Special bus routes for Global Village visitors

For those relying on public transport to commute to and from the Global Village a host of buses and taxis are available. While taxis can be hired from any point in the city, Dubai Municipality buses start from specific locations throughout Dubai. You could take a straight route from Deira Gold Souk bus station or Bur Dubai bus station. These bus shuttles have been introduced especially for the Global Village. There are also special buses from Hor Al Anz, Jebel Ali and Jumeirah Beach Park plying daily to the Global Village. In order to cater to the holiday rush additional bus service is activated from certain locations in Al Quoz and Al Ghusais on weekends and public holidays.

The Global Village bus service starts at 3pm every day and is on until 12 midnight with a frequency of 20 minutes. On weekends and public holidays the service is extended up to 1.30am. The same buses return to the respective stations and other points every 20 minutes from Global Village bus stops. The buses offer a very pleasant ride. If you happen to be one of the early birds and set out early in the evening then do look out the window at the beautiful twilight sky.

Parking woes are a thing of the past at the Global Village. No more do cars jostle for space in cramped parking lots as there is ample free parking available at the vast facility. A streamlined and well-organised parking system enables everybody to get a decent parking. The Global Village VIP parking stickers are available for Dh500 to access the VIP parking lot without any stoppages. Another facility introduced is the valet parking for Dh35 per car at Gate No 3. Then, of course, there is special parking space allotted to Chevrolet cars. If you own a Chevrolet you can park your car in this lot for no charge.

For the convenience of visitors, special rickshaws, autorickshaws and and the Thai tuk-tuks ply from the parking lots to the gates for a charge of Dh5-10 depending on the number of passengers. These are available at Gates 1, 3, 4 and 6.

Tuk-tuks are a familiar sight in Thailand where they are a very affordable and popular means of transport for short distances within the cities. Rickshaws and autorickshaws are typical of many Indian towns and cities. These are again very practical and affordable modes for travelling short distances. These rickshaws and tuk-tuks give a more authentic feel to the Global Village and add to its charm. For many of us these bring back memories of home and add a touch of nostalgia.

For Asim Sheikh who came to the Global Village with his family of four sitting in the rickshaw brought back memories of his hometown Hyderabad, 'I hired a rickshaw for my children to experience this ride. Rickshaws are a part and parcel of life in Hyderabad city, especially the old town. The narrow alleys in the walled city are accessible only by rickshaws and it won't be an exaggeration to say that this modest vehicle is the city's lifeline of sorts,' he said.

Inside the Global Village children's prams, strollers and trolley cars are on hand for a charge of Dh10 per hour. The cars with tiny steering wheels in front are extremely popular with toddlers who are attracted to the bright colours and love the ride. As for the parents the trolley cars serve a dual purpose. Apart from keeping the children occupied they can be used as carts to carry shopping bags too.

Being pampered to the hilt by the lifestyle that this city offers many of us balk at the idea of walking long distances. For all those who dread walking long distances, a novel taxi service has been introduced inside the Global Village this year. Golf carts have been converted into taxis to carry passengers from one point to another within the Global Village.

The brainchild of Salem Ali, a UAE businessman such a taxi service has been introduced for the first time in the history of Global Village. 'The idea was conceived when I came here with my friend and as the two of us were browsing through the various pavilions, after about two hours or so my friend refused to walk any more and sat down on a bench. He was too tired to walk and wanted to take a break. Even I was quite tired and just wished for a ride to my car but nothing was available. That's when I thought, what if we had a taxi service here. Then as they say necessity is the mother of invention, the idea of converting golf carts into taxis occurred to me,' said Salem Ali.

With the help and support of the Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for Young Business Leaders eight golf carts were brought in to be converted into Global Village taxis. These ply within the Global Village from one pavilion to the other and can be hired by families as well as individuals. A 15 minute trip costs Dh30 and a family trip for an hour comes to Dh100.

The GV taxi project involves various people from managers to maintenance staff and of course, the drivers who have received special training to enable them to weave through heavy crowds without causing any hindrance. Besides they are familiar with every nook and corner of the Global Village to guide people. A team of competent lady and men drivers is available at the service of the visitors at all times.

'The project would not have been possible without the help and support of Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for Young Business Leaders and the organisers and management of the Global Village. They gave us all the necessary approvals and special permissions as a result of which our taxis were up and running within a month from the conception of this idea. The service has been in effect since November 2005,' he added.

You can hire a taxi on an hourly basis or for short trips around pavilions. What's more, these taxis are noise-free and eco-friendly. Because they run on batteries they cause no pollution. This service has turned out to be a boon for the elderly and children and the response has been very positive. Even for those who just want to take a joy ride around the place GV taxi is the way to go.

The Global Village 2006 which is on until March 3, 2006 is open from 4pm to 12am daily and until 1am on Wednesday and Thursday and is sponsored by Americana, Chevrolet, Cool&Cool, Emirates Bank, London Dairy, Aquafina, Cellucom and Pepsi.