A taxi from Dubai Marina to Downtown at rush hour can take 45 minutes and cost AED 70. The Dubai Metro does the same trip for AED 7.50, above the traffic, in about 35 minutes. This guide covers the Dubai Metro map, timings, fares and the stations visitors actually use, plus the days when a car still makes more sense.
Last updated: October 2026
Quick Answer
The Dubai Metro has two lines in service (Red and Green) with 55 stations. The Blue Line adds 14 more in 2029. It runs 5am to midnight Monday to Thursday and Saturday, 5am to 1am on Friday, and 8am to midnight on Sunday. Fares are AED 3 to AED 7.50 per trip on a Silver nol card, depending on zones crossed. Bank cards do not open the gates, so buy a nol card first.
Table of Contents
Dubai Metro Facts at a Glance
| Item | Details |
| Lines | Red Line (35 stations, 67 km) and Green Line (20 stations, 22.5 km) |
| Interchanges | Union and BurJuman (Red and Green) |
| Airport | Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 on the Red Line |
| Fares | AED 3, 5 or 7.50 on a Silver nol card |
| Day pass | AED 20, unlimited rides on a Red ticket |
| Frequency | About every 4 minutes at peak, 7 to 10 minutes off-peak |
| Payment | nol card or nol Pay app. No cash or bank cards at the gates |
| Cabins | Gold Class, Women and Children, and standard (Silver) |
| Riders in 2025 | 294.7 million trips |
Dubai Metro Map 2026
The map looks busy, but you only need to remember one shape. The Red Line runs along Sheikh Zayed Road from the airport to Dubai Marina and on to Jebel Ali. The Green Line loops through old Dubai around the Creek. They cross twice, at Union and BurJuman.
Simplified Dubai Metro map 2026 showing the Red Line and Green Line with key visitor stations
Simplified map of the key visitor stations. For every station in order, see the full station list further down or the official RTA network map.
Stations for Top Attractions
| Attraction | Station | From the station |
| Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall | Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall | 10 to 15 min on an air-conditioned walkway |
| Museum of the Future | Emirates Towers | 5 to 10 min walk |
| Mall of the Emirates and Ski Dubai | Mall of the Emirates | Direct indoor bridge |
| Dubai Marina Walk | Sobha Realty or DMCC | 5 to 10 min walk |
| JBR Beach | Sobha Realty or DMCC | Tram to JBR stops |
| Gold Souq and Spice Souq | Gold Souq or Al Ras | 2 to 5 min walk |
| Al Fahidi historic area | Al Ghubaiba | 10 min walk, or cross by abra from Al Ras |
| Ibn Battuta Mall | Ibn Battuta | Direct access |
| Expo City Dubai | Expo 2020 | At the entrance |
| Dubai Frame | Max or ADCB | Short taxi (about 10 min) |
The metro does not reach Palm Jumeirah, the Atlantis area, Jumeirah Beach Road, Global Village, the desert or Hatta. For the Palm, take the metro to DMCC or Sobha Realty and then the tram and Palm Monorail, or a short taxi.
Dubai Metro Timings 2026
| Day | First train | Last train |
| Monday to Thursday | 5:00am | Midnight |
| Friday | 5:00am | 1:00am (Saturday) |
| Saturday | 5:00am | Midnight |
| Sunday | 8:00am | Midnight |
These are station opening hours. The last train from each station leaves at a different time, so check the RTA S’hail app if you plan a late night. Peak hours are roughly 7am to 9am and 5pm to 8pm on weekdays, when trains around Union, BurJuman and Burj Khalifa get crowded.
RTA extends hours for New Year’s Eve, Eid, Dubai Marathon and big concerts. These changes are announced a few days ahead on RTA’s social channels and in the S’hail app.
Fares, Zones and Nol Cards
Dubai is split into fare zones. You pay by how many zones you cross, not by distance. Most visitor trips cost AED 5 or AED 7.50 on a Silver card.
| Ticket type | 1 zone | 2 zones | 3+ zones |
| Silver nol card | AED 3 | AED 5 | AED 7.50 |
| Gold nol card (Gold Class cabin) | AED 6 | AED 10 | AED 15 |
| Red ticket | AED 4 | AED 6 | AED 8.50 |
Transfers between metro, tram and bus within one journey are charged as a single trip, as long as you tap in and out each time.
