WHX Dubai 2027 transport guide: getting to World Health Expo at DEC and DWTC

WHX Dubai 2027 (World Health Expo, formerly Arab Health) runs 25–28 January 2027 across two venues: Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) at Expo City Dubai and Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) on Sheikh Zayed Road. Both are on the Red Line, and a free shuttle links them every show day. Plan cars per venue, not per company.

That split is the whole transport problem. Labs and pharma are at DWTC; imaging, hospital equipment and the international pavilions are at DEC. We run exhibition and conference transport for medical delegations, and this is how we’d plan WHX week: who goes where, how to cross between the venues, and where your car waits while you’re inside.

When and where is WHX Dubai 2027?

The organiser, World Health Expo, lists 25–28 January 2027 at Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City, and Dubai World Trade Centre. These are the opening hours from the WHX Dubai FAQ:

Day	Date	Hours
Monday	25 January 2027	11:00–18:00
Tuesday	26 January 2027	10:00–18:00
Wednesday	27 January 2027	10:00–18:00
Thursday	28 January 2027	10:00–17:00

Advantage and Platinum ticket holders get in one hour earlier each day. That matters more than it sounds. A team on mixed tickets arrives in two waves, and the early-entry group needs its own pickup time.

Edition	Dates	Venues
WHX Dubai 2026	9–12 February 2026 (held)	Dubai Exhibition Centre and DWTC
WHX Dubai 2027	25–28 January 2027	Dubai Exhibition Centre and DWTC
WHX Dubai 2028	Not announced yet; recent editions ran in late January or February	Not announced

WHX sits inside what the organiser calls World Healthcare Week. WHX Tech runs 26–28 January in Sheikh Rashid Hall at DWTC, and the invitation-only WHX Leaders meets on 26 January in Al Multaqua Hall, also at DWTC. Badges are digital only, inside the WHX Events App, so make sure everyone has it installed before the first morning pickup.

Is WHX Dubai the same as Arab Health?

Yes. The organiser describes WHX in Dubai as “the evolution of Arab Health”, the healthcare show that ran for more than 50 years. The new name, announced in 2025, puts Informa’s healthcare events worldwide under one World Health Expo brand.

If your company’s travel notes still say “Arab Health, Trade Centre”, update them. Since 2026 the show has spread across two venues at opposite ends of the city’s exhibition map, one on Sheikh Zayed Road and one in Dubai South, and the zone you need decides which one you go to.

Which WHX zones are at DEC and which are at DWTC?

The organiser’s venue split for 2027:

	Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City	Dubai World Trade Centre
Zones	International Halls, Medical Equipment & Devices, General Services & IT Systems, Imaging & Diagnostics, Orthopaedic & Rehabilitation, Infrastructure	Labs, Longevity & Wellness, Pharma & Biotech, Medical Equipment & Devices, Disposables & Consumables
Stages	Visionary Stage, Care Delivery Stage, Radiology Stage	Labs Stage 1 and 2, Healthspan Stage
Organiser says it’s best for	Healthcare providers, hospital leaders, clinical specialists, medtech buyers	Lab professionals, pharma, biotech, wellness
Also on site		WHX Tech, WHX Leaders

Medical Equipment & Devices appears in both columns. That’s the trap: a medtech buyer can end up with meetings at both venues on the same day.

How do you get to WHX Dubai: metro, taxi or car?

Option	To DEC (Expo City)	To DWTC	What to know
Dubai Metro	Red Line to Expo 2020 station	Red Line to World Trade Centre station	Fares from AED 3; only Expo 2020 trains reach Expo City
Taxi from DXB	About 30 minutes	About 15 minutes	Organiser’s estimates
Careem or Uber	Available 24/7	Available 24/7	Long queues at closing time
Chauffeur	Drop at the show’s drop-off by the Arrivals Plaza	Drop at the gate for your hall	Car holds nearby and returns on call
Own car	Paid parking	Paid parking	The WHX FAQ says parking is paid at both venues

The Red Line splits in two, and only trains signed for Expo 2020 go to Expo City. A train signed Life Pharmacy takes you elsewhere. At DWTC the station is DWTC’s own, a short walk from the halls.

