Pick your start station and your destination and this planner shows your route step by step: which line to board, which direction, where to change trains, how many stops, the fare, and an estimated travel time. It covers 53 distinct stations: 35 on the Red Line and 20 on the Green Line, with Union and BurJuman shared by both lines. Fares checked 2026-11-10, verify on rta.ae.
The planner uses the same fare engine as our Fare Calculator, so a trip priced here costs the same as the same trip priced there. One fare logic across the site, not two. The fare depends on the zones your route touches, not on distance or stops. The travel time is an estimate, and the page explains its basis below.
Metro route planner
Pick your stations and card type. The fare is an estimate only. The gate display is final.
A return is two single fares. There is no verified return discount.
Choose your From and To stations, then tap Plan my route.
Estimate only. The gate display is final. Verify on rta.ae. Fares checked 2026-11-10.
Minimum balance AED 7.50 (Silver/Gold), AED 3.50 (Blue). Children 5 and under travel free.
How to use the route planner
Pick your From station, pick your To station, choose your card or ticket type, choose one-way or return, then tap Plan my route. The result shows your route as numbered steps, your fare, the zones touched, the stops, and an estimated travel time.
- Choose your From station from the first dropdown.
- Choose your To station from the second dropdown.
- Choose your card or ticket type: Silver, Gold, Blue concession, Red Ticket Regular, Red Ticket Gold, QR Regular or QR Gold.
- Choose one-way or return, then tap Plan my route.
Each step names the line, the direction (the terminus to look for on the platform screen), the station to board at, the number of stops, and the station to get off at. If your trip crosses between the Red and Green Lines, a change step tells you where to change and to allow about 5 minutes to reach the connecting platform. If you pick Danube or Jumeirah Golf Estates as your start or end, the planner shows the route and the stops but no fare, because no single zone is verified for those two stations.
How the planner picks your route
The planner finds the route with the fewest stops. A trip on one line stays on that line. A trip across both lines changes at Union or BurJuman, whichever gives fewer stops in total. Both stations serve the Red and Green Lines, so the planner checks both and shows the shorter one.
- Same line, no change. A trip from Centrepoint to Mall of the Emirates stays on the Red Line, and a trip from e& to Creek stays on the Green Line.
- Cross line, one change. A trip from e& to Mall of the Emirates changes at Union (9 stops on the Green Line, then 11 on the Red Line), because changing at BurJuman would add 5 extra stops.
- Red Line split. The Red Line splits at National Paints into the Expo 2020 branch and the Life Pharmacy branch. The planner names the branch you need: towards Expo 2020, towards Life Pharmacy, or either train if your stop is before the split. Check the destination on the train before you board.
- Peak-only third route. In peak hours (7 to 9 am and 4 to 7 pm) a third Red Line route runs from Centrepoint to Al Fardan Exchange. It does not change the planner result, because it runs over the same stations as the other two routes.
The planner covers the Metro only. For buses, the Tram, water transport and door-to-door trips, use RTA’s own Wojhati journey planner or the S’hail app, which cover every mode.
Journey time: an estimate, not a timetable
RTA does not publish a per-trip journey time, so the time the planner shows is an estimate: about 2 to 3 minutes a stop, plus about 5 minutes if you change trains. The basis is the RTA timetable pattern: a full Red Line run from Centrepoint to Expo 2020 takes about 79 minutes for 30 stops, which works out to about 2 to 3 minutes a stop. The estimate does not include your walk to the platform or your wait for the first train.
Check live times before you travel. The estimate helps you judge whether a trip takes about 15 minutes or about 45 minutes. For the exact time of the next train and the last train from your station, check the S’hail app or our Dubai Metro Timings page. RTA announces holiday hours a few days before each holiday.
