GISEC Global 2027 transport guide: getting to the cybersecurity show at Dubai Exhibition Centre

GISEC Global 2027, the Middle East and Africa’s big cybersecurity show, runs 4–6 May 2027 at Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) in Expo City Dubai. The organiser recommends the Red Line metro to Expo 2020 station. By car, expect paid parking in DEC’s zones. Arabian Travel Market runs at DWTC the same week, so book cars early.

GISEC used to be a Trade Centre show. It moved to Expo City for 2026, and anyone working from old notes will head to the wrong end of Dubai. We plan exhibition and conference transport for vendor teams and visiting security leaders; this is our guide to GISEC week at the new venue.

Where will GISEC Global 2027 be held?

At Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City Dubai, says the organiser, GISEC Global. It’s the second edition there.

Edition	Dates	Venue
GISEC Global 2026	16–18 September 2026 (held; moved from May)	Dubai Exhibition Centre, South Halls
GISEC Global 2027	4–6 May 2027	Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City
GISEC Global 2028	Not announced yet; May is the usual slot (both the original 2026 dates and 2027 fall in May)	Not announced

The 2026 edition was first listed for 5–7 May 2026 and was pushed to September, the same year several May shows moved. Daily opening hours and the 2027 hall plan hadn’t been published when we wrote this. Check your pass email before you fix pickup times.

GISEC stands for Gulf Information Security Expo & Conference. Dubai Exhibition Centre lists the audience as trade and public, and the organiser offers a free pass alongside a paid all-access pass for the conference programme.

Metro or car to GISEC?

The organiser’s plan your visit page calls the metro its recommended mode of transport. It’s right for a lot of visitors. It isn’t right for everyone.

Option	How it works	Cost	Choose it if
Dubai Metro	Red Line to Expo 2020 station, which connects to DEC; trains every 3–4 minutes	From AED 3	You’re solo, staying near the Red Line, with no meetings off-site
Careem	App booking to the DEC drop-off	Metered; the 2026 edition had a 15% visitor discount	One-off visits
Self-drive	Park in DEC zones P1–P5, shuttle to the halls	Paid: AED 10 for the first hour and AED 5 for each extra hour in 2026	You know the roads and don’t mind the shuttle
Chauffeur	Hotel to the show drop-off, car holds nearby	Fixed transfer or hourly hire	You have meetings at both ends of the city

Two notes on the metro. Only Red Line trains signed for Expo 2020 go to Expo City; trains signed Life Pharmacy don’t. And the station is busiest in the half hour after the halls close, which is exactly when you want to leave.

On parking: Expo City’s public areas advertise free parking, but GISEC charged for DEC zones P1 to P5 in 2026, at the rates above. Show organisers set this per event, so treat the 2027 tariff as unconfirmed until GISEC publishes it.

From the car to the halls at Dubai Exhibition Centre

DEC is long and linear. The Dubai Exhibition Centre venue guide describes the Arrivals Plaza as the main plaza and entrance to the North and South Halls, with more than 2,300 visitor bays served by scheduled shuttle buses to the plaza. In 2026 GISEC filled the South Halls.

Here’s how a chauffeured day works:

1. Drop-off. The car stops at the drop-off signed for GISEC near the Arrivals Plaza. You’re inside in a few minutes.
2. Holding. Drop-off lanes are stopping-only. The chauffeur moves to the visitor parking or a marshalled holding area and keeps his phone on.
3. Midday. If you have a lunch off-site, message 15 minutes ahead and he returns to the same point.
4. Exit. Agree a named pickup point in the morning. At closing, metro, taxis and private cars all load at once, and a car already in position saves the queue.

For the approach roads and car park zones in more detail, read our Expo City Dubai guide.

GISEC and Arabian Travel Market in the same week

GISEC (4–6 May, DEC) overlaps with Arabian Travel Market (3–6 May, DWTC). They share few visitors, but they share the roads, the drivers and the hotels.

• Dubai Marina, JLT and Jebel Ali are the practical bases for GISEC. Downtown and DIFC hotels suit ATM and put you on the long run south each morning.
• The evening peak hits both. GISEC closing time sends traffic north towards the city just as DWTC empties onto Sheikh Zayed Road, so a dinner in DIFC or Downtown after GISEC needs a later booking or an early exit from Expo City.

If your company has people at both, our Arabian Travel Market transport guide covers the DWTC drop-off points. A week later, Middle East Energy runs 11–13 May in the same DEC halls; see our Dubai events calendar for the full season.

Planning cars for a cybersecurity team

A vendor team at GISEC is rarely one group. Stand staff, executives, engineers on training courses and visiting guests all keep different hours, and each needs its own car plan.

• Stand staff: fixed morning and evening transfers. Up to six people with demo kit fit one V-Class with chauffeur.
• Executives: a business sedan on hourly hire (three-hour minimum) for meetings in DIFC or Business Bay between sessions.
• Engineers on training or competitions: the SANS courses and hacking competitions run on their own schedules, so book their pickups separately from the stand team’s.
• Visiting CISOs and government guests: a first-class sedan with a named pickup point, booked for the whole day so they never wait at the plaza.

For multi-day bookings during show weeks, our Expo City transport page explains how we run them.

Frequently asked questions

Where will GISEC Global 2026 be held?

GISEC Global 2026 was held at Dubai Exhibition Centre in Expo City Dubai, in the South Halls, from 16 to 18 September 2026. It had first been planned for May. It was the show’s first edition at Expo City; GISEC Global 2027 returns to the same venue on 4–6 May 2027.

What does GISEC stand for?

GISEC stands for Gulf Information Security Expo & Conference. Now branded GISEC Global, it’s a cybersecurity exhibition and conference with more than 750 cyber brands, held at Dubai Exhibition Centre in Expo City Dubai. The 2027 edition runs 4–6 May.

Is GISEC free to attend?

The organiser offers a free pass for the exhibition and a paid all-access pass that adds the conference programme. Register online before the show. Dubai Exhibition Centre lists the event’s audience as trade and public.

How do I get to GISEC by metro?

Take the Dubai Metro Red Line to Expo 2020 station, which connects directly to Dubai Exhibition Centre. Make sure your train is signed for Expo 2020; Life Pharmacy trains don’t go to Expo City. The organiser recommends the metro as the main way to reach the show.

Is parking free at GISEC?

It wasn’t in 2026. GISEC’s visitor page listed paid parking in DEC zones P1 to P5, at AED 10 for the first hour and AED 5 for each additional hour. Check the 2027 visitor information before the show, or use a drop-off and skip parking altogether.