Don’t plan around Expo City’s usual free parking. For WHX, the organiser says parking is paid at both venues. DEC has more than 2,300 visitor bays, according to the Dubai Exhibition Centre venue guide, with scheduled shuttle buses from the car parks to the Arrivals Plaza.

Getting between DEC and DWTC

The WHX FAQ says a complimentary shuttle runs between the two venues on every show day. Use it if you cross once and your timing is flexible. Book a car if you have a fixed meeting on the other side: the shuttle runs to its timetable, not yours.

Our rule for clients is one crossing a day, mid-morning or mid-afternoon. Crossing at lunch puts you in the same move as everyone else, and crossing near closing time lands you in the evening peak on Sheikh Zayed Road.

Drop-off and pickup at each venue

At DEC, the Arrivals Plaza is the main entrance to the North and South Halls. Your chauffeur drops you at the drop-off area signed for WHX, then moves to the visitor parking or a marshalled holding area. Our Expo City guide covers the approach and the car parks.

At DWTC, “Trade Centre” isn’t a precise enough destination. WHX Tech is in Sheikh Rashid Hall, by Exhibition Gate, while the WHX zones are spread across other DWTC halls. Give the driver the hall from your badge or meeting invite. Our DWTC parking guide maps each hall to its gate and car park.

For pickups, message 15 minutes before you walk out. For the 18:00 close, agree a named pickup point in the morning so the car is in position before the halls empty.

What else is on in WHX week?

DWTC won’t be quiet. World of Coffee Dubai runs 26–28 January in the Za’abeel Halls on the western side of the complex, so expect two crowds arriving at once on Tuesday morning. Two other timings to plan around:

• Monday 25 January opens at 11:00. Arrivals land after the morning rush, so a 10:00 hotel pickup is usually enough from DIFC or Downtown for DWTC.
• Thursday 28 January closes at 17:00. Exhibitors break down stands that evening, and the loading areas fill with trucks.

Gulfood returns to the same two venues on 15–19 March 2027, and our Gulfood transport guide uses the same two-venue plan. Everything else in the season is in our Dubai events calendar.

How to plan cars for a WHX delegation

1. Sort people by venue. Use the zone table above. Pharma, labs and wellness people go to DWTC; hospital, imaging and equipment buyers mostly go to DEC.
2. Choose hotels by venue. For a DEC-heavy team, Dubai Marina, JLT and Jebel Ali shorten the morning run. For DWTC, stay in DIFC, Downtown or Business Bay.
3. Match cars to groups. Up to three people per business sedan. Up to six fit a V-Class with chauffeur, which keeps a team arriving together.
4. Keep one car flexible. On hourly hire (minimum three hours), one car can handle the cross-venue meetings while the others run fixed morning and evening transfers.
5. Plan the airport leg. DWTC is about 15 minutes from DXB by taxi, DEC about 30, according to the organiser. If you fly out on Thursday evening, leave from the venue nearer your airport.

Frequently asked questions

When is WHX Dubai 2027?

WHX Dubai 2027 runs 25–28 January 2027. Hours are 11:00–18:00 on Monday 25 January, 10:00–18:00 on Tuesday and Wednesday, and 10:00–17:00 on Thursday 28 January. Advantage and Platinum ticket holders can enter one hour earlier each day, according to the organiser.

Is Arab Health now called WHX?

Yes. World Health Expo (WHX) Dubai is the new name for Arab Health, which ran for more than 50 years. The organiser, Informa, brought its healthcare events under the World Health Expo brand. The show now spans Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City and Dubai World Trade Centre.

Is there a shuttle between DEC and DWTC at WHX?

Yes. The WHX FAQ says a complimentary shuttle runs between the two venues on every show day. It suits one flexible crossing. For a meeting at a fixed time on the other side, book a car or allow plenty of margin for the shuttle’s timetable.

Is parking free at WHX Dubai?

No. The organiser says paid parking is available at both venues. Dubai Exhibition Centre has more than 2,300 visitor bays with shuttle buses to the Arrivals Plaza, and DWTC has paid multi-storey car parks. A chauffeur drop avoids parking at either venue.

Which metro station is closest to WHX Dubai?

It depends on the venue. Use Expo 2020 station on the Red Line for Dubai Exhibition Centre, and make sure your train is signed for Expo 2020. Use World Trade Centre station, also on the Red Line, for the DWTC halls. Fares start at AED 3.