Schedule and frequencies
Operating hours by day of the week, train frequency in peak / off-peak, and special schedules for Ramadan, public holidays and events.
Operating hours
Frequency by time band
Schedule per line
Special schedules and events
Extended evening service
During Ramadan, the metro extends operating hours into the night so passengers can return home after Iftar prayers. Specific timings are announced by RTA each year.
Dec 2 (and Dec 3 holiday)
Increased frequency to accommodate visitors heading to the fireworks at downtown locations and Expo City. Selected stations may have crowd control measures.
Extended weekend hours
During the Eid holidays, the metro often runs on a Friday schedule (extended late-night service) for 3–4 consecutive days.
Summer maintenance
Occasional weekend partial closures on selected sections during July–August. RTA always announces alternative bus services 7+ days in advance.
Practical tips
Practical tips
- Check the status before every trip: service can change without notice — open our home page (or save it to your favourites) to see the live metro status in one glance.
- Live arrivals: the RTA Dubai app shows real-time train arrivals at every platform.
- Avoid peak times: Sheikh Zayed Road stations (Burj Khalifa, Financial Centre, Emirates Towers) get very crowded between 07:00–09:00 and 17:00–19:00.
- Airport timing: trains to/from Airport Terminal 3 and Terminal 1 run every 3–4 minutes during peak. Allow at least 90 min before international flights.
- Gold Class: available in front carriage on every train, double fare. Quieter and less crowded during peak.
- Women & Children: dedicated carriage near the rear. Men found in this section may be fined AED 100.
Frequently asked questions
No. The metro stops between midnight and 05:00 (Mon–Thu/Sat) or 01:00 and 05:00 (Fri night). For night travel, use the RTA night buses (lines prefixed with N).
Morning peak: 06:30–09:30. Evening peak: 16:30–19:30. Outside these times, the metro is significantly less crowded and frequencies stretch to 5–7 minutes.
Yes — operating hours extend later into the night so passengers can return home after Iftar. Exact timings are announced by RTA each year as the dates shift.
Service runs with higher frequency to handle visitors to fireworks venues. Selected downtown stations may have crowd-management measures during peak fireworks hours.
On weekdays the last train arriving at Airport Terminal 3 or Terminal 1 leaves before midnight. Always check the RTA app — for late flights consider RTA taxi or hotel transfer.
Service monitoring
Dubai Metro status
Service status · updated in real time
Red Line · Centrepoint ↔ Expo 2020
Green Line · Etisalat by e& ↔ Creek