Practical guide · Docks and time slots

HOW A TRUCK GETS INTO IFEMA

This isn't technical regulation or safety documentation — it's pure logistics: which dock, which time slot, and what happens if the truck is late. What really decides whether assembly starts on time or gets delayed for hours.

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Why the time slot is everything

At high-occupancy fairs, dozens of trucks try to enter through the same docks at the same hours. IFEMA allocates access in shifts: whoever doesn't have a booked slot, waits. And in a 48-hour build, waiting 3 or 4 hours in line can be the difference between finishing with margin or finishing right up against the wire.

The three things we always check

01

Assigned dock

Each hall has its own loading docks, with height and vehicle-type restrictions depending on the case.

02

Booked time slot

We confirm the exact unloading time before the truck leaves for the venue, not on arrival.

03

Backup plan with margin

We plan the journey with buffer time in case of traffic or the slot ahead of us running late.

How we manage it

  1. We confirm hall and dateWith this we know which docks are available and what restrictions apply.
  2. We book the time slotWe lock in the unloading time before assembly day, not improvising on-site.
  3. We coordinate the arrivalThe truck arrives with the material just before its slot, with no dead waiting time.

This is just the logistics side. For the safety documentation the venue requires (health & safety, insurance, accreditation), see our guide on health & safety by venue (in Spanish). And if your stand has double height or raised structures, check the specific regulations on double-height stands (in Spanish).

ABOUT ACCESS

If your question is about another venue, we can help with that too.

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Yes. At high-occupancy fairs like FITUR or Fruit Attraction, docks are allocated in shifts among all exhibitors. Arriving without a booked slot usually means waiting for hours or missing the assembly window.

It depends on the venue and the fair, but when we handle the assembly, we take care of the booking and coordinate the truck's arrival with the assigned time.

The venue may reassign you to the next available slot, which on busy days can mean losing several hours of assembly time. That's why it's worth planning the journey with margin.

Yes. Each IFEMA hall has its own docks and access points, and some have height or vehicle-type restrictions. We always confirm this before assembly day.

Assembly at IFEMA coming up?

WE'LL BOOK THE DOCK

Tell us the hall and dates and we'll handle the time slot booking and access coordination.

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