What to expect
Less than 50 days’ and Expo 2020 Dubai will open its doors to the world! A few months ago, we visited the Sustainability Pavilion and its surroundings and got a glimpse of what this global spectacle will look like!
The Sustainability Pavilion is one of the three main pavilions of the EXPO 2020 Dubai, alongside Mobility and Opportunity. It was the first to open to the public earlier this year.
The Sustainability Pavilion was designed to be a self-sustaining structure, producing its own energy and water. The pavilion has more than 1,000 photovoltaic panels installed on the roof canopy and energy trees, some of which also capture humidity to reduce fresh water needs.
Waste water is efficiently recycled through phytoremediation, that is using plants to remove organic pollutants from the water. The bushes you’ll see all around the pavilion do exactly that! Don’t worry, the plants love such natural fertilizer, hence it is a win-win solution.
What’s inside
The way to the pavilion is a journey from prehistory to the modern age, exploring the hidden harmful impact of our daily choices. Once inside the main courtyard, there are easy games you can play, which aim to teach us how difficult it is to maintain a balanced climate.
From there, you will have to choose between two ecosystems to explore: the forest and the underwater world. Depending on your choice, you will find yourself in an immersive experience where you can learn about these fragile ecosystems, play different games and see how your actions impact the environment.
It seems visitors are allowed to access only one ecosystem with their entry pass. That’s why we visited the pavilion twice! The experience is conceptually similar, focusing on how badly human activities can damage the two ecosystems.
How to reach Expo 2020 Dubai
The Expo 2020 site is close to the Maktoum International Airport and it is reachable by car, taxi, bus and metro.
The easiest and cheapest option is to get a ride on the Dubai Metro. Take the red line towards Expo 2020 and leave the carriage at the line terminal, named after the world exhibition. You can buy metro tickets at any metro station.
A good alternative is to get a taxi. They are not as expensive as in Europe and you’ll most probably end up paying somewhere around 100 AED (20 Euro, 25 USD) unless you decide to stay at the opposite side of town.
We believe many hotels and resorts will offer free shuttle buses to Expo 2020 Dubai. This is a service you might want to keep in mind when booking.
Also note that in Dubai companies like Uber (or its local company Careem) are special services that usually cost more than a regular taxi. We expect they will offer discounts for the occasion. We’ll keep you posted.
EXPO 2020 Dubai Ticket options
Entry to Expo 2020 is free for under 18s, anyone above 60, people with disabilities and students carrying a valid identity card from any academic institution in the world.
Regular visitors can buy a 1-day ticket with single entry for AED 95, a multi-day pass for 30 days for AED 195, or a season pass for the full 6 months with unlimited entries for AED 495. There is also a family package that include 2 adult season passes + 1 for the nanny at AED 950.
It’s best to book the tickets in advance from the Expo 2020 Dubai website or one of the many authorised resellers.
Everyone flying to Dubai with Emirates during Expo 2020 (1st October 2021 to 31st March 2022) will receive a complimentary day pass.
Fun Facts
- Expo 2020 will employ hundreds of robots to greet visitors, help with directions and take photographs
- Vaccination against COVID-19 is not mandatory for visitors, but highly recommended
- US pavilion will have a model of the Space X Falcon 9 booster on display and a sample of moon rock brought back by Apollo missions
- Singapore’s pavilion is built on the smallest plot but will have the highest number of plants with hanging gardens, exotic flowers and edible plants
- The Italian pavilion will showcase a robotic arm that will dig through Martian soil in the upcoming ExoMars 2022 mission