Which Card Should You Buy?
| You are… | Best option | Cost |
| In Dubai for one day | Red ticket with a Day Pass | AED 2 ticket + AED 20 for unlimited rides |
| In Dubai for 2 to 10 days | Silver nol card | AED 25, includes AED 19 credit |
| Riding every day for a week | 7-day all-zone pass on a Silver card | About AED 110 |
| Living in Dubai | Personal (Blue) nol card | AED 70, includes AED 20 credit |
| Wanting more space | Gold card | Same price as Silver, double the fare |
There is no automatic daily fare cap on Silver cards. The AED 20 Day Pass pays off from your fifth 2-zone trip (5 x AED 5 = AED 25), or your third longer trip (3 x AED 7.50 = AED 22.50). Students and seniors get discounts with a registered Blue card.
Paying With Your Phone
Download the nol Pay app before you arrive. You can buy and top up cards in it, and on supported Android phones you can tap the phone at the gate.
You can top up through Apple Pay and Samsung Pay, but at the time of writing bank cards and Apple Pay do not open the gates directly. RTA has announced bank card payments for the metro, so check the app for updates.
Keep Enough Credit on the Card
Top up before the balance drops below AED 7.50, the price of the longest trip. A low balance is the most common reason visitors get stuck at the gate. Silver cards stay valid for years, so keep yours for the next visit.
How to Ride the Dubai Metro
- Buy a Silver nol card from a ticket machine or the counter. Machines accept cash and cards.
- Find your direction on the platform screens. Trains are labelled by their last station, such as Centrepoint, Life Pharmacy or Expo 2020.
- Pick your cabin. Gold Class and the Women and Children cabin are marked on the platform floor and doors.
- Tap in at the gate and keep the card handy. You tap out at the end too.
- Let people get off first. The doors close on a timer.
- Tap out and check the balance on the gate screen.
Metro Rules and Fines
The metro is strict, and inspectors do check. These are the fines visitors get most often:
| Rule broken | Fine |
| Eating or drinking (including water and gum) in stations or trains | AED 100 |
| Men in the Women and Children cabin | AED 100 |
| Travelling without a valid ticket | AED 200 |
| Sleeping in stations or trains | AED 300 |
| Smoking | AED 200 |
Finish your coffee before the gates. Water bottles are fine in your bag, just not in your hand.
Getting to and From the Airport by Metro
Terminals 1 and 3 have their own Red Line stations. Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall is about 25 to 30 minutes away, and Dubai Marina about 50 to 60 minutes.
Luggage tip: large suitcases are allowed, but trains get packed from 7am to 9am and 5pm to 8pm. With two big bags or children, a taxi or a car rental with airport pickup is easier. Terminal 2 has no metro station. The nearest is Dubai Airport Free Zone on the Green Line, then a short taxi.
Metro, Taxi or Rental Car: Real Scenarios
Here is what typical visitor trips cost by each option. Taxi prices are estimates for normal traffic, using standard RTA taxi fares. See Dubai taxi fares explained for how the meter works.
| Trip | Metro (per person) | Taxi (per car) | Best choice |
| Airport T3 to Downtown, solo with a carry-on | AED 5 to 7.50, about 30 min | About AED 60 to 80 including airport fee, 20 to 30 min | Metro |
| Dubai Marina to Dubai Mall, family of four | AED 30 total, about 35 min | About AED 60 to 75, 25 to 45 min | Taxi, if traffic is light |
| Deira hotel to Gold Souq and back | AED 6 to 10 | About AED 25 to 35 | Metro |
| Day trip to Hatta or Abu Dhabi | Not possible by metro | AED 300 to 500+ return | Rental car |
| Five days of sightseeing, family of four | About AED 400 to 600 in total | About AED 1,000 to 1,500 | Depends on how far you go |
Solo travellers and couples staying near the Red Line save the most by riding the metro. Families, people with heavy luggage and anyone planning trips outside the city often spend less, and lose less time, with a car. Our taxi vs car rental in Dubai guide compares the full costs.
When a Rental Car Makes More Sense
The metro is most convenient along Sheikh Zayed Road and in old Dubai. The further your plans move from those two corridors, the more time you spend on taxis and transfers.
