Dubai Metro
Dubai Metro
25.2317, 55.3007 A modern driverless metro: the Red and Green lines link the airport, Downtown, Business Bay and Dubai Marina.
Description
The Dubai Metro opened in 2009 and was the first automated metro system on the Arabian Peninsula. The trains are fully driverless, run by computer, and the front carriage has panoramic windows that let you watch the city unfold ahead of you. Most of the network runs on elevated viaducts, which turns a journey into a sightseeing ride past the skyscrapers.
The network has two lines, Red and Green. The Red Line runs along the main Sheikh Zayed Road artery and serves the key stations: Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates and the airport terminals T1 and T3. The Green Line covers the historic districts of Deira and Bur Dubai. The Route 2020 branch extended the Red Line west to the Expo world fair site, now the Expo City district.
Tip: Buy a nol card — you cannot enter the metro without one, and a single card works on the metro, the tram and the buses.
Photos
Photos: Unsplash
Planning your visit
Best time
Outside the peaks (roughly 7–9 and 17–20) — emptier and more comfortable.
How much time to allow
A trip across the city usually takes 20–50 minutes depending on the number of zones.
Tickets & prices
Prices are approximate and depend on the slot and conditions — check when buying.
On the map
Interactive satellite map — zoom and pan to explore the place and its surroundings.
Good to know
How to get there
Frequently asked questions about Dubai Metro
How much does the Dubai Metro cost?+
The fare depends on how many zones you cross: a trip within one zone on a nol card costs from around 3 AED, and trips across several zones cost more. An unlimited day pass is about 20 AED.
What are the Dubai Metro's hours?+
Roughly 05:00 to midnight on weekdays and later at weekends; on Fridays it opens later. The exact timetable is easiest to check on the RTA site.
How do I get from the airport by metro?+
Terminals 1 and 3 have Red Line stations (Airport Terminal 1 and Terminal 3). Buy a nol card at the station and ride to your stop, changing to the Green Line at Union if you need to.
What's nearby
Nearby spots — easy to combine into one route.
Architecture Dubai Frame
A giant golden frame 150 metres high in Zabeel Park — a bridge between old and new Dubai.
Tip: From the upper gallery you can see the contrast: the old city on one side, skyscrapers on the other.
Nature Zabeel Park
One of Dubai's largest city parks, in the Zabeel area, with lakes, picnic zones and the famous Dubai Frame viewing landmark.
Tip: Combine a walk in the park with going up Dubai Frame — the best views and photographs come closer to sunset.
Culture Museum of the Future
A ring-shaped building with Arabic calligraphy on its facade. Inside — immersive exhibitions about the future.
Tip: Tickets sell out days ahead — book online.
Similar places
Infrastructure Al Dhafra Air Base
A large military air base in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, south-west of the city of Abu Dhabi. Used by the UAE Air Force and a US contingent. It is a closed facility, not a tourist site.
Tip: The site is closed: you cannot go inside, you can only look at where it sits on the satellite map.
Infrastructure Ibn Battuta Mall
A themed shopping centre divided into six courts after the countries visited by the medieval Arab explorer Ibn Battuta.
Tip: Look into the Persia and India courts for the most striking interiors and the painted dome — the mall's best photo spots.
Infrastructure City Walk
A modern open-air pedestrian quarter and mall in the Al Safa area, with boutiques, restaurants and European-style street frontages.
Tip: Come in the evening: the lit façades, the fountains and the restaurant terraces only come alive after sunset.