Dubai Airport to Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall by Metro: Time, Fare & Walk

In short, the Metro from Dubai Airport to Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall takes about 25 to 30 minutes and costs AED 5 on a Silver nol card, then you walk about 10 to 15 minutes through the Metro Link Bridge into Dubai Mall. The route is simple: board the Red Line at Airport Terminal 1 or Terminal 3 in Zone 5, ride 12 stops from Terminal 3 or 11 stops from Terminal 1, and get off at Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall in Zone 6. There is no change of train, and the trip touches 2 zones, which is what sets the AED 5 fare. This guide covers the whole journey door to door: ticket, fare, ride, walk, luggage, Terminal 2, and the taxi alternative. Fares and times were checked 11 Nov 2026. Check RTA on the day you travel.

The trip in one minute

In short, the Metro from Dubai Airport to Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall takes about 25 to 30 minutes and costs AED 5 on a Silver nol card. Add the walk and the whole journey from the airport platform to the doors of Dubai Mall takes about 40 to 45 minutes. That is the number to plan around if you have a Burj Khalifa ticket time, because the train is only part of the trip. The only thing that changes the plan is your terminal: Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 have a Metro station, and Terminal 2 does not.

• Line: Red Line, direct, no change of train.
• From: Airport Terminal 3 (Zone 5) or Airport Terminal 1 (Zone 5).
• To: Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall (Zone 6), 12 stops from Terminal 3, 11 from Terminal 1.
• Fare: AED 5 Silver, AED 10 Gold, AED 6 Red Ticket, AED 8 QR single.
• Walk: about 10 to 15 minutes across the Metro Link Bridge into Dubai Mall.

Which terminal are you in?

Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 each have a Metro station inside the terminal, and Terminal 2 has none. That one fact decides your whole journey, so check your boarding pass or flight booking before you land. Terminal 3 is the Emirates terminal, and Terminal 1 serves most other international airlines. Both airport stations are on the Red Line in Zone 5, so the fare and the route to Burj Khalifa are the same from either one. Terminal 1 is one stop closer to the city, so its ride is about 2 to 3 minutes shorter. If you land at Terminal 2, skip to the Terminal 2 section below, because you will need a bus or a taxi first.

Terminal	Metro station	Zone	What to do
Terminal 1	Airport Terminal 1	Zone 5	Walk to the station inside the terminal and ride the Red Line
Terminal 2	No Metro station	–	Take RTA bus 43 to Stadium Metro station, or take a taxi
Terminal 3	Airport Terminal 3	Zone 5	Walk to the station inside the terminal and ride the Red Line

Both stations sit inside their terminal building, so you do not need a shuttle or a bus to reach the platform. See our Airport Terminal 1 Metro Station and Airport Terminal 3 Metro Station guides for each station in detail, and our Dubai Airport by Metro page for the full airport guide.

Step by step: from arrivals to the platform

First, from the arrivals hall, follow the red Metro signs to the station inside your terminal. The walk to the platform takes about 5 to 8 minutes as reported in airport guides, so allow a few minutes more if you stop to buy a card.

1. Follow the red Metro signs from the arrivals hall to the station inside Terminal 1 or Terminal 3.
2. Buy a NOL card or a Red Ticket at the ticket office or a vending machine, or buy a QR ticket in the nol Pay or S’hail app.
3. Check you have at least AED 7.50 on a Silver or Gold card, or the gates will not open.
4. Tap in at the gate, then follow the signs to the platform. Check the destination on the train before you board.
5. Board a Red Line train towards Expo 2020 or towards Life Pharmacy. Both directions pass through Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall.
6. Ride 12 stops from Terminal 3, or 11 stops from Terminal 1, and get off at Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall. Tap out at the gates.

Both taps are mandatory, and the fare is worked out from the zones your route touches. If the gate will not open, check your balance first: the most common cause is a card below the AED 7.50 minimum. Each person needs their own card or ticket.

