One Day in Dubai by Metro: A Car-Free, Station-by-Station Plan

You can see Old Dubai, the Marina and Downtown in one day without a single taxi. Take the Green Line to Sharaf DG for Al Fahidi, cross Dubai Creek by AED 1 abra, ride the Red Line and Dubai Tram to JBR beach for sunset, then finish at Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall for the Dubai Fountain. On a Silver nol card the Metro and tram cost AED 3, AED 5 or AED 7.50 per journey depending on zones, so a full day's fares usually come to about AED 20 to 30 plus AED 1 cash for the boat. Fares and hours are as of September 2026; check rta.ae before you travel.

The route at a glance

Travel times are estimates for off-peak trains and include the platform change but not the walk to the station. The RTA app and the S'hail journey planner give live times.

Before you set off: which ticket to buy

Everyone in your group needs their own ticket. Buy it from the ticket office or a machine at your first station. For a single day there are two sensible choices:

• Red Ticket: a paper ticket for AED 2, then AED 4, AED 6 or AED 8.50 per journey depending on zones. It works on the Metro, tram and buses. Good if this is your only day on public transport.
• Silver nol card: AED 25 including AED 19 of credit, then AED 3, AED 5 or AED 7.50 per journey. Each trip is AED 1 cheaper than on the Red Ticket, and the card stays valid for later visits.

For this route the total works out about the same either way, so buy the Silver card if you will use the Metro on another day. The RTA's 7-day all-zone pass (AED 110 on a Silver card) is not worth it for one day. Children aged 5 and under travel free. Our nol card guide covers top-ups and balance checks.

Three fare rules help on this route. First, tap in and tap out every time; the gate uses both taps to work out your fare. Second, if you tap out of the Metro and tap in on the tram (or a bus) within 30 minutes, the RTA charges the two rides as one journey based on the total zones, so the Metro-tram change at the Marina does not cost you a second fare. Third, the abra is separate: it takes cash, so keep a few dirham coins or small notes.

The exact fare for each journey depends on how many of Dubai's seven fare zones you cross; the ticket machine or RTA app shows it before you travel. The Gold Card and Gold Class cabin cost double the standard fare, and sitting in Gold Class without a Gold ticket can be fined.

Stop 1: Sharaf DG station for Al Fahidi (08:30 to 10:00)

Ride the Green Line to Sharaf DG. This is the station that was called Al Fahidi until 2020, and many maps and blogs still use the old name. If you are staying on the Red Line, change at BurJuman or Union; the change stays inside the paid area, so you do not pay again.

From the station it is about a 10-minute walk to the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood: restored wind-tower houses, small galleries and courtyard cafés, free to wander. Al Fahidi Fort (the old Dubai Museum) has been closed for restoration since 2021 and, as of September 2026, was expected to reopen within weeks or months, so check before you count on it. From Al Fahidi, walk north through the covered Textile Souk to the Creek. Our classic Dubai 1-day itinerary has more on what to see here if you are happy to use taxis.

Stop 2: The abra across Dubai Creek (10:00)

At Bur Dubai abra station, board a traditional wooden abra to Deira Old Souq. The RTA lists the fare at AED 1 per passenger per trip, paid in cash on board, and the boats leave as soon as they fill. nol cards are not used on the traditional abra. A second RTA crossing links Dubai Old Souq (also on the Bur Dubai side) with Al Sabkha in Deira if the first queue is long. See our Dubai abras and water taxis guide for the other Creek routes.

Stop 3: Spice Souk and Gold Souk, then Al Ras station (10:15 to 12:30)

The Spice Souk starts at the Deira Old Souq abra landing, and the Gold Souk is a few minutes' walk north through the lanes. Most gold shops open around 10am, and many close for a break in the early afternoon, so aim to finish here by about 12:30. Have lunch in Deira, then walk to Al Ras station on the Green Line, which sits close to the souks.

If it is a Friday: many souk shops open only after midday prayers. Swap the order: go to JBR first, come back to the souks in the late afternoon and finish at Downtown.

Stop 4: Al Ras to Sobha Realty and the tram to JBR (12:30 to 15:30)

From Al Ras, ride the Green Line two stops under the Creek to Sharaf DG and one more to BurJuman, then change to the Red Line heading towards Life Pharmacy or Expo 2020. Get off at Sobha Realty, the station that was called Dubai Marina until 2021. Check the platform screen: south of the Marina the Red Line splits into two branches, but both pass Sobha Realty.

This is the longest ride of the day, so this plan uses it for the hottest hours. If you want a break on the way, the Red Line passes Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates, both linked to their malls by covered walkways; you can hop off, cool down and carry on, but a new tap-in after leaving the station counts as a new journey.

At Sobha Realty, cross Sheikh Zayed Road by the footbridge to the Dubai Marina tram stop. (The next Metro station, DMCC, formerly Jumeirah Lakes Towers, links to the Jumeirah Lakes Towers tram stop in the same way.) Tap in on the tram within 30 minutes of tapping out of the Metro and ride a few stops to Jumeirah Beach Residence 1 or 2, which serve The Walk and JBR beach. Our Dubai Tram guide lists every stop.

Stop 5: JBR beach and Dubai Marina until sunset (15:30 to sunset)

Spend the late afternoon on the public beach at JBR and walk back along The Walk or the Marina promenade as the light drops. Sunset in Dubai is around 5:30pm in November to January and just after 7pm in June and July. In summer, stay in the shade or indoors until about 5pm.

If you would rather see Downtown in daylight, reverse stops 4 to 6: go to the Burj Khalifa first, then JBR for sunset. The only cost is that you finish the day further from most hotels.

Stop 6: Back to Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall for the fountain (evening)

Take the tram back to the Dubai Marina stop, walk over the footbridge to Sobha Realty and ride the Red Line back up to Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall, about 25 minutes on the train. From the station, a long enclosed walkway leads into Dubai Mall; allow 10 to 15 minutes on foot to reach the lake.

The Dubai Fountain runs shows every 30 minutes from 6pm to 11pm, and watching from the promenade is free. If you want to go up the Burj Khalifa, later evening slots at At the Top are usually cheaper than the sunset slots; in September 2026 standard Level 124 and 125 tickets were listed from about AED 170 per adult off-peak. Book a timed slot online.

Last trains and other timing traps

• Leave Downtown by about 23:15 on most nights if you have a change to make on the way home. The last fountain show is at 11pm.
• Sunday is the late start. The Metro does not open until 8am, and the tram starts later on Sunday mornings too, so start this plan no earlier than 8:30.
• Holidays and big events change the hours. The RTA announces extended timings for Eid, New Year's Eve and similar dates a few days ahead.
• No eating or drinking on trains or in the paid areas of stations; the RTA fine is AED 100. Finish your water before the gates.
• Women and Children cabins are reserved; men riding in them can be fined. Platform signs show where they stop.

Full line maps, luggage rules and the Blue Line timetable are in our Dubai Metro guide.

What this car-free day cannot reach

The Metro gets close to most first-timer sights but not all of them. Palm Jumeirah, the Burj Al Arab area on Jumeirah Beach Road and the desert are not on this network; a taxi from the nearest station or a hotel pickup is the realistic option. If you have a second day, our 48-hour Dubai plan by public transport adds the Dubai Frame, Al Seef and more of the Creek without a car.

Tell us your hotel and we will map this route from your nearest station