Dubai Metro to Burj Khalifa: Routes, Cost and Travel Time

The Dubai Metro to Burj Khalifa trip is simple, cheap, and fast. You ride the Red Line and get off at Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall station. A covered bridge then takes you to the mall and the tower.

I’ll show you every route, the cost, and the best time to ride. Most trips take 10 to 40 minutes and cost AED 3 to AED 7.50. Those numbers cover the train ride with a Silver Nol card.

Dubai Metro to Burj Khalifa: The Short Answer

Here is the quick answer before we get into the full guide.

Question	Answer
Which line?	Red Line
Which station?	Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall (R25)
Fare zone	Zone 6
Train fare (Silver Nol card)	AED 3, AED 5, or AED 7.50
Walk from station to mall	10–15 minutes
Open hours	5:00 AM to midnight (Friday until 1:00 AM; Sunday opens at 8:00 AM)

How to Take the Dubai Metro to Burj Khalifa

Follow these five steps, no matter which station you start from.

Step 1: Get a Nol card

Buy a Nol card at any metro station before you board. A Silver card costs AED 25 and comes with AED 19 of travel credit. Chcek the guide about types of Nol Cards.

Step 2: Board the Red Line

Find your Red Line station and pick the right direction on the platform. From Dubai Marina or Mall of the Emirates, ride toward Centrepoint. From the airport or Union, ride toward Expo 2020 instead.

Step 3: Get off at Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall

Get off at Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall, which is station R25. Green Line riders change to the Red Line at Union or BurJuman first.

Step 4: Cross the Metro Link bridge

Follow the signs to The Dubai Mall and cross the covered Metro Link bridge. The bridge is 828 metres long and the walk takes 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 5: Find the tower entrance

Inside the mall, follow the At the Top signs to the Burj Khalifa entrance. For full station details, read our guide to the Burj Khalifa Dubai Mall Metro Station.

Dubai Metro to Burj Khalifa From Popular Places

Most routes below stay on the Red Line, so you ride without changing trains. Times cover the ride only, so add your walk to the station.

Starting point	How you go	Train time
Business Bay	Red Line, direct	1 stop
Union	Red Line, direct	About 18 minutes
Mall of the Emirates	Red Line, direct	10–13 minutes
Dubai Airport (DXB)	Red Line, direct	22–35 minutes
Dubai Marina (DMCC)	Red Line, direct	About 26 minutes
Al Furjan	Red Line, direct	35–40 minutes
Gold Souq (Deira)	Green Line, change at Union	23–30 minutes
Palm Jumeirah	Taxi to Dubai Internet City, then Red Line	About 43 minutes in total

From Dubai Airport

Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 both have Red Line stations. Ride toward Expo 2020 and get off at Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall. Plan 22 to 35 minutes on the train, plus your walk through the airport.

From Dubai Marina and JLT

Take the Red Line from DMCC Station, which serves Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Lakes Towers. Ride toward Centrepoint for about 26 minutes and get off at R25. The Dubai Tram links Dubai Marina and JBR to the DMCC metro stop.

From Palm Jumeirah

No Red Line station sits on the Palm, so you need a short taxi ride. Take a taxi to Dubai Internet City, then ride the Red Line to R25. The whole trip from The View at The Palm takes about 43 minutes. Expect to pay AED 40 to AED 50 with the taxi included.

From Deira and Bur Dubai

Take the Green Line to Union or BurJuman, then switch to the Red Line. From Gold Souq, the whole trip takes 23 to 30 minutes. BurJuman sits in Zone 6, the same zone as Burj Khalifa.

Dubai Metro to Burj Khalifa: Fares and Nol Cards

Metro fares follow zones, so your price depends on where you start. Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall sits in Zone 6, so trips from nearby stops cost less.

Fare type	Within one zone	Two adjacent zones	More than two zones
Silver or Blue Nol card	AED 3	AED 5	AED 7.50
Gold Nol card	AED 6	AED 10	AED 15
Regular Red Ticket	AED 4	AED 6	AED 8.50
Gold Red Ticket	AED 8	AED 12	AED 17

Source: RTA Nol fares.

You pay AED 3 from Business Bay and AED 7.50 from Al Furjan with a Silver card.

Nol card prices

Card	Price	Travel credit	Best for
Red Ticket	AED 2	None	One or two trips
Silver Nol card	AED 25	AED 19	Most visitors and residents
Gold Nol card	AED 25	AED 19	Riders who want Gold Class cabins
Blue Nol card	AED 70	AED 20	Residents who register the card

The Silver card works for 5 years and holds up to AED 1,000. It also pays for trams, buses, and water buses across Dubai.

Tap your card when you enter and again when you leave. The gate takes the top fare when you enter and refunds extra when you leave. Keep a few dirhams of credit on your card before you tap in.

Dubai Metro vs Taxi to Burj Khalifa

A taxi is faster on some routes, but the metro costs far less.

From	Metro time	Metro fare	Taxi time	Taxi fare
Mall of the Emirates	10–13 minutes	AED 3–5	About 11 minutes	AED 50–65
Dubai Marina	About 26 minutes	AED 5–7.50	17–18 minutes	AED 75–95

Taxi prices come from trip planner estimates and rise in heavy traffic. The metro also skips the traffic on Sheikh Zayed Road and the parking hunt at the mall.

Dubai Metro Timings

The Red Line opens at 5:00 AM from Monday to Saturday. On Sunday, the metro opens later, at 8:00 AM, and runs until midnight.

Stations close at midnight, except Friday, when they close at 1:00 AM. Last-train times differ by direction, so check the RTA planner for late trips.

Trains come about every five minutes through most of the day. Hours change during Ramadan, on public holidays, and at big events.

Best Time to Ride

Ride mid-morning or early afternoon to miss the rush and the heat. Weekends and holidays bring bigger crowds to the station and the bridge.

New Year’s Eve brings over 110,000 riders to this one station. News reports say RTA and Emaar plan to finish the expansion in 2027.

Tips for the Dubai Metro to Burj Khalifa

• Buy your Nol card at the airport station if you arrive by plane.
• Wear light, comfy shoes, since the mall walk adds up fast.
• Book your Burj Khalifa ticket ahead if you have a set time.
• Leave extra time to find the At the Top entrance inside the mall.
• Check your last train home before you stay out for the evening.
• Use the RTA Dubai app to plan your route and see live updates.
• Pick Gold Class only if you want more space and will pay double the fare.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

The Dubai Metro to Burj Khalifa route is the cheapest and calmest way to get there. Grab a Silver Nol card, ride the Red Line, and get off at R25.

Then cross the bridge to the mall and follow the signs to the tower. Check fares, hours, and your last train on the RTA site before you go. Visit stations.ae for all related guides.