Two Gulfood venues, one day, one move.
Some buyers can stay in one hall all week. Others have a list that crosses from Sheikh Zayed Road to Expo City, and the show closes at 18:00. This page is about that move: what the Metro does, what the organiser has run before, and when a private driver with one timetable is worth having.
Why a buyer ends up needing both venues
Gulfood 2027 runs from 15 to 19 March across Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) at Expo City Dubai. The organiser’s combined floor plan puts meat and poultry, dairy, seafood and beverages at DWTC, and grocery trade, fats and oils, and rice, pulses and grains at DEC, among other sectors. Check the plan on gulfood.com for hall numbers, because we read that split from an image.
A buyer sourcing for a supermarket chain rarely stays in one category. Seafood on Sheikh Zayed Road in the morning and rice at Expo City in the afternoon is an ordinary list. The question is how to make the move without losing an hour of the day to it.
We sell no tickets or passes. Register on the organiser’s site, gulfood.com.
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Get a quoteHow far apart they are
By road DWTC and Expo City are about 40 km apart. A free-flow route model, which contains no traffic and no show-day crowds, gives approximately 36 to 40 minutes. Real timings will be longer in the middle of a busy show day, so plan around the longer end and then add some.
The two sites cannot be walked between. A move is a real journey with a start, an end and a risk of running late, and that is why it deserves a place in the day plan.
Option one: the Red Line
Both venues have a Metro station on the Red Line: World Trade Centre at DWTC and Expo 2020 (R76) at Expo City. The venue describes Expo 2020 as a few minutes’ walk from the halls, and gives train frequency as every 5 to 7 minutes off peak and every 3 to 4 minutes at peak.
The train does not sit in road traffic, which is its strength. The cost is walking and waiting at both ends, plus whatever you are carrying. We found no published journey time between the two stations, so check the RTA timetable and plan the trip with a margin. Check it for the last train as well, because the show finishes at 18:00 and an evening can run longer.
Option two: the organiser’s shuttle
In 2026 the organiser ran free shuttle buses between the two venues, according to press reports. For 2027 there was no transport page on gulfood.com when we checked on 29 October 2026, so we cannot tell you the times, the stops or whether it will be free. The organiser publishes this closer to the event, and its page is the place to check.
One useful sign: the organiser of a healthcare show at the same two venues in January 2027 states that a complimentary shuttle connects the venues throughout that show. That is a different show and a different organiser, so it proves nothing about Gulfood. It does suggest an inter-venue shuttle is normal for this pair of sites.
A shuttle suits a person who is happy to join a timetable and travel light. A group with a fixed meeting at a fixed hour may find it less convenient.
Option three: one private driver for the day
We are Dubai Bus Services. We are not the organiser’s transport provider and not a partner of Gulfood, DWTC, DEC or Expo City. Our service is a private, pre-booked vehicle, and it runs separately from the organiser’s shuttles.
What it adds is one driver and one timetable. The vehicle collects the group from the hotel, drops at the first venue, waits for an agreed time, makes the 40 km move together and brings everyone back after closing. Laptop bags, printed catalogues and anything collected at stands stay in the vehicle, and nobody has to find a stop or a platform.
We do not know whether a coach, minibus or chauffeur car may use the organiser’s drop-off areas at either venue. We agree the point with you and check the organiser’s access plan before the day. We never assume a bay. Bag checks or screening may apply at the venue, as its own visitor guidance says.
For a team of up to seven, the Mercedes V-Class is the usual choice. A 10 to 13 person delegation fits the 13-seater van. Larger groups look at the 30-seater mini coach.
