Dubai Metro Timings: Opening and Closing Hours for Every Day

Before you ride the Dubai Metro, the first thing to figure out is pretty basic. What time does it start, and when’s the last train? That trips people up more than you’d think, because the hours shift depending on the day. Fridays and Sundays are the ones that catch folks off guard.

Below you’ll find the current Dubai Metro timings for both the Red Line and Green Line, along with how long you’ll wait between trains, what changes during holidays, and some stuff that’s good to know if you’re traveling late.

Dubai Metro Timings by Day

Red Line and Green Line run on the same clock, so no need to look them up individually. These are the regular hours from the RTA:

On Fridays the service goes an extra hour, until 1:00 AM. Good if you’re out late in Marina or JBR. Sundays though? Doesn’t start until 8:00 AM. That one burns people who have somewhere to be early. Book a taxi or ride app instead. And no, there’s no overnight service. Once the last train goes, that’s it until morning.

How Often Do Trains Come?

Depends on the time of day, honestly. Peak hours are roughly 6:00 to 8:30 AM and again 5:00 to 7:00 PM. During those windows trains show up every 2 to 4 minutes, which is pretty decent. Outside of that you’re probably waiting 5 to 7 minutes.

Late at night, after about 11:00 PM, it slows right down. Sunday mornings are dead quiet too (so factor that in if you’re catching an early meeting in DIFC). For the last train, be on the platform at least ten minutes before it leaves. Missing it means a taxi, full stop.

Red Line and Green Line Basics

Red Line is the big one. Longer, more crowded, goes through all the tourist spots. It runs from Centrepoint in the northeast down to Expo 2020 in the south, stopping at the airport, Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Marina. Green Line sticks to the older neighbourhoods. Deira, Bur Dubai, that side of the creek. Goes from e& to Creek.

The two lines connect at Union and BurJuman. You can switch there without tapping out, so your fare carries on. Those two stations are the only places you can switch lines though. Worth checking your route on the S’hail app before you head out so you know which one to use.

Metro Timings During Ramadan and Eid

Regular hours don’t change during Ramadan, so the table above still applies for that. Eid is a different story. The RTA usually extends service across the holiday days. For Eid Al Adha 2026, both lines ran from 5:00 AM to 1:00 AM the next day, including Sunday from 8:00 AM.

National Day and New Year’s Eve tend to get extended hours too, but the RTA announces the exact times fairly close to each date. Check the RTA website or the S’hail app a day or two before any public holiday.

Getting Ready to Ride

You need a nol card to travel, since the gates don’t take cash or bank cards. Keep at least AED 7.50 on it, which is the minimum balance the RTA asks for. You can top up and check your balance at any station machine.

Some other points before your first ride:

• The front carriages are Gold class, so make sure your card matches before you board.
• Women and children have a dedicated carriage, marked on the platform floor.
• No food or drinks on the train or even inside the station. Fines apply.
• Got a flight before 6:00 AM? The metro won’t get you there in time. Taxi’s your only option.

Planning a day in Downtown? The Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall station is a short walk from the mall. Our post on Dubai Mall opening hours has the full breakdown of when the mall opens and closes each day, including Fridays.

Final Tips for Planning Your Trip

Check the schedule the night before. Seriously, just do it, especially for Sundays or any holiday. Download the S’hail app for live updates. And if your evening runs long, keep a ride app ready on your phone because the last train at midnight won’t wait. A quick check beforehand saves a lot of scrambling later.