line) | Formerly Pragati Maidan station |
One change this year: the fair opens on 13 November, not on 14 November (Children’s Day and Nehru’s birthday), the date it had opened on since its launch in 1979. The Tribune called it the end of a 46-year tradition. The 2026 theme, “Vikas aur Virasat”, puts India’s traditional crafts and regional industries alongside modern manufacturing, MSMEs and startups.
Business days vs public days
The trade fair always starts with a few business days, meant for traders, buyers and exhibitors, with pricier tickets and thinner crowds. After that come the general public days, which are cheaper and much busier.
- 2025 pattern: business days ran from 14 to 18 November, and public days from 19 to 27 November.
- 2026: if ITPO keeps the same five-day pattern, business days would run from 13 to 17 November and public days from 18 to 27 November. This is our projection, not an announcement. We’ll update this page when ITPO publishes the schedule.
Go on a business day if you want to see the pavilions properly, talk to exhibitors, or visit with elderly parents without the crush. Go on a public weekday for the best price-to-crowd ratio. Weekends and the Guru Nanak Jayanti holiday (Tuesday, 24 November) will be the busiest.
IITF ticket prices
The 2026 prices hadn’t been published in early October. For reference, here’s what ITPO charged in 2025. Use it as a rough guide for budgeting until the 2026 rates are out.
| Ticket (2025 prices) | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| Business days | ₹500 | ₹200 |
| Public days, Monday–Friday | ₹80 | ₹40 |
| Public days, weekends and holidays | ₹150 | ₹60 |
| Senior citizens and persons with disabilities | Free | — |
Where to buy tickets
In 2025, tickets were sold:
- Online at ITPO’s official IITF website (indiatradefair.com). You register with your mobile number and an OTP, pick your date and pay. Buy from the official site only, as fake “trade fair ticket” links do the rounds every November.
- At 55 Delhi Metro stations. Supreme Court station itself was not one of them, so don’t plan to buy at the venue’s own station.
- Through DMRC’s Delhi Metro Saarthi app.
Buy before you leave home, because ticket queues at the stations nearest the venue get long on weekends. Expect a similar set-up for 2026, but check the official site once sales open.
Getting there
By metro (recommended)
- Supreme Court (Blue Line) is the closest station, right by Bharat Mandapam. It gets extremely crowded at closing time.
- Indraprastha (Blue Line) is one stop away and a good alternative for the walk back if Supreme Court station is jammed.
- From South Delhi, take the Violet Line to Mandi House and change to the Blue Line for the one stop to Supreme Court.
From Noida, Gurgaon and Dwarka
- From Noida and Dwarka: Supreme Court station is on the main Blue Line, so you can ride straight through without changing.
- From Gurgaon: take the Yellow Line to Rajiv Chowk, then the Blue Line towards Noida or Vaishali for three stops to Supreme Court.
- From North Delhi: take the Yellow Line to Rajiv Chowk and change to the Blue Line in the same way.
On weekends, the Blue Line platforms at Rajiv Chowk and Mandi House get very crowded in the late afternoon with fairgoers heading home. Travel against the rush by arriving early and leaving either before 4 pm or after the evening peak.
Entry gates
In 2025, visitors entered through Gates 3 and 4 on Bhairon Road and Gates 6 and 10 on Mathura Road. Gate assignments can change each year, so check your ticket or the ITPO site before you set off, and screenshot the venue map.
By road
Delhi Traffic Police usually advises visitors to avoid Mathura Road, Bhairon Marg, Ring Road, Shershah Road and Purana Qila Road for the whole fair, as all of them jam badly. If you drive, Bharat Mandapam has paid parking, but expect queues to get in and out on weekends.
What to see at IITF
The trade fair is a giant, walkable map of India:
- State and UT pavilions: crafts, handlooms, food products and tourism displays from almost every state. This is where you buy the Kashmiri shawls, Assam tea, Rajasthani blue pottery and pickles your family will ask about.
- Ministries and PSUs: often interactive, with railways, defence, space and other displays that are surprisingly good for kids.
- International pavilions: foreign exhibitors selling everything from carpets to cookware.