Where to buy a NOL card or QR ticket at the airport

You can buy your NOL card at the ticket office or the vending machines inside the Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 Metro stations. The machines take cash and cards and hand the card over on the spot. There are also NOL Pay Smart Kiosks in the Terminal 3 arrivals hall that accept international credit cards. If you would rather not buy a card at all, buy a QR ticket on your phone instead: it is a digital Red Ticket in the nol Pay or S’hail app, and it scans at the blue gate.

Ticket	Price	Best for
Red Ticket	AED 2 plus fare	One or two trips, up to 10 trips within 90 days
Silver NOL card	AED 25 (AED 19 credit)	Regular pay as you go travel for a stay of more than a day
Gold NOL card	AED 25 (AED 19 credit)	Gold Class cabins, at double Silver fares
QR ticket (nol Pay or S’hail app)	From AED 6 Regular single, AED 22 day pass, plus AED 2 fee per transaction	A visitor with a phone and no card who needs one or two trips

• Top-up minimums catch visitors out. A ticket machine takes AED 20 or more, and a ticket office starts at AED 50, so a first top-up is bigger than most arrivals expect.
• Do not top up online while standing at the gate. Online credit sits pending for up to 4 hours before it activates, so it will not open the gate. Top up at the machine or the office instead.
• Keep AED 7.50 on a Silver or Gold card. Below that the gates will not open, and the same minimum applies when activating a pending balance at the gates.

Card prices above are corroborated by guides citing RTA, not directly read on the RTA fares page. For a QR ticket, buy before you reach the gate, while you have internet: screenshots do not work. See our Metro Fares and NOL Card Hub for the full card comparison. Fares checked 11 Nov 2026, verify on rta.ae.

Fare and time: the numbers

In brief, the fare from the airport to Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall is AED 5 on a Silver card, because the trip touches 2 zones. The airport stations are in Zone 5 and Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall is in Zone 6, so every ticket type below is priced for 2 zones. Times are estimates at about 2 to 3 minutes a stop, because RTA does not publish a per-trip journey time. The table below is dated 11 Nov 2026. Check RTA on the day you travel.

From	Stops	Time	Silver	Gold	Red Ticket	QR single
Airport Terminal 3	12	About 25 to 30 min	AED 5	AED 10	AED 6	AED 8
Airport Terminal 1	11	About 25 to 28 min	AED 5	AED 10	AED 6	AED 8

Gold costs double Silver on Metro and Tram. A QR single costs AED 8 for 2 zones, plus the AED 2 fee per transaction, not per ticket, so buying two QR singles together costs AED 18, not AED 20. A return is two single fares, with no verified return discount, so a return on a Silver card costs AED 10. For a family, multiply the single fare by the number of travellers: four people on Silver cards pay AED 20 each way, which is worth comparing with one taxi. If you are staying for several days, a Silver card usually works out cheaper than a QR ticket for the same trips, because the QR fee is charged on every transaction and the Silver fare is lower. Price your exact trip with our Dubai Metro Fare Calculator, or plan the route with our Dubai Metro Route Planner. The gate display is final.

The ride: stations, direction and what to expect

To ride, board a Red Line train towards Expo 2020 or towards Life Pharmacy and ride 12 stops from Terminal 3, or 11 stops from Terminal 1. The line splits further down the track, after Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall, so either destination gets you there. Trains run every few minutes in the daytime. The stations below are in order from Airport Terminal 3, so you can count down to your stop.

1. Airport Terminal 3, your start if you fly Emirates.
2. Airport Terminal 1, your start on most other international airlines.
3. GGICO.
4. Deira City Centre, for Deira City Centre mall.
5. Al Rigga.
6. Union, the interchange with the Green Line.
7. BurJuman, the second interchange with the Green Line.
8. ADCB.
9. Max, for the Dubai Frame and Zabeel Park.
10. World Trade Centre.
11. Emirates Towers, for the Museum of the Future.
12. Financial Centre, for DIFC.
13. Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall, your stop, for Downtown Dubai.

Some guides count 13 stations for this trip, and some count 12 stops. Both are right: there are 13 stations including both ends, and 12 intervals between them from Terminal 3. The train has a Gold Class cabin at one end and a Women and Children cabin, so check the signs before you sit down. See our Burj Khalifa Dubai Mall Metro Station post for the destination station in detail.

