Menu

Dubai Metro route guides: station to station

Independent transport guide · Source: RTA (rta.ae) · Unofficial guide — for live updates use the RTA S’hail app

Pick a journey and get the full picture in one page: which train to board and in which direction, every station you will pass, fare estimates by card type, and the limits of the journey-time calculation. Routes are computed from our stored network data, not a live timetable. Need a pair that is not listed? The fare calculator prices any two stations instantly - and links to the matching route guide.

Choose the stations for your rail journey below, or use the fare calculator for another pair. These route guides combine the site's station graph and fare data into a planning result. They are not live directions from the RTA.

Choose the right start and finish

A destination name and a metro station name are not always the same thing. Start with the station you can actually reach from your terminal, hotel or bus connection. At the other end, allow time from the platform to the attraction or address. A rail journey ending at Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station, for example, is not a door-to-door journey to every entrance in Downtown.

If your trip begins at an airport, read the airport-to-Downtown guide or the Terminal 2 guide first. For Marina and JBR journeys, check the tram connections rather than assuming the metro serves the final address.

Read a route result in this order

  1. Stations and interchanges. Check the ordered stops and any change of train. At the station, use the platform signs and train destination display to confirm the service actually serves your destination, particularly on a branching line.
  2. Fare and card type. Compare the displayed fare for the Nol product you will use. A point-to-point rail fare does not necessarily include buying a card, another operator's ticket or a taxi at either end. A pass or personal concession may change what you pay.
  3. Time allowance. Treat the computed journey time as a rough rail-planning estimate. Add your own allowance for waiting, platform access, transfers, queues and the walk after arrival. Those allowances matter more when carrying luggage or travelling to a fixed appointment.
  4. Departure check. Use the RTA S'hail app, official information or station staff to confirm the service before travelling. A network closing time is not the last train from every station in every direction.

For late trains and flight connections

Do not use a computed route time to decide the latest possible departure for a flight. Work backwards from the airline's check-in requirements, include the terminal connection and a contingency, and confirm the relevant train service. If you need an onward bus or tram, check its operating hours separately. The site's tools do not monitor disruptions or guarantee a connection.

Found an incorrect station order, fare or interchange? Send us the route address and an official source so it can be checked. For the overall network and its limitations, see the metro map; for the fare model, see zones explained.

From the airport (Terminal 3)

From Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall

From Union (city centre)

From Mall of the Emirates

From the Marina (Sobha Realty)

From Expo City (Expo 2020)

How these guides work

Every route page is generated from the same dataset that powers our interactive map and fare calculator: the station graph, the RTA zone model and the current fare matrix. When the RTA renames a station or changes a fare, one data update corrects every route at once. Journey times are estimates (about two minutes per stop plus interchange time); for live departures use the RTA S'hail app.

Frequently asked questions

How accurate are the journey times?

They use two minutes per stop, six per train change and a two-minute allowance. This is a rough model, not a measured prediction; actual waits, walking and disruption can make the journey longer. Use the RTA planner for your departure date and time.

Do I need a different ticket if my route changes lines?

No. A change at Union or BurJuman happens inside the paid area and the whole journey counts as one fare, priced by the zones you cross. Do not tap out at the interchange.

Can I get a route that is not listed here?

Yes - every station pair on the network has a route page. Use the fare calculator to pick any origin and destination, and follow the route guide link in the result.