It’s safe to say that every mode of transport is linked to the festive site of Expo 2020 Dubai – from free intra-city buses and speedy metro to taxis and now green, electric bikes. If the idea of zooming around the world fair with the wind in your face sounds like the perfect outdoor activity for you, then read on to find out how you can do it.
The bikes at Expo come from vehicle-for-hire company Careem and are powered by an electric motor, so you don’t have to tire yourself out with all the pedalling. They are up for leasing from 18 stations or racks in convenient locations across site.
You could hop on one of these to either ride to a pavilion or simply cruise about for as long as you like. With the temperatures dropping, the latter option certainly makes for an ideal sightseeing plan.
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Locate the closest bike station
- Sustainability District: Two in Earth Plaza (just past the gate), one near the Germany Pavilion, two near Visitor Centre 3 and one next to Visitor Centre 4
- Opportunity District: Two in Sun Plaza, one near the UK Pavilion, Egypt Pavilion and Indonesia Pavilion
- Mobility District: Two in Sea Plaza, one next to Visitor Centre 5, one near Angola Pavilion, Oman Pavilion and Sudan Pavilion
- One station in Al Forsan Park, near Latifa’s Playground
The bike lanes run through the main district avenues, including the edges of the parks (Al Forsan and Jubilee), and Ghaf Avenue, which circles Al Wasl Plaza.
Booking a bike on site
All rentals are carried out via the Careem Bike mobile app. Keep the application open when you approach a rack.
You will find the following membership plans to choose from on the app:
- One-day plan – Dh20
- One-week plan – Dh50
- One-month plan – Dh75
- Seasonal plan valid until Expo ends on March 31, 2022 – Dh360
Step 1: Create a Careem account
- Download the Careem Bike app from App Store or Google Play Store.
- Select the person icon on the bottom right.
- Enter your mobile number.
- Verify the number by entering the OTP code sent to your phone.
- Then, enter your full name and password to finish your Careem sign up.
Step 2: Buy a plan
- On the app, tap on the QR code icon and select ‘Buy a plan’.
- Take your pick from the four listed, then select the number of bikes you need to unlock.
- Link your credit or debit card, then tap ‘Pay’.
Step 3: Unlock your bike
Now that you have an active membership plan, pick any docked bike to unlock either by scanning the QR code on the bike or entering the five-digit code on the dock keypad from the app.
Wait for the light to turn green and the buzzer to go off. The same should happen when you dock after your trip ends. You don’t have to return your bike to the same station – just dock it any rack closest to you on site.
How long can you ride the bike for?
The e-bikes are capped at 45 minutes; so you can ride around the site for however long only if each trip does not exceed that duration. To ride it for longer, re-dock the bike at the closest station before time. Then, scan the QR code again to unlock the same bike. So, for a day your rental fee will be fixed at Dh20 for as many trips as you like.
If you exceed the 45-minute time limit without re-docking, you will incur a charge of Dh10 for every 30 minutes you ride after that. The best way to go about this is to keep an eye on the clock.
Do’s and Don’t’s
- You cannot cycle outside the biking lanes.
- You cannot cycle inside Al Wasl Plaza, Al Forsan and Jubilee parks, and indoors.
- You cannot leave your bike unattended.
- Always give way to pedestrians.
- Bike riders must be 15 years or older. Account holders must be 18 years old or older.