The walk: station to Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and the Fountain

On arrival, from Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall station, follow the signs to the Metro Link Bridge, an 820 metre air-conditioned walkway into Dubai Mall. The station is not inside the mall: it sits across Sheikh Zayed Road from Downtown, and the bridge is the link between them. The walk has three parts, and most guides only quote the first one, so budget for all three if you have a Burj Khalifa ticket time.

The Metro Link Bridge

The Metro Link Bridge is 820 metres long, with 10 travelators, five each way, and it takes about 10 to 15 minutes to cross at a normal pace. Some guides say 15 to 20 minutes. The bridge delivers you to the second floor of Dubai Mall.

Inside Dubai Mall to the Burj Khalifa

From the bridge exit, follow the signs down to the Lower Ground Floor, where the Burj Khalifa entrance and the At the Top ticket counters are. The walk inside the mall takes about 5 to 10 minutes. If you have a timed At the Top ticket, arrive at the entrance at least 30 minutes before your slot.

To the Dubai Fountain

For the Dubai Fountain, head for the Waterfront Promenade on the Lower Ground Floor, facing the Burj Khalifa. From the bridge exit, allow about 10 to 15 minutes inside the mall to reach the promenade. In total, budget about 25 to 30 minutes from the train door to the Fountain.

Luggage on the Metro

RTA allows a maximum of two bags per passenger on the Metro. One large suitcase can be up to 81 x 58 x 30 cm and one small bag up to 55 x 38 x 20 cm. That rule comes from a secondary source reporting the RTA rule, so check it on rta.ae if you travel with oversized luggage. In practice, most arrivals with one large suitcase and one cabin bag ride without a problem.

• Keep your bags with you at all times, and do not block the doors or the aisle.
• Avoid the busiest peak hour trains if you carry a large suitcase, because the carriages fill up fast.
• Use the lifts at both stations, not the escalators, when you have a heavy case.

If your luggage is heavier than the two-bag rule allows, or you land with several large cases, a taxi from the terminal is the simpler choice. The Metro has no luggage check-in and no porter service, and the Gold Class cabin does not change the bag rule.

Terminal 2: bus or taxi to the Metro

Terminal 2 has no Metro station, so take RTA bus 43 to Stadium Metro station and change to the Green Line there. Terminal 2 sits on the opposite side of the runways from Terminals 1 and 3. Bus 43 runs about every 20 minutes, and the ride takes about 7 to 9 minutes.

1. At Terminal 2, follow the signs to the bus stop and board RTA bus 43 towards Stadium Metro station. The bus fare is separate, about AED 3 to 5 as reported by Rome2Rio.
2. Get off at Stadium Metro station and board the Green Line towards Creek. Ride to Union, the interchange with the Red Line.
3. At Union, change to the Red Line towards Expo 2020 or towards Life Pharmacy and ride to Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall.
4. Tap out at Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall and follow the Metro Link Bridge into Dubai Mall, as in the walk section above.

The whole Terminal 2 trip takes about 50 to 60 minutes to the station, plus the walk, so the fare is higher than the direct AED 5 from Terminals 1 and 3. Check the bus departure board at Terminal 2, because the frequency is reported by Rome2Rio, not read on an official RTA page. With heavy luggage or a late landing, take a taxi instead. See our Airport Transfer Calculator to compare the options from your terminal.

First and last train: when the Metro will not work

Remember, the Metro does not run all night, so check the first and last train before you count on it. The first train leaves the airport at 5:00 am Monday to Saturday and at 8:00 am on Sunday, three hours later than other days, so an early Sunday arrival cannot ride the Metro at all. Service ends at midnight, except Friday when it ends at 1:00 am the next day. The last train from your station leaves earlier than the service end time, so the last train times below are the ones that matter.