A car works better if you:
- Plan day trips to Hatta, Abu Dhabi or the east coast, or any of our weekend getaways from Dubai
- Stay on Palm Jumeirah, in Jumeirah or in Dubai Hills, far from a station
- Travel with young children, car seats or a lot of luggage
- Visit in July or August, when a 10-minute walk to the station in 42°C is hard work
If that sounds like your trip, you can rent a car in Dubai with delivery to your hotel, or browse the cars available. Before driving, read our guide to Dubai driving rules for tourists. Staying a month or more? Compare the numbers in our monthly rental vs leasing guide, since daily taxi rides add up quickly over four weeks.
Combine both: Park and Ride car parks at Centrepoint, E& and Life Pharmacy let you leave the car at the edge of the city and take the metro into Downtown, where parking is expensive and hard to find.
What Is Coming Next: New Metro Lines
| Line | Opening | Length and stations | What it adds |
| Blue Line | 9 September 2029 | 30 km, 14 stations | Dubai Creek Harbour, Festival City, Mirdif, Academic City. Links to Red and Green lines |
| Gold Line | 9 September 2032 (planned) | 42 km, 18 stations, fully underground | Al Ghubaiba to Jumeirah Golf Estates via City Walk, Business Bay, Meydan and JVC |
The Gold Line was approved in April 2026 at a cost of AED 34 billion. It will be Dubai’s first fully underground line and will connect to Etihad Rail at Meydan and Jumeirah Golf Estates. None of this changes a 2026 trip, but it explains the construction sites you will see along the Creek and in Mirdif.
Practical Tips for Riding the Dubai Metro
- Keep AED 7.50 or more on your card. It saves a queue at the top-up machine when you are in a hurry.
- Try the end cabins for the view. The trains are driverless, so the cabin at each end looks straight down the track. One end is Gold Class. On the long ride from the airport to the Marina, the double fare can be worth it.
- The best skyline stretch is between Emirates Towers and Business Bay, where the track runs right past the Downtown towers.
- Use the S’hail app for the last train. Station closing time and last departure are not the same.
- Summer: stations and trains are cold. Bring a light layer if you are sensitive to air conditioning.
Full Dubai Metro Station List
Use these lists to check where a hotel or meeting point sits on the line, or to decode an old station name.
Red Line Stations in Order
Read the list from the airport side towards Jebel Ali. Stations in bold are the ones most visitors use.
| # | Station | Nearby for visitors |
| 1 | Centrepoint | Eastern end, large Park and Ride |
| 2 | Emirates | Emirates head office |
| 3 | Airport Terminal 3 | Emirates flights |
| 4 | Airport Terminal 1 | Most other airlines |
| 5 | Al Garhoud | Garhoud hotels |
| 6 | City Centre Deira | Deira hotels, City Centre Deira mall |
| 7 | Al Rigga | Deira hotels and restaurants |
| 8 | Union | Change to Green Line |
| 9 | BurJuman | Change to Green Line, Bur Dubai |
| 10 | ADCB | Karama market |
| 11 | Max | Jafiliya, Zabeel Park |
| 12 | World Trade Centre | Exhibition centre, Dubai Frame (by taxi) |
| 13 | Emirates Towers | Museum of the Future |
| 14 | Financial Centre | DIFC galleries and restaurants |
| 15 | Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall | Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, fountains |
| 16 | Business Bay | Business Bay hotels |
| 17 | Onpassive | Al Quoz, Alserkal Avenue (by taxi) |
| 18 | Equiti | Al Barsha |
| 19 | Mall of the Emirates | Ski Dubai, Mall of the Emirates |
| 20 | Insurance Market | Al Barsha |
| 21 | Dubai Internet City | Media City, Internet City |
| 22 | Al Fardan Exchange | Barsha Heights |
| 23 | Sobha Realty | Dubai Marina, tram to JBR |
| 24 | DMCC | JLT, tram to JBR |
| 25 | National Paints | Branch point for the two western ends |
| Branch A | Ibn Battuta, Energy, Danube, Life Pharmacy | Ibn Battuta Mall, Jebel Ali |
| Branch B | The Gardens, Discovery Gardens, Al Furjan, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai Investment Park, Expo 2020 | Expo City Dubai |
Important: the Red Line splits in two after National Paints. Some trains go to Life Pharmacy (Branch A), others to Expo 2020 (Branch B). Check the destination on the platform screen and on the front of the train before you board.
