What is the Dubai Metro Red Line?
The Dubai Metro Red Line is the backbone of Dubai's rail network. It is the longer of the two operational metro lines, stretching roughly 52 km along Sheikh Zayed Road from Centrepoint in Rashidiya to Life Pharmacy (formerly UAE Exchange) near Jebel Ali. The line opened on 9 September 2009 as part of the original Dubai Metro launch.
The Red Line serves 29 stations on its main alignment and connects directly to Dubai International Airport through two dedicated stations at Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. It passes through some of the most visited areas in the city, including Downtown Dubai, the DIFC financial district, Dubai Marina, Mall of the Emirates, and Ibn Battuta Mall.
At Union and BurJuman, the Red Line connects with the Green Line, allowing passengers to transfer between the two lines. The Red Line also has a branch called Route 2020 that splits off at National Paints station and runs 7 additional stations through to Expo 2020 (Expo City Dubai).
Red Line Route Overview
The Red Line runs mostly above ground along Sheikh Zayed Road, with underground sections through the older Deira district. From the Rashidiya side, the line passes through the airport area, crosses into Deira, continues through Bur Dubai, and then follows Sheikh Zayed Road southwest toward Jebel Ali.
The line crosses 5 fare zones (Zones 5, 6, 2, 3, and 1), which means a full end-to-end journey costs the maximum fare of AED 7.50 on a Silver Nol card. Most practical journeys within central Dubai stay within two zones.
Main Line: Centrepoint to Life Pharmacy
29 stations, approximately 49 minutes end to end.
The main trunk line runs from the eastern edge of Dubai near Rashidiya, through the airport and Deira, past Downtown and the Marina corridor, and down to Jebel Ali at the western end of the city.
Route 2020 Branch: National Paints to Expo 2020
7 stations, branching from National Paints station.
Built for the 2020 World Expo, this branch extends the Red Line through Discovery Gardens, Al Furjan, Jumeirah Golf Estates, and Dubai Investment Park to the Expo City Dubai terminus.
Complete Red Line Station List
Below is the full list of Red Line stations in order from Centrepoint (Rashidiya) to Life Pharmacy (Jebel Ali). Each station links to its detailed page with feeder bus connections, nearby landmarks, and practical travel information.
| Code | Station | Zone | Key Landmarks | Feeder Buses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R11 | Centrepoint | Zone 5 | Rashidiya, Centrepoint Shopping Mall | 6 routes |
| R12 | Emirates | Zone 5 | Emirates Housing Colony | 1 route |
| R13 | Airport Terminal 3 | Zone 5 | Dubai International Airport Terminal 3 | - |
| R14 | Airport Terminal 1 | Zone 5 | Dubai International Airport Terminal 1 | - |
| R15 | Al Garhoud | Zone 5 | GGICO Apartments, Al Garhoud | 1 route |
| R16 | City Centre Deira | Zone 5 | Deira City Centre Mall | - |
| R17 | Al Rigga | Zone 5 | Al Rigga Street | - |
| R18 | UnionInterchange | Zone 5 | Deira | 2 routes |
| R19 | BurjumanInterchange | Zone 6 | BurJuman Mall | - |
| R20 | ADCB | Zone 6 | ADCB Bank, Al Karama | - |
| R21 | max | Zone 6 | Zabeel Park | 3 routes |
| R22 | World Trade Center | Zone 6 | Dubai World Trade Centre | - |
| R23 | Emirates Towers | Zone 6 | Emirates Towers, DIFC | 1 route |
| R24 | Financial Centre | Zone 6 | DIFC | 1 route |
| R25 | Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall | Zone 6 | Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, Dubai Fountain | 1 route |
| R26 | Business Bay | Zone 6 | Business Bay District | 5 routes |
| R29 | ONPASSIVE | Zone 2 | Al Quoz, First Abu Dhabi Bank | 3 routes |
| R31 | Equiti | Zone 2 | Al Barsha, Sharaf DG | 3 routes |
| R32 | Mall of the Emirates | Zone 2 | Mall of the Emirates, Ski Dubai | 6 routes |
| R33 | InsuranceMarket | Zone 2 | Al Barsha, Mashreq | - |
| R34 | Dubai Internet City | Zone 2 | Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City | 3 routes |
| R35 | Al Fardan Exchange | Zone 2 | Tecom, Barsha Heights | 1 route |
| R36 | Sobha Realty | Zone 2 | The Greens, Emirates Hills | - |
| R37 | DMCC | Zone 2 | Jumeirah Lakes Towers | - |
| R38 | National Paints | Zone 2 | Jebel Ali Free Zone | 1 route |
| R39 | Ibn Battuta | Zone 2 | Ibn Battuta Mall | 2 routes |
| R40 | EnergyInterchange | Zone 2 | Discovery Gardens | 1 route |
| R41 | Danube | Zone 1 | The Gardens, Danube Metro Station | 5 routes |
| R42 | Life Pharmacy | Zone 1 | Dubai Investments Park | - |
Route 2020 Branch Stations
The Route 2020 branch splits from the main Red Line at National Paints station and serves areas south of Sheikh Zayed Road. It was built for the 2020 World Expo and continues as a permanent part of the network.