Station	Last train towards Centrepoint	Last train towards Expo 2020	Last train towards Life Pharmacy
Airport Terminal 3	12:02 am	10:52 pm	10:56 pm
Airport Terminal 1	12:00 am	10:54 pm	10:58 pm

Last train times above are for Monday to Thursday and Saturday, from the RTA station timetable as read by two independent sources that agree, reviewed 3 Nov 2026. RTA does not publish a single public per-station table. On Friday, add about one hour. If you land after the last train, take a taxi from the official rank at your terminal, or a bus: buses run from 4:00 am to 1:00 am, and route C01 runs 24 hours. See our Dubai Metro Timings page for the last train from every station.

Taxi from the airport to Burj Khalifa: cost and when to take it

In short, a taxi from DXB to Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall costs about AED 50 to 80 and takes about 15 to 25 minutes outside peak traffic. In peak traffic the same trip can stretch to 45 minutes. The trip is about 15 km by road, and the meter is final, so the range above is a guide, not a fixed price. Use the official taxi rank outside your terminal, not a tout inside the arrivals hall.

• Check the flag fare when you board. RTA 2026 fares say AED 20, but Dubai Airports pages still say AED 25.
• Peak traffic changes the maths. A taxi at 6:00 pm on Sheikh Zayed Road can take twice as long as the Metro, which is immune to traffic. If you are in a hurry at rush hour, the Metro plus the walk is often the faster door to door trip.
• Careem Hala books a metered RTA taxi with no surge. Other ride hailing apps can surge at peak times, so compare the price before you book.

Take a taxi when the Metro has stopped, when you have more luggage than the two-bag rule allows, or when you are travelling as a group of four. See our Dubai Local Transport page for the full taxi detail, and our Dubai Metro Tourist Guide for the first-time visitor plan.

Metro vs taxi: which one to choose

In short, for most arrivals the Metro is cheaper, and the taxi is faster and easier with heavy luggage. The choice depends on who is travelling and what they are carrying, not on one fare alone, so compare the total cost for your group and the total time door to door, including the walk across the Metro Link Bridge. The table below compares the two for this route, then the three cases below it show the maths for the travellers who ask this question most.

	Metro	Taxi
Cost	AED 5 per person Silver, AED 10 return	About AED 50 to 80 for the whole car
Time door to door	About 40 to 45 min to Dubai Mall doors	About 15 to 25 min outside peak, up to 45 min in peak
Luggage	Two bags per person, sizes apply	No bag limit beyond the boot
Hours	5:00 am to midnight, 8:00 am Sunday start	24 hours, from the official rank
Best for	Solo travellers, couples, light luggage	Families, heavy luggage, late arrivals

Solo traveller, light luggage, daytime arrival. Take the Metro. AED 5 against about AED 50 to 80 for a taxi is a clear saving, and the ride plus the walk is part of the first look at the city. Family of four, four large cases. Take a taxi. Four Metro fares cost AED 20 each way, plus the long walk with bags across the bridge, against one taxi at about AED 50 to 80 door to door. Late arrival after the last train. Take a taxi. There is no Metro to catch, so the comparison does not apply, and the official rank runs all night.

Tips for the trip

In short, buy your ticket before you reach the gate, and allow extra time for the walk at the other end. Run through the checklist below before you land, so the first ride is calm instead of rushed.

• Check your terminal before you land: Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 have a Metro station, Terminal 2 does not.
• Buy a Silver card, a Red Ticket or a QR ticket before you reach the gate, and keep at least AED 7.50 on a card.
• Keep your phone charged if you use a QR ticket: a dead phone means no ticket at the gate, and screenshots do not work.
• Board towards Expo 2020 or towards Life Pharmacy, and get off at Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall.
• Tap out at the gates. Both taps are mandatory, and the fare is worked out from the zones touched.
• Follow the signs to the Metro Link Bridge, and budget 25 to 30 minutes to the Fountain.
• Check the last train before a late return, and take a taxi if the Metro has stopped.
• Check the cabin signs before you sit down: the Gold Class cabin and the Women and Children cabin have their own rules.

Frequently asked questions

The answers below use the same verified facts as the sections above, checked 11 Nov 2026. The live timetable and fare pages are final.

Fares, times and terminal facts on this page were checked 11 Nov 2026. Verify on rta.ae before you travel.