- MSME and startup halls: new consumer brands and gadgets, often at launch discounts.
- Food courts: regional snacks and state cuisines. Lunch here is part of the plan.
Bharat Mandapam’s halls are large and spread out. Pick the five or six pavilions you care about, find them on the venue map, and plan a loop instead of wandering.
A sample day plan
| Time | What to do |
|---|---|
| 10:00 am | Enter as gates open; head straight to the pavilion you care about most |
| 10:30 am – 1:00 pm | State pavilions, while the halls are still comfortable |
| 1:00 – 2:00 pm | Lunch at the food courts; regional thalis and snacks |
| 2:00 – 4:30 pm | Ministries, international and startup halls; buy anything you’ve been eyeing |
| 4:30 – 5:30 pm | A second look at the shortlisted stalls; entry closed at 5:30 pm in 2025 |
| Before 7 pm | Leave via the less crowded gate, or walk to Indraprastha station |
IITF with kids and elderly parents
- Kids tend to love the ministry and PSU pavilions, which often have models, simulators and interactive screens. The food courts are a hit too. Hold hands in the crowded halls, and keep snacks for the queue.
- Older family members were admitted free on general days in 2025. It’s still best to go on a weekday, and to plan rest stops, since seating inside the halls is limited and distances between halls are long.
- Strollers are manageable on weekdays but hard work in weekend crowds.
Tips for a good day at the trade fair
- Arrive at opening time. The first two hours are the calmest, and entry closes well before the halls do (5:30 pm in 2025).
- Wear proper walking shoes. You’ll easily cover several kilometres.
- Carry a refillable water bottle and a small snack for kids, plus a tote bag for purchases.
- Keep cash and UPI both ready. Some state stalls prefer cash, and networks get patchy inside crowded halls.
- Don’t fall for “trade fair prices” on everything. Some stalls are bargains, others are just mall prices with a banner. Compare across pavilions before you buy anything big.
- Check the air quality. Mid-November is often Delhi’s worst pollution stretch. On “severe” days, keep N95 masks for the outdoor walks between halls. Our indoor things to do guide explains how to check AQI.
- Leave before 7 pm, or wait it out. The rush at Supreme Court station at closing time is intense. Walk to Indraprastha, or have dinner nearby and go later.
- With kids: agree on a meeting point at each hall entrance, and put a note with your phone number in their pocket.
Make a day of it nearby
Pragati Maidan sits next to some of Delhi’s best family stops:
- National Science Centre (Bhairon Road): eight floors of hands-on science, open daily except Holi and Diwali, according to Delhi Tourism
- Crafts Museum (Bhairon Road): galleries open 10 am to 5 pm and closed on Mondays. The crafts demonstration area is a calm break from the fair.
- Purana Qila and Sunder Nursery, a short ride away, for an afternoon walk in the winter sun
For more about the venue itself, including other events at Bharat Mandapam this season, see our Bharat Mandapam events guide. For live listings during the fair, use our IITF trade fair hub and the expo listings. Our November 2026 guide has everything else on that month.
Frequently asked questions
What are the dates of IITF 2026?
The 45th India International Trade Fair runs from 13 to 27 November 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan. It opens a day earlier than the 14 November start the fair has kept for decades.
When does IITF 2026 open to the general public?
ITPO had not published the 2026 split of business and public days as of early October. In 2025, the first five days were business days and the fair opened to the public from 19 November. If the same pattern holds, public days would start around 18 November 2026.
How much is the IITF ticket?
2026 prices hadn't been announced in early October. In 2025, adult tickets cost ₹500 on business days, ₹80 on public weekdays and ₹150 on weekends and holidays. Children's tickets cost ₹200, ₹40 and ₹60, and senior citizens and persons with disabilities got free entry.
Which metro station is nearest to the trade fair?
Supreme Court station on the Blue Line, formerly called Pragati Maidan, is the closest. In 2025 trade fair tickets were not sold at Supreme Court station itself, so buy online or at another metro station.
What are the IITF timings?
In 2025 the fair was open from 10 am to 7:30 pm, with entry closing at 5:30 pm. Expect similar timings for 2026.