Three ways to lay out the day
| Plan | Morning | Move | Afternoon |
|---|---|---|---|
| A: DWTC then Expo City | Doors at 10:00, DWTC halls | Around midday, 40 km | Expo City halls until 18:00 |
| B: Expo City then DWTC | Doors at 10:00, Expo City halls | Around midday, 40 km | DWTC halls until 18:00 |
| C: one venue only | Whole day in one place | None | Hotel run only |
Friday 19 March is the last day and the organiser lists a 17:00 close, an hour earlier than Monday to Thursday. Put the venue with your must-see stands earlier in the week, so a short last day is used for the second tier. A move also does not need to happen on every day. You can give each venue its own days and keep the 40 km trip for the one day that needs it.
Hotels at Expo City, hotels near DWTC
Your hotel decides which half of the day is the awkward one. The venue’s own guidance names Expo Village Serviced Apartments, Rove Hotel and Cheval Maison Expo City Dubai as places to stay at Expo City. If you sleep there, DEC mornings are easy and DWTC is the 40 km trip.
From a Downtown hotel the picture reverses. DWTC is approximately 5 km and 8 minutes away in the model, while Expo City is about 37 km and 32 minutes. Our DXB to Downtown page covers the arrival leg for that base, and DWTC event transport and Expo City chauffeur cover each venue on its own.
Asking for a quote
Send the dates, the number of people, the hotel, the venue for each day, and the time you want to be back after closing. For a long visit, an hourly chauffeur booking is often the closest match. We reply with a fixed written quote before you accept, and what is in a bus rental quote explains how to read it. Use the booking page.
Keep reading
- Gulfood 2027 venue and airport run: Gulfood 2027 is split across Dubai World Trade Centre and Expo City. Which sectors are where, how the Metro fits, and the road time from each airport.
- Downtown, Business Bay and DIFC hotels to Gulfood 2027: Staying in Downtown, Business Bay or DIFC for Gulfood, 15 to 19 March 2027: a short run to the World Trade Centre, a longer one to Expo City, and what the Metro covers.
- Marina, JBR and Palm hotels to Gulfood 2027: Staying at Dubai Marina, JBR or Palm Jumeirah for Gulfood 2027: road times to the Trade Centre and to Expo City, the Metro, and the morning and evening run.
- Gulfood 2027 buyer delegation transport plan: A five-day transport plan for a trade mission or buyer delegation at Gulfood 2027: airport meet, daily runs to the right venue, and evening dinner transfers.
- GITEX two venues in five days: GITEX Global 2026 starts at Dubai World Trade Centre on 7 December and moves to Expo City on 8 December. How the Metro, the organiser shuttle and a private vehicle handle the move.
- Expo City Dubai chauffeur: Exhibitors, speakers and VIP guests to Expo City Dubai, dropped at the right gate every day of the show.
Frequently asked.
Quick answers for this trip.
How far is Expo City from DWTC?
About 40 km by road. A free-flow model gives approximately 36 to 40 minutes, with no traffic in it. Allow longer on show days.
Can I walk between the two Gulfood venues?
No. They are about 40 km apart. You travel between them by Metro, by shuttle if the organiser runs one, or by road vehicle.
Does the organiser run a shuttle between the venues?
In 2026 it ran free shuttle buses between them, according to press reports. For 2027 the organiser publishes this closer to the event, so check gulfood.com.
Does the Metro connect the two?
Yes, both stations are on the Red Line: World Trade Centre at DWTC and Expo 2020 at Expo City. We found no published journey time between them, so check the RTA timetable.
What time does Gulfood close?
The organiser lists 18:00 from Monday to Thursday and 17:00 on Friday 19 March 2027. Confirm on gulfood.com for your day.
Are you the organiser’s transport provider?
No. We are a private company, not appointed by Gulfood, DWTC or Expo City. Our vehicles are booked separately from the organiser’s shuttles.
Can a private van wait at the venue?
We could not find a published rule on waiting areas or drop-off for private vehicles. We agree the point with you and check the organiser’s access plan before the day.
How much does a day with a driver cost?
Ask for a fixed written quote. It depends on the date, the hours, the group size and the venues, and we put it in writing before you accept.
Seeing both venues? Send us the days.
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