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Across 9 cities · curated by one editor

DXB · Airport & transit · 2026

Getting into Dubai

Three terminals (T1, T2, T3). Emirates uses T3 exclusively. Most other major airlines (BA, Lufthansa, Singapore, Qantas) use T1. T2 is largely flydubai + low-cost. Free shuttle runs between T1 and T3; T2 is geographically separate (~15 min by taxi).

Dubai International (DXB)Live arrivals →

Your options, ranked

First option = the editor’s default sane choice for the average traveller.

  1. 1Metro Red Line (Dubai International ↔ Marina ↔ Expo)

    Cost
    AED 8 (Silver class) — pay with Nol card; AED 25 deposit refundable on departure.
    Door-to-centre
    20 minutes to Downtown / Burj Khalifa; ~45 to Dubai Marina.
    Best for
    Default option for hotels along the Sheikh Zayed Road.

    T1 and T3 each have their own metro stations. T2 has no metro — taxi only. Trains every 4-7 minutes.

  2. 2Taxi (cream-coloured RTA)

    Cost
    AED 50-80 to Downtown; AED 80-120 to Marina; AED 25 minimum + airport surcharge.
    Door-to-centre
    20 minutes to Downtown off-peak; up to 45 in rush hour.
    Best for
    Late arrivals, family, lots of bags.

    Use the official rank — pink-roofed cabs are women-driven and women-only. Avoid drivers offering rides inside the terminal.

  3. 3Careem / Uber

    Cost
    AED 60-100 to Downtown; AED 90-140 to Marina.
    Door-to-centre
    Same as taxi.
    Best for
    Group of 2+, or precise pickup at hotel without language friction.

    Pickup is at the dedicated rideshare lane, separate from taxi rank — follow signs from arrivals.

Gotchas — what most people get wrong

  • T2 is a separate airport-feeling terminal across the airfield. There's no shuttle — you'll need a taxi (~AED 50) to reach T1/T3.

  • Nol cards are reusable; the AED 25 deposit comes back at departure. Don't buy single-trip tickets if you're staying >2 days.

  • Metro stops running at midnight Sun-Thu, 1am Fri, midnight Sat. Late arrivals are taxi territory.

  • Dubai Mall metro stop is a 15-minute walk from the actual mall through covered air-conditioned bridges. Plan for it.

Last reviewed . Prices drift — check the airport site for live fares before travel day.

See also: visa & entry · currency & payments · weather & climate.