| Code | Station | Zone | Key Landmarks | Feeder Buses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R70 | The Gardens | Zone 2 | The Gardens, Discovery Gardens | - |
| R71 | Discovery Gardens | Zone 2 | Discovery Gardens | - |
| R72 | Al Furjan | Zone 2 | Al Furjan Community | 1 route |
| R73 | Jumeirah Golf Estates | Zone 3 | Jumeirah Golf Estates | 1 route |
| R74 | Dubai Investment Park | Zone 1 | - | 2 routes |
| R76 | EXPO 2020 | Zone 1 | Expo 2020 Site, Dubai South | 1 route |
Interchange Stations
The Red Line connects to the Green Line at two interchange stations. These are the only points in the current network where passengers can transfer between the two metro lines.
Union Station
Red Line (R18) and Green Line (G20)
Located in Deira, Union is one of the busiest stations in the network. It connects Red Line passengers travelling along Sheikh Zayed Road with Green Line passengers heading toward Al Qusais, Creek, or the old souq districts. The interchange is on different levels within the same station complex.
BurJuman Station
Red Line (R19) and Green Line (G26)
BurJuman is the second interchange, located in Bur Dubai next to BurJuman Mall. It provides transfers between the Red Line and the southern section of the Green Line, including stations serving Oud Metha, Dubai Healthcare City, Al Jadaf, and Creek.
Operating Hours
The Red Line follows a consistent weekly schedule, with slightly extended hours on Thursday nights and a later start on Fridays.
| Day | First Train | Last Train |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday to Wednesday | 5:00 AM | 12:00 AM (midnight) |
| Thursday | 5:00 AM | 1:00 AM (next day) |
| Friday | 10:00 AM | 1:00 AM (next day) |
Timings may change during Ramadan, public holidays, and major events. Check the Dubai Metro Timings page for the latest schedule.
Fare Zones on the Red Line
The Red Line passes through five of Dubai's seven fare zones. Your fare depends on how many zones you cross during your journey, not how many stops you travel. The zone sequence along the Red Line is: Zone 5 (Deira and airport area), Zone 6 (BurJuman through Business Bay), Zone 2 (Al Quoz through Jebel Ali), Zone 3 (Jumeirah Golf Estates on Route 2020), and Zone 1 (Life Pharmacy and Expo 2020 terminus areas).
| Zones Crossed | Silver / Personal | Gold Class | Red Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Within 1 zone | AED 3.00 | AED 6.00 | AED 4.00 |
| 2 adjacent zones | AED 5.00 | AED 10.00 | AED 6.00 |
| More than 2 zones | AED 7.50 | AED 15.00 | AED 8.50 |
Use the Fare Calculator to check the exact fare between any two stations, or plan your full trip with the Route Planner.
Key Attractions Along the Red Line
The Red Line passes through most of Dubai's major tourist and business districts. Here are some of the key destinations accessible directly from Red Line stations.
- Dubai International Airport (Airport Terminal 1 and Airport Terminal 3) for direct metro-to-terminal access.
- Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall from Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall station, with a covered walkway to the mall.
- Mall of the Emirates and Ski Dubai from Mall of the Emirates station.
- Dubai World Trade Centre and DIFC from World Trade Center and Emirates Towers stations.
- Ibn Battuta Mall from Ibn Battuta station.
- Deira City Centre Mall from City Centre Deira station.
- Expo City Dubai from the Expo 2020 station on the Route 2020 branch.
Connections to Other Transport
Beyond the Green Line interchange at Union and BurJuman, the Red Line connects to other transport options across the city.
- Dubai Tram: Transfer at Energy station (formerly Dubai Marina) for the Dubai Tram, which serves JBR, Palm Jumeirah monorail link, and the Marina waterfront.
- Dubai Blue Line (2029): The upcoming Blue Line will connect to the Red Line at Centrepoint station, extending metro access to Mirdif, Al Warqa, and International City.
- Feeder Buses: Most Red Line stations have feeder bus services that connect nearby residential areas, office districts, and shopping centres to the station.
- Nol Cards: The same Nol card works across metro, tram, buses, and water bus services, with free transfers within 30 minutes.
Explore the Full Network
The Red Line is one part of Dubai's growing metro system. Explore the other lines and plan your journeys across the whole network.