Dubai Metro & Traffic — Every Way to Move Around Dubai
Two driverless Metro lines cross the whole city, the Tram loops the Marina, buses and taxis fill the gaps, and one Nol card rides them all. Here is every way to move around Dubai in one place — the lines and hours exactly as the RTA publishes them, plus the honest doors to live traffic on the day you travel.
Travelling now? Check the live picture on RTA
Service changes, delays and planned works are announced by the RTA itself — we won't guess them here. For today's running status and door-to-door journey planning, use the RTA's official tools:
The two lines
| Line | Runs between |
|---|---|
| Red Line | Centrepoint (R11) and Expo 2020 (R76) / Life Pharmacy (R42) — the line splits towards its southern end, so check the destination on the front of the train. |
| Green Line | e& (G11) and Creek (G30), across Deira and Bur Dubai. |
Change between the Red and Green lines at the two interchange stations: Union (R18/G20) and BurJuman (R19/G26). Sobha Realty (R36) and DMCC (R37) connect the Metro with the Dubai Tram.
Lines, termini and interchanges as listed on RTA's timetable page, rta.ae.
Station opening hours (all lines)
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday to Thursday | 05:00 AM – 12:00 AM (midnight) |
| Friday | 05:00 AM – 01:00 AM (next day) |
| Saturday | 05:00 AM – 12:00 AM (midnight) |
| Sunday | 08:00 AM – 12:00 AM (midnight) |
These are the station opening hours the RTA publishes for all Metro lines. The last train from your own station can leave before the closing time, and hours are often extended on public holidays and big event nights — confirm your exact train on RTA's timetable page before a late trip.
Fares: one card, seven zones
You ride with a Nol card — cash is not accepted. Fares are charged by the number of zones you pass: AED 3 within one zone, AED 5 across two, AED 7.50 across more than two with a Silver or Personal card, and you need at least AED 7.50 of balance to start a Metro journey. The full breakdown — card types, Gold Class and Red Ticket fares, and the official balance check — is on our Nol page:
Nol Card Guide & Balance Check →
Fares and details checked against salik.ae / rta.ae on 7 November 2026 — always confirm on the official site before you travel.
Keep planning the journey
Dubai Tram — the Marina loop
One line (T1) runs along Al Sufouh Road through Dubai Marina and JBR — 11 stations from Jumeirah Beach Residence to Al Sufouh. It meets the Metro Red Line at Sobha Realty (R36) and DMCC (R37), and you pay with the same Nol card.
| Day | Tram station hours |
|---|---|
| Monday to Saturday | 06:00 AM – 01:00 AM (next day) |
| Sunday | 09:00 AM – 01:00 AM (next day) |
Tram station opening hours as published on RTA's timetable page (rta.ae), checked 7 November 2026 — holiday and event timetables are published separately by RTA.
Buses — the rest of the city
RTA buses cover the neighbourhoods the Metro does not reach, and feeder buses are timed to meet Metro trains at the stations. Every bus takes the same Nol card — cash is not accepted. Routes and live times change too often to print honestly here, so plan the exact journey in RTA's planner:
Taxis & ride-hailing
Licensed taxis — run by Dubai Taxi Corporation and the franchise companies — can be hailed on the street, booked in RTA's S'hail app, or ordered as a Hala Taxi through the Careem app. Ride-hailing apps such as Careem and Uber also operate across Dubai. Taxis charge by the meter; always check the meter is running when your trip starts.
Driving yourself?
Traffic right now
We will not fake a live traffic feed — conditions on Sheikh Zayed Road can change in ten minutes. For the real picture right now, use the two sources the whole city uses:
Google Maps — live Dubai traffic layer →
RTA — official road & service updates →
Green means moving, red means queued — check before you set off, especially on the Dubai–Sharjah routes at peak hours.
First ride?
Buy a Silver Nol card, keep AED 15 on it, and the whole city opens up. Our Nol guide walks you through the cards and the fares.
Read the Nol Card Guide Read DXB Talk guides