The Dubai Metro was flagged off on the 9th of September 2009 and has become synonymous with one of the world’s cleanest, most modern, and most advanced rail systems. Especially in a country where taxis and cabs can be quite expensive, the Dubai Metro forms the backbone of the transportation system.

It should come as no surprise then that more than a million people (residents and tourists alike) used the metro in one day at its peak . Now that’s mindblowing!

With such a large ridership, it's only normal to have several questions. In this article, we’ll aim to answer all frequently asked queries about the Dubai Metro and provide you with some interesting additional facts.

So without further ado, let’s get into it!

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1. How Much Does Dubai Metro Cost?

The Dubai Metro is quite reasonably priced for the utility it provides. The pricing is based on the different zones. For an adult who travels one Zone, the cost is 3 Dirhams, 2 Zones is 5 Dirhams, and 3 Zones is 7.5 Dirhams.

It is important to note that this is the cost only if you have the Dubai Metro card called the NOL card. For one-off tickets, the price is higher by a Dirham and if you want to travel Gold Class in true Dubai fashion, expect to pay double.

2. Is the Dubai Metro 24-hour?

Unfortunately, the Dubai Metro does not run 24 hours a day. Not even on the weekends or public holidays. The only time the Dubai Metro ran 24 hours was on the last day of the Dubai Expo.

3. What Time does the Dubai Metro Close? What Time does it Open?

It is important to note that even though the Dubai Metro runs 7 days a week, it has different timings for weekdays and for weekends.

It is open from Monday to Thursday: 5 am to 1.15 am (next day), Friday and Saturday: 5 am to 2.15 am (next day), and on Sundays from 8 am to 1.15 am (next day)

4. How Many Metro Stations are there in Dubai?

The Dubai Metro boasts a total of 55 stations. These stations are split into ‘2 Lines’ called the Red Line and the Green Line which service different parts of the city.

The Red Line consists of 35 stations while the Green Line includes 20 stations.

5. How to get a Metro Card in Dubai?

Dubai Metro Cards or NOL cards as they are called are available at all Metro Stations for 25 AED with a travel credit of AED 19. You can add up to AED 1000 to your e-purse and the same NOL card can be used on buses as well.

There is a Gold NOL Card available too that you can purchase for the same amount if you would like to travel in Gold Class. However, remember that each journey costs double so maintain an adequate balance at all times.

For those looking to make single trips, you can buy the RED NOL ticket.

6. Can I Travel to Other Emirates Using the Dubai Metro?

As the name suggests, Dubai Metro is only limited to Dubai.

Travelling to Sharjah using the Dubai Metro to beat the rush hour traffic is alas only a distant dream. Yes, we are sad about it too!

We hope that answered some of your burning questions about the Dubai Metro. Now let’s look at some more interesting facts worth knowing about this stunning rail system.

7. Connects Some Big Attractions

The Dubai Metro connects some of Dubai’s most popular places and tourist destinations.

You can use the Dubai Metro to go to the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa. You can also go to Dubai Airport Terminals 1 and 3 by the Metro.

8. The Annual Pass

Did you know? The Dubai Metro also provides monthly and annual passes for frequent users. The monthly pass will set you back AED 350 while the yearly pass is priced at AED 2670.

If you use Dubai Metro for your daily commute, you can save a fair bit of money by opting for the above-mentioned passes!

9. Expansion Plans

The Red line of the Dubai Metro was recently expanded on account of the Dubai Expo 2020. The new stations opened up in 2021 (on account of the Expo being postponed by a year due to the Covid-19 Pandemic) taking the Red Line stations to 35 in total.

There are plans to extend the Green Line in the near future by 11 stations and 20 KMs to cover International City, Dubai Silicon Oasis, and Academic City.

10. Fines of the Metro

Dubai can be a strict place and behaving appropriately in public is very important. The Dubai Metro is no different.

You can be fined for eating or drinking on the metro, for playing loud music, and even for sleeping on the metro which can cost you AED 300! So it's better to be mindful of the rules at all times.

11. Inaugurated by the Rulers

As mentioned, the Dubai Metro was flagged off in 2009. But did you know it was the Rulers of this great country that inaugurated the Metro Lines?

H.H Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Red Line, starting with 10 stations on 9/9/2011, while the Green Line of the Metro was opened by H.H Shaikh Mohammed.

12. Dubai Metro Speed

The Dubai metro is capable of reaching top speeds of 90 km/h, completing an entire trip within 2 hours and 23 minutes. Now that’s fast!

13. Length of the Metro

The length of the Dubai Metro is another interesting fact.

The Red Line is significantly longer than the Green Line with a total length of 67 KMs post the extension in 2021. The Green Line is still 22.5 KMs long.

14. Increase in Ridership

Since the inception of the Dubai Metro, the ridership numbers have only gone in one direction - UP!

The total number of people using the metro is estimated to be around 202,978,067 trips per year as of 2019.

15. Highly Monitored

Remember how we mentioned the Dubai Metro fines?

The authorities make sure the entire rail system is closely monitored with 5000+ CCTV cameras installed across trains and stations on the Metro ensuring unprecedented security for travellers.

16. The Names of the Station

In many cases, the Dubai Metro stations are named after companies that bought naming rights from the authorities.

Many behemoths of the Dubai business world have had stations named after them such as Emirates Airlines, ADCB Bank, and Sharaf DG to name just a few.

17. Recently Renamed Stations

As of 2023, Dubai Metro renamed several stations on both lines. Some of these were renamed to accommodate more companies that bought naming rights.

The naming rights of Al Safa Metro Station were given to global technology company ONPASSIVE while Rashidiya Metro Station was renamed Centrepoint station.

Other station name changes were Al Jafiliya Station to Max Fashion Station and the Dubai Marina Station to Sobha Realty Station. Both these stations are a part of the Red Line.

So What is Unique About the Dubai Metro?

Everything mentioned above in addition to the fact that it is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's longest automated driverless train system.

We tried to make this blog post as comprehensive as possible so we hope you found this article insightful and useful!

If you did, why not share it on your social profiles or send it to a friend? The Dubai Metro is certainly something to be proud of for every Dubai resident!

That’s all from us at Wise Move for now. Until next time - Choose Wisely!

Trusted movers and packers service in Dubai

All Covered. No Hassle. Low-cost movers and packers expert in Dubai — book now!

What are you moving?

• Item

  — furniture, electronic, antique, box etc.
  • — Furniture

    sofa, table, bed, bookcase, chest, drawer etc.
  • — Item

    packed item, electronic, antique, box etc.
• Move

  — home move, office move
  • — Home
  • — Office
• Piano

  — grand piano, upright piano, digital piano etc.
• Other

  — construction material etc.

Get Prices