Fares on your route
Your fare depends on how many distinct zones your route touches. Dubai has 7 fare zones, Metro stations sit in zones 1, 2, 5 and 6 only, and a trip that touches 3 zones costs the top tier even if it is short. The planner counts the zones on your route and prices it from the same table as the Fare Calculator.
| Card or ticket type | 1 zone | 2 zones | More than 2 zones |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver | AED 3 | AED 5 | AED 7.50 |
| Gold | AED 6 | AED 10 | AED 15 |
| Blue concession | AED 1.50 | AED 2.50 | AED 3.75 |
| Red Ticket Regular | AED 4 | AED 6 | AED 8.50 |
| Red Ticket Gold | AED 8 | AED 12 | AED 17 |
| QR Regular | AED 6 | AED 8 | AED 10.50 |
| QR Gold | AED 10 | AED 14 | AED 19 |
Gold Class costs double Silver on Metro and Tram only. A return is two single fares, with no verified return discount. QR tickets launched 9 Oct 2026; their fares follow the RTA schedule as reported by Emirates 247, so re-check on rta.ae before you travel. For the full fare tables, passes and card comparison, see our Metro Fares and NOL Card hub and the Fare Calculator. The gate display is final.
First and last train
First train is 5:00 am Monday to Saturday and 8:00 am on Sunday, and service ends at midnight except Friday when it ends at 1:00 am. Service end is when the last trains finish, not when they leave, so the last train from your station leaves earlier. Last trains from the termini, Monday to Thursday and Saturday: Centrepoint 10:46 pm towards Expo 2020 and 10:50 pm towards Life Pharmacy; Expo 2020 10:44 pm towards Centrepoint; Life Pharmacy 10:52 pm towards Centrepoint; e& 11:23 pm towards Creek; Creek 11:25 pm towards e&. On Friday, add about one hour. See our Dubai Metro Timings page for the last train from every station, and the Dubai Metro Timings guide.
Tips for a smooth trip
- Read the destination, not just the line. On the Red Line the destination tells you which branch the train takes after National Paints: Expo 2020 or Life Pharmacy.
- Allow time to change. The planner adds about 5 minutes for a change at Union or BurJuman. Both stations are large, so follow the signs and do not rush.
- Check the last train before a late trip. A trip that needs a change must catch the last train on both legs. If the first leg is late, the second leg may already have left.
- Keep your balance topped up. You need at least AED 7.50 on a Silver or Gold card and AED 3.50 on a Blue card, or the gates will not open at your destination.
- Tap in and tap out. Both taps are mandatory on every trip, and the fare is worked out from the zones your route touches.
Frequently asked questions
The answers below use the same verified fares and zones as the planner above, checked 2026-11-10, and the gate display is final.
How do I plan a Dubai Metro route?
Choose your From station and your To station in the planner above, pick your card type, and tap Plan my route. The planner shows the line, the direction, the stops, any change of train, the fare and an estimated travel time. It covers all 53 distinct stations on the Red and Green Lines.
Which station do I change at between the Red and Green Lines?
Change at Union or BurJuman, whichever gives fewer stops. The planner checks both and shows the shorter one. Union is the northern interchange near the creek in Zone 5, and BurJuman is the southern one in Bur Dubai in Zone 6. Allow about 5 minutes to reach the connecting platform.
How long does a Dubai Metro trip take?
The planner estimates about 2 to 3 minutes a stop, plus about 5 minutes if you change trains. A full Red Line run from Centrepoint to Expo 2020 takes about 79 minutes for 30 stops. RTA does not publish a per-trip journey time, so treat the planner time as an estimate and check the S’hail app for live times.
How much does my trip cost?
On a Silver card a trip costs AED 3 for one zone, AED 5 for two zones and AED 7.50 for more than two zones. The planner prices your exact route from the zones it touches, using the same fare engine as the Fare Calculator. A return is two single fares, with no verified return discount.
What if my trip crosses the Red Line split?
The Red Line splits at National Paints into the Expo 2020 branch and the Life Pharmacy branch. The planner tells you which branch to board: towards Expo 2020, towards Life Pharmacy, or either train if your stop is before the split. Always check the destination on the train before you board.
Does the planner cover buses and the Tram?
No, the planner covers the Metro only. For buses, the Tram, water transport and door-to-door trips, use RTA’s Wojhati journey planner or the S’hail app. The Tram connects with the Metro at Sobha Realty and DMCC, and all 11 Tram stops are in Zone 2, so a Tram-only trip is a 1 zone trip.
Routes, fares and times on this page were checked 2026-11-10 against the official RTA rail network map (published 2026.09.25) and the RTA Nol Fares page. Verify on rta.ae before you travel. The gate display is final. See also our Dubai Metro Map and the Dubai Metro Map 2026 guide.
