Planning to attend Expo 2020? We’ll tell you what to see, what to do, and how to get a free ticket to the world’s biggest show.
The whole world is frozen in anticipation of Expo 2020 Dubai. The massive exhibition that will showcase mankind’s best scientific and technological achievements will take place in Dubai between October 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022.
Read more about Expo 2020
Expo 2020 Dubai is an exhibition with a long history. The first World’s Fair was held in 1851 in London, and since then, every such event has been dedicated to finding solutions to humanity’s current problems. In addition, the events serve as a platform for the exchange of knowledge and for the organization of international cooperation in various fields.
Expo 2020 Dubai is, for many reasons, one of the most important in the history of world expositions. Not only because this event will be held for the first time in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region, but also because it is the first event of such grand scale and significance for the whole world to be held since the beginning of the pandemic. In July 2020. Dubai was one of the first to open its borders to tourists. To ensure the well-being of residents and visitors from other countries, the emirate authorities have implemented stringent security protocols. For more information, read the Coronavirus Pandemic Guidelines for Tourists (COVID-19).
Expo 2020 Dubai’s main slogan is “Connecting Ideas, Creating the Future.” The event will provide a platform to discuss new ideas while the thematic zones of Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability are designed to inspire visitors to be more environmentally friendly in order to build a better future.
Best of the Best
Expo 2020 Dubai will last for 182 days. The event features a rich cultural and entertainment program.
Each of the 190 participating countries will present its own pavilion. The internal expositions will focus on the history and achievements of these countries in recent years. For example, the pavilion of the UAE, designed by architect Santiago Calatrava, resembles the wings of a falcon – the national symbol of the country.
The design of the Swedish pavilion harmoniously combines the aesthetics of a Scandinavian forest and Arabic geometric shapes. The Australian pavilion tells and shows fascinating stories of life in the “country in reverse. In the Poland pavilion flocks of interactive migratory birds fly over the heads of visitors. These are just a small part of the attractions waiting for visitors to Expo2020!
Find out more about each exhibiting country’s pavilion on the official Expo 2020 website.
Where to eat at Expo 2020 Dubai
Expo 2020 Dubai will be an unprecedented national food festival. There will be more than 200 restaurants on the exhibition grounds. Visitors will be offered a wide variety of dishes for every taste from street food to gastronomic delights of famous chefs.
African cuisine at the exhibition is supervised by restaurateur Alexander Smalls. At his food hall “Alkebulan” you can taste dishes from all over Africa, including street food of West Africa, spicy meat from Zanzibar and Kenya, and Tunisian chicken marinated in spice mixture “baharat”.
At the pavilion of each participating country national dishes and drinks will be presented – from Swiss chocolate to freshly made Belgian waffles.
Visitors to the show will be able to visit some of the world’s best restaurants, including Baron Restaurant in Beirut and Bread Ahead Bakery in London. Chef Matthew Kenney will surprise visitors with masterpieces of vegetarian cuisine at the Veg’d Café in the Sustainability Pavilion, and at the Talabat restaurant robots will manage the kitchen and serve guests.
The most interesting entertainment and events
Expo 2020 Dubai has a full cultural and entertainment program. About 60 events will be held daily on the territory of the complex. The main place for the ceremonies will be Al Wasl Plaza with a huge panoramic screen, which will show light and music projections every evening.
The monthly Expo Beats festival celebrating the music of the peoples of the world will be held. On weekends, Late Nights will feature a variety of genres of musicians, and Jalsat will provide a unique opportunity to hear traditional Arabic tunes.
Also on the program are street performances, theater for the whole family, gala concerts, and more. We recommend reading the calendar of events in advance so you won’t miss the most interesting ones.
Expo for Kids
Expo 2020 Dubai will be of interest to visitors of all ages. The main theme of the events is the protection of our planet and the introduction of new technologies.
In the “Sustainable Development” pavilion (Terra) there is a playground with a waterfall and rides. Young guests will be able to walk under the trees and learn a lot about the root system of the forest, to play a game of pinball, where the future of our planet is at stake, and to meet the Gnacher – a giant sharp-toothed “fish”, which represents endless consumption.
Al Wasl Plaza will host the “Secrets of Salama” show, featuring the exhibition’s mascots, Rashid and Latifah. Al Forsan Park will host an interactive show, “Latifa’s Adventure in Space City,” during which children can jump on a trampoline in “zero gravity” and see a mock-up of the Arab space probe “Hope.”
Ticket prices and Expo 2020 opening hours
The exhibition is open to all comers, with a minimum ticket price of AED 45 for a one-day visit, and a AED 495 ticket gives the opportunity to visit the exhibition an unlimited number of times throughout the season. Entrance is free for children up to 17 years old, senior citizens (over 60), students and disabled people.
Tickets can be booked online today. Please note that during Expo 2020 many airlines and hotels are offering special rates. For example, passengers travelling on Emirates flights will receive a free one-day pass from the airline for every booking made.
Expo 2020 exhibition complex is open daily from 9 a.m. to 00 a.m. on weekdays (Sunday to Friday) and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends (Friday to Saturday).
How to get to Expo 2020
The 4.38-square-kilometer exposition is located in the Dubai South district, in close proximity to Al Maktoum International Airport. It is easily accessible by car and bus. Especially for the beginning of the exhibition a separate metro station was also built with a capacity of up to 44,000 passengers per hour.
Cabs and public transportation are available to reach the Expo 2020 venue. Parking is available at the entrance to the complex for private cars. In addition, special free buses 350 Expo Rider will go here from Dubai and other emirates of the UAE. In Dubai their stops will be Dubai International Airport, Dubai Mall and the Palm Jumeirah. Check with the hotel reception for the nearest stop in advance.
For your convenience there will be a shuttle bus running freely between all the major venues. Download the official Expo 2020 Dubai mobile app to view the event poster, plan your visit and manage your reservations.
