Dubai Metro lines: Red, Green, Blue & Gold
Two lines run today - Red and Green, sharing one timetable and one Nol fare system - with two more on the way. Here is each line at a glance; every card links to its full guide.
The four lines compared
| Line | Stations | Length | Runs between | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Line | 35 | 67.1 km | Centrepoint / Expo 2020 / Life Pharmacy | Open since September 2009 |
| Green Line | 20 | 22.5 km | e& / Creek | Open since September 2011 |
| Blue Line | 14 | 30 km | Creek and Centrepoint branches, meeting at International City | Under construction, opens 9 September 2029 |
| Gold Line | 18 | 42 km | Al Ghubaiba to Jumeirah Golf Estates | Announced, opens 9 September 2032 |
How the lines fit together
The Red Line is the spine: airport to Jebel Ali along Sheikh Zayed Road, with branches to Expo 2020 and Life Pharmacy. The Green Line is the old-Dubai loop through Deira and Bur Dubai, crossing the Red Line at Union and BurJuman. The Blue Line (2029) extends east to International City, Silicon Oasis and Academic City, and the Gold Line (2032) adds a fully underground coastal corridor from Al Ghubaiba to Jumeirah Golf Estates.
Which line do I need?
Most visitor trips use the Red Line; the Green Line comes in for old Dubai. The stations below are the usual stops for the city’s best-known places:
- Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Mall: Red Line to Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall, then the air-conditioned walkway. Walking route.
- Dubai Marina and JBR beach: Red Line to DMCC or Sobha Realty, then the tram for the beach. JBR by metro.
- Gold Souq and the Deira souqs: Green Line to Gold Souq or Al Ras.
- Al Fahidi historic district: Green Line to Sharaf DG, or Al Ghubaiba for the creek-side abras.
- Mall of the Emirates: Red Line to Mall of the Emirates.
- Expo City Dubai: Red Line on a train signed Expo 2020, to Expo 2020. Expo City guide.
- Dubai International Airport: Red Line to Airport Terminal 1 or Airport Terminal 3. Terminal 2 has no station; Dubai Airport Free Zone on the Green Line is the closest. Getting to Terminal 2.
For any other pair of stations, the fare calculator shows the route, the number of zones and the fare.
Changing between lines
Red and Green meet at two stations: Union in Deira and BurJuman in Bur Dubai. The change happens inside the paid area, so there is no extra tap and no extra fare — you pay once for the whole journey by the zones you cross. As a rule of thumb, change at Union if you are coming from the airport side and at BurJuman if you are coming from Downtown or the Marina; that way you never ride away from your destination to make the connection.
The new lines will add more interchanges. The Blue Line will connect with the existing network at Creek and Centrepoint. The Gold Line’s confirmed interchanges include Al Ghubaiba, Business Bay, Jumeirah Golf Estates. Details are on each line’s tracker page.
Full network view: interactive map + PDF · hours: timings · costs: fares & Nol cards.