Dubai transport guide
The Dubai Metro runs two lines, the Red and the Green. Trains run from 05:00 to midnight, and on Fridays until 01:00 the next morning; on Sundays they start at 08:00. You cannot pay a fare in cash: every ride needs a nol card or a paper Red Ticket, and a ride on a Silver card costs AED 3 to AED 7.50, depending on how many zones you cross. The Red Line serves Terminals 1 and 3 of Dubai International, and stops at Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates. Below are the cards, fares and rules, and the station for each sight, checked on the official pages.
| If you are | Best choice |
|---|---|
| Riding a few times | A Red TicketA paper ticket for AED 2 that can be topped up for up to 10 journeys and is valid for 90 days; each ride costs a little more than on a nol card, AED 4 to AED 8.50. |
| Staying several days | A nol Silver cardAED 25, including AED 19 of credit, valid for 5 years, with the regular fares of AED 3 to AED 7.50 a ride. |
| Riding a lot in one week | A 7-day pass on a Silver cardAED 50 for one zone, AED 80 for two zones or AED 110 for all zones. |
| Wanting a wider seat | A nol Gold cardGold Class cabins have wide leather seats and are for Gold card holders only, at double the regular fare: AED 6 to AED 15 a ride. |
| Travelling with small children | Free up to age 5Children aged 5 and under ride free; children under 8 may not ride without an adult. |
| Landing at Dubai International | The Red Line from Terminal 1 or 3Both terminals have a station, with nol Silver and Gold cards on sale at the ticket offices and vending machines; travel with no more than two pieces of luggage. |
| Heading to Global Village | The Metro, then an RTA busBuses 102, 103, 104 and 106 serve Centrepoint, Union, Max Fashion and Mall of the Emirates stations, usually from 15:15 to 23:15. |
The Metro has two lines. The Red Line runs from Centrepoint to two ends, Expo 2020 and Life Pharmacy, and the Green Line runs from e& to Creek; Union and BurJuman stations link the two.
Trains run from 05:00 to midnight from Monday to Thursday and on Saturdays, from 05:00 to 01:00 the next morning on Fridays, and from 08:00 to midnight on Sundays. Dubai Airports notes that service hours may be extended on public holidays.
Dubai Tram meets the Red Line at Sobha Realty and DMCC stations, and runs from 06:00 to 01:00 from Monday to Saturday, and from 09:00 on Sundays. A third line, the Blue Line, 30 km long with 14 stations, is due for completion in 2029.
RTA does not accept cash as payment for a ride: you travel on a nol card or a Red Ticket. The Red Ticket is a paper ticket for AED 2, for one mode of transport at a time; it can be topped up for up to 10 journeys and is valid for 90 days.
The Silver card, RTA's regular card, costs AED 25 including AED 19 of credit, and is valid for 5 years. The Gold card costs the same and opens the Gold Class cabins, at double the regular fare. The nol Travel card costs AED 100, including AED 19 of credit, and comes with offers for tourists and residents.
At the airport, nol Silver and Gold cards are sold at the ticket offices and vending machines in Terminals 1 and 3.
Fares depend on how many of Dubai's 7 fare zones you cross. On a Silver card a ride costs AED 3 within one zone, AED 5 across two adjacent zones and AED 7.50 across more than two. Gold card fares are AED 6, AED 10 and AED 15, and Red Ticket fares AED 4, AED 6 and AED 8.50.
A change between modes of transport within 30 minutes counts as one journey, which may last up to 180 minutes with up to 3 transfers. Children aged 5 and under, and People of Determination, ride free.
For a busy week, a 7-day pass on a Silver card costs AED 50 for one zone, AED 80 for two zones and AED 110 for all zones; on a Gold card it costs AED 100, AED 160 and AED 220.
Each train has Gold Class cabins, with wide leather seats, for Gold card holders only; cabins for women and children only; and general cabins. There is Wi-Fi throughout the network.
Each passenger may bring two suitcases: one large, up to 81 × 58 × 30 cm, and one small, up to 55 × 38 × 20 cm, stowed in the luggage area that every cabin has.
RTA's own page sets out the fines: AED 100 for eating or drinking where it is not allowed, putting your feet on the seats or sitting in an area set aside for specific riders; AED 200 for riding without paying, using someone else's or an expired card, or smoking; AED 300 for sleeping where it is prohibited; and AED 500 for carrying alcohol.
Children under 8 may not ride without an adult; from 8 to 11 they need a permit issued by their parents, and from 12 they may travel alone.
The Red Line serves Terminals 1 and 3 of Dubai International, with the same hours as the rest of the network. Dubai Airports asks travellers to carry no more than two pieces of luggage, hand luggage included, and suggests planning the journey in RTA's S'hail app.
Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates are on the Red Line too, so you can ride from the airport to either on the one line.
RTA lists tactile guidance paths, platform alerts with beeps and flashing lights as the doors open and close, dedicated spaces for wheelchair users on every train, and lifts to every station level.
From
AED 304
From
AED 220
From
AED 333
From
AED 48
From
AED 30
From
AED 130
From 05:00 to midnight from Monday to Thursday and on Saturdays, from 05:00 to 01:00 the next morning on Fridays, and from 08:00 to midnight on Sundays.
No. RTA does not accept cash as payment for a ride, so get a nol card or a Red Ticket first: the Red Ticket costs AED 2, and the Silver card AED 25, including AED 19 of credit.
On a Silver card, AED 3 within one zone, AED 5 across two adjacent zones and AED 7.50 across more than two. A Red Ticket costs a little more a ride, AED 4 to AED 8.50, and Gold Class double the regular fare.
Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall, on the Red Line. From there, the Metro Link Bridge, a glass, temperature-controlled travellator, takes you into Dubai Mall.
Max Fashion, the station the Dubai Frame's page still calls by its old name, Al Jafiliya. The Frame stands in Zabeel Park, at gate 4.
Yes: two suitcases per passenger, one large, up to 81 × 58 × 30 cm, and one small, up to 55 × 38 × 20 cm.
Children aged 5 and under ride free. Children under 8 may not ride without an adult, and from 8 to 11 they need a permit issued by their parents.
Take the Metro to Centrepoint, Union, Max Fashion or Mall of the Emirates, then RTA bus 102, 103, 104 or 106; the buses usually run from 15:15 to 23:15, and the ride takes about 30 minutes.
Take the Red Line to Mall of the Emirates, then a taxi of about 10 to 15 minutes, or RTA bus 105, which runs on a seasonal timetable.
Yes. The Red Line serves Terminals 1 and 3, where nol Silver and Gold cards are sold at the ticket offices and vending machines.
Hours, fares, rules and prices checked on the official pages on 4 October 2026. They change, so check RTA's site before you travel. Sources: RTA: choose your nol card · RTA: nol fares · RTA: about Dubai Metro · RTA: timetables · RTA: two Metro stations renamed · Dubai Airports: Metro · The Dubai Mall: getting here · Mall of the Emirates: plan your visit · Dubai Frame: plan your visit · At the Top, Burj Khalifa · At the Top FAQ · Dubai Aquarium tickets · Dubai Aquarium visitors' guide · Global Village: plan your visit · Dubai Miracle Garden tickets · Dubai Miracle Garden FAQ · Ski Dubai Snow Park passes
