Dubai Metro zones explained: 7 zones, 3 fares, zero confusion
Dubai’s transport map is divided into seven numbered zones, but the metro only ever charges three prices - based on how many zones your trip passes through. Once that clicks, every fare in the city becomes predictable. Here is the whole system, including the two quirks that confuse everyone.
The three fare tiers
| Your journey | Silver Nol | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Stays inside 1 zone | AED 3.00 | Union → Al Rigga |
| Crosses into a 2nd zone | AED 5.00 | Airport → Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall |
| Passes through 3+ zones | AED 7.50 | Airport → Dubai Marina |
That is the entire per-journey pricing model. Distance in kilometres is irrelevant; only zone boundaries matter. The maximum published fare for a single regular-class metro journey is AED 7.50. For unlimited travel, the RTA sells separate Travel Pass products; its current fare page does not publish an automatic AED 14 daily cap.
Zones on the map
Zone numbers shown beside each station. Toggle them off with the Fare zones switch.
The two quirks worth knowing
- The creek is the 5/6 boundary. All of Deira - including Union, Baniyas Square, the Gold Souq - sits in zone 5. Cross Dubai Creek to Al Ghubaiba or BurJuman and you are in zone 6. A one-stop hop across the creek is therefore a 2-zone fare - the shortest expensive trip in Dubai.
- Jumeirah Golf Estates is a zone-3 pocket. The Route 2020 branch runs 2 → 3 → 1 through it, so trips along that branch can touch three zones across a short distance. Our calculator counts this correctly; flat mental arithmetic will not.
Which zone is my station in?
Zone 1 (4 stations)
Danube · Life Pharmacy · Dubai Investment Park · Expo 2020
Zone 2 (14 stations)
Garmin · Equiti · Mall of the Emirates · InsuranceMarket.ae · Dubai Internet City · Al Fardan Exchange · Sobha Realty · DMCC · National Paints · Ibn Battuta · Energy · The Gardens · Discovery Gardens · Al Furjan
Zone 3 (1 station)
Jumeirah Golf Estates
Zone 5 (20 stations)
Centrepoint · Emirates · Airport Terminal 3 · Airport Terminal 1 · Al Garhoud · City Centre Deira · Al Rigga · Union · e& · Al Qusais · Dubai Airport Free Zone · Al Nahda · Stadium · Al Qiyadah · Abu Hail · Abu Baker Al Siddique · Salah Al Din · Baniyas Square · Gold Souq · Al Ras
Zone 6 (14 stations)
BurJuman · ADCB · Max · World Trade Centre · Emirates Towers · Financial Centre · Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall · Business Bay · Al Ghubaiba · Sharaf DG · Oud Metha · Dubai Healthcare City · Al Jadaf · Creek
Zones 4 and 7 exist in the RTA system but contain no metro stations - they matter for buses, not for this network.
Worked examples
| Journey | Zones crossed | Fare | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union → Al Rigga | 1 | AED 3.00 | Two stops, one zone - the cheapest kind of trip |
| Airport Terminal 3 → Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall | 2 | AED 5.00 | Airport to Downtown crosses the creek boundary |
| Airport Terminal 3 → Sobha Realty | 3 | AED 7.50 | Airport to Marina spans the network |
| BurJuman → Mall of the Emirates | 2 | AED 5.00 | Bur Dubai to MOE |
| Dubai Investment Park → Al Furjan | 3 | AED 7.50 | Neighbouring communities through the JGE pocket |
Zones: quick answers
How many zones does the Dubai Metro have?
Dubai has 7 transport zones, of which 5 contain metro stations (zones 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6). Fares use just 3 tiers: 1 zone, 2 zones, or 3+ zones crossed.
Do I pay more for changing lines at Union or BurJuman?
No. Interchanging is free and happens inside the paid area - only the zones your overall journey passes through set the fare.
Which zone is Dubai Airport in?
Both airport stations (Terminal 1 and Terminal 3) are in zone 5, together with the rest of Deira up to the creek.
Which zone is Downtown Dubai / Burj Khalifa in?
Zone 6 - the central zone covering Bur Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road and Business Bay.
Which zone is Dubai Marina in?
Zone 2, along with JLT, Ibn Battuta and most of the southern Red Line. Airport to Marina is a 3-zone journey: AED 7.50 on Silver Nol.
Does RTA publish an automatic daily fare cap?
No automatic AED 14 cap is listed on RTA's current fare page. Zone fares are charged per journey unless you buy a separate Travel Pass, including a 1-day Red Ticket pass.
Are bus and tram zones the same as metro zones?
Yes - the 7 zones cover all RTA public transport, which is why a metro-plus-bus transfer within 30 minutes prices as one journey.
Why did my short trip cost AED 5?
You crossed a zone boundary - most likely Dubai Creek (zone 5 to 6). Fares count boundaries, not distance, so one stop across the creek costs more than ten stops inside Deira.
The calculator uses our station-zone dataset and the published RTA fare tiers. For a disputed or boundary-case fare, check with the RTA before travel.