Dubai’s Metro is clean, cheap, air-conditioned and almost always faster than a taxi during the day. It is also the single biggest thing standing between a visitor and a large taxi bill. Here is everything you need to use it properly.
The two lines
- Red Line — the one you will use. Runs from the airport along Sheikh Zayed Road through Downtown, Business Bay, Al Barsha, the Marina and out to Expo City.
- Green Line — loops through old Dubai: Deira, the Creek, Bur Dubai, Al Fahidi.
They interchange at Union and BurJuman. If you are going between new Dubai and old Dubai, you will change at one of those two.
The Nol card — you cannot travel without one
There are no paper tickets for regular travel. You need a Nol card, sold at every station and at the airport.
| Card | Cost | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Silver | AED 25 (includes AED 19 credit) | Almost every visitor |
| Red (paper) | AED 2 + fare | One or two journeys only |
| Gold | AED 25 (includes AED 19 credit) | Gold Class carriage, double fare |
Buy a silver Nol. One card can be shared between adults travelling together — tap it once per person at the gate.
What it costs
Fares are zone-based:
- Within one zone — AED 3
- Two zones — AED 5
- Three or more zones — AED 7.50
A day pass is available for around AED 20 if you plan a lot of hops. For most visitors, pay-as-you-go on a silver card is simpler and cheaper.
Opening hours
Roughly 05:00 to midnight, with later running on Friday and Saturday nights and a later start on Sunday. It does not run in the early hours. If you land at 03:00, take a taxi — see getting from DXB to your hotel.
Stations that matter to visitors
- Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall — for Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall and the Fountain. ⚠️ It is a 15-minute covered walk from the platform to the mall — not a two-minute one.
- Mall of the Emirates — directly connected to the mall.
- DMCC / Sobha Realty — for Dubai Marina; connects to the tram for JBR.
- Al Fahidi (Green Line) — for the old quarter and the abra station.
- Al Ras (Green Line) — for the Gold Souk and Spice Souk.
Rules people get caught by
- No eating or drinking anywhere in stations or trains — including water. Fines are real and enforced.
- The first carriage is Gold Class and the next section is women and children only. Men entering either by mistake get fined.
- Large luggage is restricted at peak times.
- Tap in and tap out. Forgetting to tap out charges you the maximum fare.
The tram, buses and the Palm monorail
The Dubai Tram runs through the Marina and JBR and connects to the Metro; the same Nol card works. Buses also take Nol and are cheap but slow.
The Palm Monorail is separate, does not take Nol, is slow and infrequent, and is rarely worth its fare — take a taxi onto the Palm instead.
When to take a taxi instead
- After midnight
- Three or more people travelling together — the fares stack up and a taxi becomes competitive
- Anywhere the Metro does not reach: the Palm, most of Jumeirah, Kite Beach, the desert camps
- Peak-hour Sheikh Zayed Road traffic is when the Metro wins hardest — do not take a taxi at 08:00 or 18:00
Common questions
Can I pay with a bank card at the gate?
No. You need a Nol card, but you can buy and top it up by card.
Can two people share one Nol card?
Yes, for adults travelling together — tap once per person on entry and exit.
Is there a Metro to the Palm?
No. Take the Metro to Nakheel or DMCC and a taxi from there.
Does the Metro go to Abu Dhabi?
No. Use the intercity bus from Al Ghubaiba station.
Fares and hours verified August 2026 — RTA changes them periodically. See our editorial policy.