Green Line Stations in Order
| # | Station | Nearby for visitors |
| 1 | E& (Etisalat) | Eastern end, Park and Ride |
| 2 to 4 | Al Qusais, Dubai Airport Free Zone, Al Nahda | DAFZ links to Terminal 2 by taxi or bus |
| 5 to 9 | Stadium, Al Qiyadah, Abu Hail, Abu Baker Al Siddique, Salah Al Din | Residential Deira |
| 10 | Union | Change to Red Line |
| 11 | Baniyas Square | Deira hotels |
| 12 | Gold Souq | Gold Souq, Spice Souq |
| 13 | Al Ras | Spice Souq, Deira abra station |
| 14 | Al Ghubaiba | Bur Dubai abra, Textile Souq, Al Fahidi |
| 15 | Sharaf DG | Meena Bazaar |
| 16 | BurJuman | Change to Red Line |
| 17 | Oud Metha | Wafi City |
| 18 | Dubai Healthcare City | Hospitals, clinics |
| 19 | Al Jadaf | Culture Village |
| 20 | Creek | Western end, Dubai Creek waterfront |
Old and New Station Names
Several stations are named after sponsors, and the names change. Old blog posts, hotel websites and some taxi drivers still use the old ones.
| Current name | Old name you may see |
| Sobha Realty | Dubai Marina, DAMAC Properties |
| DMCC | Jumeirah Lakes Towers |
| Al Fardan Exchange | Nakheel, Al Khail |
| Insurance Market | Sharaf DG, Mashreq |
| Equiti | First Abu Dhabi Bank, FGB |
| Onpassive | Noor Bank, Al Safa |
| ADCB | Al Karama |
| Max | Al Jafiliya |
| National Paints | Jabal Ali, Nakheel Harbour and Tower |
| Life Pharmacy | UAE Exchange, Jebel Ali |
| E& | Etisalat |
FAQ: Dubai Metro
What are the Dubai Metro timings?
Monday to Thursday and Saturday, 5am to midnight. Friday, 5am to 1am the next day. Sunday, 8am to midnight. Hours are extended for holidays and big events, so check the RTA S’hail app on those days.
How much does the Dubai Metro cost?
AED 3, 5 or 7.50 per trip on a Silver nol card, depending on how many zones you cross. Red tickets cost AED 4 to 8.50, and Gold Class costs double. A Day Pass for unlimited rides is AED 20.
Where can I see the Dubai Metro map?
The official map is on the RTA website and in the S’hail app. The simplified map and station lists in this guide show the stations visitors use most, in order, with old and new names.
Does the Dubai Metro go to the airport?
Yes. Airport Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 are on the Red Line. Terminal 2 has no station. The nearest is Dubai Airport Free Zone on the Green Line, then a short taxi ride.
Can I use my bank card or Apple Pay on the Dubai Metro?
Not at the gates, at the time of writing. You need a nol card or a ticket bought through the nol Pay app. You can top up nol cards using Apple Pay and Samsung Pay in the app.
Which is the best Dubai Metro app?
Use two: nol Pay for buying tickets and topping up, and RTA S’hail for routes, live timings and last trains. Google Maps also shows metro routes reliably.
Is the Dubai Metro open 24 hours?
No. It closes at midnight on most days and at 1am on Fridays. After that, taxis are the only public option.
Can I eat or drink on the Dubai Metro?
No. Eating, drinking (including water) and chewing gum in stations or on trains costs AED 100.
Is there a women-only cabin?
Yes. Every train has a Women and Children cabin, marked in pink on the platform. Men inside it can be fined AED 100.
Is the Dubai Metro wheelchair accessible?
Yes. All stations have lifts, and trains have wheelchair spaces. Staff help with boarding on request.
Sources
Fares, timings and rules in this guide were checked in October 2026 against the RTA website, the RTA S’hail and nol Pay apps, and RTA announcements on the Blue Line (2029) and Gold Line (approved April 2026). Station names follow the current RTA network map. Prices and names change, so check the RTA app before you travel.
