Locate your arrival on the map
Deutsche Messe's official travel information distinguishes the approach to Messe/Nord from the Messe/Laatzen area on the western side, among other routes. Avoid writing only Hannover exhibition grounds in your itinerary. Record where your chosen connection ends and which entrance open for the event can be reached from there. Only then can you judge whether the connection suits the hall where your first appointment takes place.
Include the route inside
Arriving early at the grounds does not mean you are already at the stand. Find the hall on the current event plan and trace the route from the intended entrance. Allow for registration and for leaving a coat or bag if needed. When your first appointment has a fixed start, tell the other person when you expect to reach the stand rather than giving them the arrival time of your train.
Compare two usable options
Compare transfers, luggage and the subsequent walk as well as journey times. A slightly longer ride may be more comfortable if it involves fewer changes with a heavy suitcase. Alternatively, another entrance may suit your first hall better. Make that decision using the actual day's programme. Do not assume that a previous exhibition used the same entrances or transport arrangements, even if it occupied a similar part of the venue.
Start the return plan at your final appointment
Mark the hall of your last conversation too. A different exit may make sense from there. Check the current connection before leaving and follow the signposted visitor route. If several people are meeting for the journey back, choose a point on the same side of the grounds. One person should not already be waiting at the station while the others are still heading towards an exit they mistakenly assumed everyone would use.
