How to get to Expo City Dubai: car, metro, bus and Dubai Exhibition Centre

To get to Expo City Dubai, take the Red Line metro to Expo 2020 station, which sits in the heart of the site, or drive to Expo Road (E77) off Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road (E311) and park free. Expo City Dubai puts the drive at around 30 minutes from Downtown and 15 minutes from Al Maktoum International Airport. An RTA bus stop sits outside the metro station.

Expo City is now Dubai’s second exhibition hub as well as a neighbourhood and visitor destination, so the right route depends on what you’re going for. We run Expo City transport for exhibitors, delegates and visitors, and this guide covers every option, with the extra detail you need for Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) show days.

Where is Expo City Dubai?

Expo City Dubai is the former Expo 2020 site in Dubai South, close to Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) and on the Abu Dhabi side of Dubai. According to Expo City Dubai’s getting here page, it’s on Expo Road (E77), which connects to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road (E311) and Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street (D54).

Dubai Exhibition Centre, the venue for GITEX, Gulfood and World Health Expo, is inside Expo City. So is the Expo 2020 metro station.

How do you get to Expo City Dubai?

Option	Route	Time	Cost and effort	Best for
Car or chauffeur	Expo Road (E77) via E311 or D54	Around 30 min from Downtown, 15 min from DWC (Expo City’s figures)	Free parking; chauffeur drops at the door	Business visitors, families, groups
Dubai Metro	Red Line to Expo 2020 station	Longest from Deira and Downtown	Cheapest; station is inside the site	Solo visitors on the Red Line
RTA bus	Bus stop outside Expo 2020 metro station	Depends on route	Low cost	Residents on direct routes
Taxi or ride-hailing	App booking to your venue	As car	Metered fare; surge at event closing times	One-way trips

By metro: Red Line to Expo 2020

The Red Line runs on two branches. Trains towards Expo 2020 serve The Gardens, Discovery Gardens, Al Furjan, Jumeirah Golf Estates and Dubai Investment Park before reaching Expo 2020 station, the end of the branch built as Route 2020. Trains towards Life Pharmacy don’t go to Expo City, so check the destination on the platform screen.

DEC says trains reach Expo 2020 every 3–4 minutes and the station connects directly to the exhibition centre. RTA’s standard metro hours are:

Day	Metro hours
Monday to Thursday	5am to midnight
Friday	5am to 1am
Saturday	5am to midnight
Sunday	8am to midnight

During the big January 2026 shows, RTA added trains to the Expo 2020 route and ran park-and-ride from e&, Centrepoint, National Paints and Al Kifaf metro stations. Check RTA announcements for show weeks.

By car: parking at Expo City

Expo City Dubai says parking is free for all visitors, with dedicated spaces for people of determination close to the main entrances. Follow signs to the nearest car park for your destination.

For Dubai Exhibition Centre, the venue lists more than 2,300 visitor bays in five zones, P1 to P5, with scheduled shuttle buses to the Arrivals Plaza. On big show days, individual organisers can run their own parking arrangements; World Health Expo’s FAQ, for example, describes limited paid parking at DEC. Always check your event’s visitor page.

Dubai Exhibition Centre: entrances, halls and drop-off

DEC’s venue guide describes the Arrivals Plaza as the main plaza and entrance to the North and South Halls. That’s where most visitors enter, whether they come from the metro, the car park shuttles or a drop-off.

Area	What it is	How to reach it
Arrivals Plaza	Main entrance to the North and South Halls	Walk from Expo 2020 station, shuttle from P1–P5, or drop-off
North Halls	Hall numbers starting with N (for GITEX 2026: N21–N39 plus Pavilions N1 and N2)	Via Arrivals Plaza
South Halls	Hall numbers starting with S (for GITEX 2026: S1–S19 plus Pavilions S1 and S2)	Via Arrivals Plaza
Visitor parking P1–P5	2,300+ bays	Shuttle to Arrivals Plaza

DEC is mid-expansion. Phase 1 finished in early 2026, and Phase 2 continues while the venue stays open, with plans for a new Eastern Access Road and multi-storey parking with around 7,000 spaces. Drop-off lanes and signage can move between shows, so we check the layout at the start of each event.

Where chauffeurs drop off and wait

1. Drop-off: your car uses the drop-off area signed for your show near the Arrivals Plaza.
2. Waiting: drop-off lanes are for stopping only, so your chauffeur parks in the visitor car parks or a marshalled holding area.
3. Pickup: message 15 minutes before you leave. For evening pickups, we set a named meeting point in the morning.

Traffic windows to avoid at Expo City

• The 30 minutes before a big show opens. Car parks, shuttles and drop-off lanes all load at once.
• The first hour after closing. Metro platforms, taxi queues and the E77 exits peak together.
• Weekday evening peak back into the city. Leaving Expo City at 6pm puts you on the main roads with commuters.
• Weeks with shows at both DEC and DWTC. Cars that shuttle between the two lose time twice.

Planning Expo City transport for a show

Most of the big shows at Expo City now run four or five days, and the distance from central hotels is the main planning issue.

1. Stay closer if you can. Dubai Marina, JLT and the Jebel Ali area are nearer than Downtown or Deira.
2. Book mornings and evenings together. Closing time is when cars are hardest to find at Expo City.
3. Match cars to people. Sedans for one to three people; a V-Class or large SUV for up to six.
4. Plan airport runs. Expo City is close to DWC, and our Al Maktoum Airport transfer guide covers that side. DXB is on the far side of the city, so leave more time for evening flights.

For the shows themselves, see our GITEX 2026 transport guide and the Dubai Airshow guide for the Airshow site next door. The full list of what’s on is in our Dubai events calendar.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Expo City Dubai by metro?

Take the Dubai Metro Red Line to Expo 2020 station. Make sure your train is heading to Expo 2020, not Life Pharmacy, because the Red Line splits into two branches. The station sits in the heart of Expo City and connects directly to Dubai Exhibition Centre.

Is parking free at Expo City Dubai?

Expo City Dubai says parking is free for all visitors, with dedicated bays for people of determination near the main entrances. Dubai Exhibition Centre lists more than 2,300 visitor bays in zones P1 to P5. Some show organisers run their own paid parking at DEC, so check your event page.

Is entry to Expo City Dubai free?

Expo City’s public areas, parks and walkways are free to visit, and the site promotes free family activities. Some attractions and events are ticketed, and trade shows at Dubai Exhibition Centre need a badge or ticket from the organiser.

How long does it take to get to Expo City from Downtown Dubai?

Expo City Dubai puts the drive at around 30 minutes from Downtown and around 15 minutes from Al Maktoum International Airport. Allow more time during show opening and closing times, and on weekday evenings heading back into the city.

How do I get to Dubai Exhibition Centre?

Dubai Exhibition Centre is inside Expo City. By metro, take the Red Line to Expo 2020 station, which connects to the venue. By car, use Expo Road (E77), park in zones P1 to P5 and take the shuttle to the Arrivals Plaza, or be dropped at the show’s drop-off area.