Everything you need to know about Expo City Dubai


Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Building on the momentum of Dubai Expo 2020 and representing the vision of the UAE, Expo City Dubai aims to be a center of growth and innovation packed with educational, cultural, and entertainment offerings.

Dubai Expo 2020/ Image credit: Aleksey Smagin/Unsplash

Expo City Dubai is based on the belief that making a greener world is not fantasy, and an inclusive coalition can contribute to a future that is sustainable, clean, and resilient. Featuring a futuristic design, this smart city showcases a tech-focused way of living with green areas, residential units, co-working spaces, and more.

About Dubai Expo 2020

In 2020 Dubai hosted a World Expo. The city welcomed the world from October 2021 to March 2022 across 192 pavilions representing different countries.

Over 24 million visitors wandered through the breathtaking architecture, taking in groundbreaking technological advances and immersive journeys. This mega-fair provided a glimpse into the future. Aside from enjoying various live performances and learning about different cultures, visitors had the opportunity to envision how coming together and working toward a common goal can contribute to the creation of better futures.

What and where is Expo City Dubai?

As part of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, which outlines a comprehensive strategy for sustainable urban development, the site retains 80 percent of the original Expo’s infrastructure and 20% new buildings. Expo City Dubai officially opened in October 2022. The pavilions that are currently open and attracting visitors include:

  • Alif: the Mobility Pavilion, which showcases how mobility has driven human progress throughout history.
  • Terra: the Sustainability Pavilion, which promotes sustainable practices in construction, architecture, and design.
  • The UAE pavilion: the falcon-inspired pavilion features a multi-sensory visitor experience that tells the story of the UAE from its origins all the way to its transformation into one nation.
  • The Saudi Arabia pavilion: with its spectacular design and use of top-notch digital technology, the award-winning pavilion guides the visitor through the country’s natural wonders, culture, art, and scientific achievements.
  • The Women’s Pavilion: this is where visitors can learn more about female change-makers.
  • Vision Pavilion: this pavilion is a tribute to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai. The pavilion explores his personal story and celebrates Emirati culture.
  • Al Wasl Plaza: the spirit of coming together takes shape in Al Wasl Plaza. Meaning ‘connection’ in Arabic, this stunning dome tall enough to house the Leaning Tower of Pisa is designed as a focal meeting point of the area and becomes a 360-degree projection screen at night.

The Opportunity Pavilion will at some point become the Dubai Expo 2020 Museum and will offer visitors a chance to learn more about this event which took place from October 2021 to March 2022. Other pavilions that will be revamped include Australia, Egypt, India, Luxembourg, Morocco and Pakistan.

Dubai Expo 2020 Women’s Pavilion. Image credit: Saher Suthriwala/Unsplash

Additionally, the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) will be located here, which will host a variety of summits, events, and conferences.

What else will Expo City Dubai offer in the future?

Expo City Dubai seeks to personify sustainable urban planning by placing sustainability and green tech at its core. Aside from having 123 LEED-certified buildings, the area will be car-free by 2023, offering visitors other transportation modes like buggies, scooters, and bikes.

Expo City Dubai maintains its eco-friendly nature by not using single-use plastics and encourages people to go with greener alternatives.

It also preserves the innovative urban development initiatives of Expo 2020, including the world’s most extensive installation of MindSphere, Siemens’ cloud-based technology platform for monitoring energy consumption and efficiency of water, light, power, and climate conditioning systems.

As a global destination for events supporting the UAE’s growth and diversification, Expo City Dubai will host the UN Climate Change Conference 2023 (COP 28), which brings together global leaders and experts to identify solutions that will help us overcome environmental challenges and seize opportunities for a sustainable future.

Ultimate future of Expo City Dubai

Expo City Dubai ultimately will be a place to live, work, and play. It is part of Dubai’s Free Zone, which allows foreign investors to have full ownership of their properties. There will be a 10km bike track, a 5km running track, and vast amounts of green space. Commercially, it aims to offer businesses an ecosystem driven by green technology, with several start-ups and SMEs keen to establish themselves there. The area will soon welcome DP World, Siemens, and Terminus.

There are also plans to develop residential communities and leisure hubs. Currently, Rove Expo 2020 is the only full-service hotel on the site, which is surrounded by futuristic attractions. Expo City Dubai is set to be the largest area in the world to be fully covered by 5G technology.

How to get to Expo City Dubai?

Considering the site’s distance from the city center, booking a reliable Blacklane limousine service will be the best option for you as well as the environment. Since 2017, all of our rides have been automatically carbon-offset and now we’re working on offsetting all of our carbon emissions back to our founding in 2011. Plus, electric vehicles are incorporated into our offerings. 

Expo City Dubai is accessible through Dubai Metro as well. The entrance to Expo City Dubai is free. However, visitors will need to pay for the different pavilions and individual attractions.