Dubai Metro Timings: Hours, Fares and Nol Cards

Dubai Metro runs from 05:00 to midnight Monday to Thursday and on Saturday, until 01:00 on Friday, and starts later at 08:00 on Sunday. Both the Red and Green Lines follow the same hours. Fares are zone-based from AED 3 to AED 7.50 and you pay with a Nol card. The Sunday late start is the detail that catches people out most often.

Dubai Metro at a glance

The metro is the backbone of public transport in Dubai, and for most journeys within the city it is faster than a bus because it is entirely separated from road traffic. Two lines are in service, and they use the same fare system and the same Nol card as the buses.

Item	Detail
Lines in service	Red Line and Green Line
Operator	RTA
Fares	AED 3 to AED 7.50, by zone
Payment	Nol card, no cash
Typical hours	05:00 to midnight, with variations by day
Overnight service	None, the metro closes at night

The absence of an overnight service is worth planning around. Unlike the C1 airport bus, which runs 24 hours, the metro shuts down every night, so late arrivals and early departures need a different plan.

Dubai Metro timings by day

The hours are not the same every day, and the two exceptions matter. Friday runs an hour later, and Sunday starts three hours later than the rest of the week.

Day	First train	Last train
Monday to Thursday	05:00	Midnight
Friday	05:00	01:00 the next day
Saturday	05:00	Midnight
Sunday	08:00	Midnight

The Sunday 08:00 opening is the single most useful thing on this page. If you have an early Sunday flight, an early shift, or an early appointment, the metro will not be running when you need it. Plan a taxi or the 24-hour C1 bus instead, and do not assume the weekday 05:00 start applies.

At the other end, the Friday extension to 01:00 gives you an extra hour, which is genuinely useful on the busiest social night of the week. Both lines follow these same hours, so there is no need to check them separately.

The Red Line and Green Line

The two lines serve different halves of the city, and knowing which one you need saves a lot of backtracking.

Line	Serves	Notable stations
Red Line	The main spine along Sheikh Zayed Road	BurJuman, Dubai Mall, Dubai Marina, the airport
Green Line	The older districts	Deira and Bur Dubai

The Red Line is the busier of the two and the one most visitors use, running the length of Sheikh Zayed Road and serving both Dubai Mall and Dubai Marina as well as the airport terminals. Our Dubai Metro Red Line guide covers its stations in detail.

The Green Line serves the historic heart of the city around Deira and Bur Dubai, which is where the souqs, the creek and several intercity bus terminals are. Our Dubai Metro Green Line guide covers that route. The two lines interchange, so you can cross between them without leaving the network.

Fares, zones and Nol cards

Metro fares work on the same zone system as Dubai’s buses, so a journey costs the same whether you take a bus or a train across the same zones.

Journey	Standard fare
Within one zone	AED 3
Across two zones	AED 5
Across three zones	AED 7.50

There are four types of Nol card, and the one you choose affects both cost and comfort.

Card	Best for
Silver	The standard card for regular travel
Gold	Access to the Gold Class cabin, at a higher fare
Blue	A personalised card, registered to you
Red Ticket	Short visits and occasional journeys

For most residents the Silver card is the sensible default. Visitors making only a few trips can use a Red Ticket instead. The same card works on the metro, buses, tram and even parking, so one card covers everything. The wider fare picture is in the UAE bus timings guide.

Ramadan, holidays and late nights

Metro hours are more stable than many people expect. During Ramadan in 2026, RTA confirmed that Red and Green Line hours matched the standard year-round schedule rather than shifting as they do in some years.

Public holidays and major events are the more likely cause of a change, and these usually mean the metro runs later rather than shorter. New Year, National Day and large events at venues on the network typically bring extended hours, announced by RTA in advance.

If you are travelling on a holiday or during a major event, check the RTA announcement for that specific date rather than assuming the standard timetable. Extensions are common and are published shortly beforehand.

For genuinely late nights, remember the metro is not a 24-hour service in any configuration. Once the last train has gone, your options are a taxi or, from the airport, the C1 bus covered in our Dubai airport bus routes guide.

Frequently asked questions

What time does Dubai Metro open and close?

It runs 05:00 to midnight Monday to Thursday and on Saturday, 05:00 to 01:00 on Friday, and 08:00 to midnight on Sunday. Both the Red and Green Lines follow the same hours, and there is no overnight service.

Why does the metro start late on Sunday?

Sunday opening is 08:00 rather than the 05:00 that applies on other days, a three-hour difference. If you need to travel early on a Sunday, plan a taxi or the 24-hour C1 bus, because the metro will not be running.

How much is a Dubai Metro ticket?

Fares are zone-based, from AED 3 within one zone, AED 5 across two zones, and AED 7.50 across three. You pay with a Nol card rather than cash, and the same card and fares apply on Dubai buses.

Which Nol card should I buy?

The Silver card suits most regular travel. The Gold card gives access to the Gold Class cabin at a higher fare, the Blue card is personalised and registered to you, and the Red Ticket is designed for short visits and occasional journeys.

Last verified: October 2026 against RTA published metro hours and fare information
Written by Roman Shah · Reviewed by the UAEexplained editorial team
Source: Roads and Transport Authority (RTA)
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