If you’ve searched “Al Ghubaiba Metro Station Dubai” and landed on five different pages with five different fare zones, you’re not imagining things. This station sits in one of the older, denser parts of Bur Dubai, and a lot of the guides written about it were clearly built from templates rather than an actual visit. Some list Zone 5. Others say Zone 6. A few still quote train times from years-old timetables.
- Al Ghubaiba Metro Station Dubai Location
- Al Ghubaiba Metro Station Dubai at a Glance
- Where Al Ghubaiba Metro Station Actually Sits
- Green Line Route: Where You Can Go From Here
- First Train, Last Train and Weekend Timings
- Fares and Nol Card Basics
- Station Layout: Platforms, Entrances and Getting Around Inside
- Connecting to Buses and the Water Taxi (Abra)
- Getting From the Metro to the Bus Station (Exit-by-Exit)
- Al Ghubaiba to Dubai Mall: Three Ways to Get There
- What’s Actually Worth Walking To Nearby
- Why the Architecture Looks Different From Other Metro Stations
- Practical Tips From Actually Using This Station
- Etiquette Tips for Exploring Old Dubai on Foot
- Common Mistakes People Make With This Station
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The Bottom Line
This guide sorts the conflicting details, checks them against RTA’s own references, and adds the stuff that only shows up once you’ve actually walked through the station — where the crowd bottlenecks form, which exit saves you ten minutes, and why the taxi rank outside is sometimes the smarter move over the metro.
Al Ghubaiba Metro Station Dubai Location
Al Ghubaiba Metro Station sits at 51 Road & Al Ghubaiba Road, Al Shindagha, Bur Dubai — right at the coordinates 25.2650°N, 55.2889°E, a couple of minutes from the Dubai Creek waterfront.
(If the map doesn’t load in your reader, open it directly on Google Maps.)
Al Ghubaiba Metro Station Dubai at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Arabic name | الغبيبة (Al Ghubaiba) |
| Station code | G24 |
| Line | Green Line |
| Area | Al Shindagha, Bur Dubai |
| Previous station | G23 Al Ras |
| Next station | G25 Sharaf DG |
| Station type | Underground, two side platforms |
| Opened | 9 September 2011 |
| Daily footfall | Roughly 20,000+ passengers |
| Fare zone | Zone 6 (per the station’s official infobox data; Nol deduction is the fastest way to confirm on the day) |
| Coordinates | 25.2650°N, 55.2889°E |
| Connected transport | Al Ghubaiba Bus Station, Al Ghubaiba Marine Transport Station (abras/water taxis) |
| Nearby interchange | BurJuman (Red Line transfer) |
| First train | 5:07 AM (8:07 AM on Sundays) |
| Last train | 11:37–11:49 PM most nights, past midnight on Fridays |
RTA does occasionally reshuffle zone boundaries and schedules, so if anything here ever looks off against what your Nol card or the S’hail app shows on the day, trust the app.
Where Al Ghubaiba Metro Station Actually Sits
Al Ghubaiba Metro Station is built into Al Shindagha, right on the Bur Dubai side of the Creek — not Deira, even though a surprising number of articles mix the two up. This is one of the oldest inhabited pockets of the city, so the neighborhood around the station looks nothing like the glass towers near Downtown. Expect narrow lanes, low-rise buildings, and a mix of Emirati heritage architecture with decades-old residential blocks.
Because it sits so close to the water, Al Ghubaiba Metro Station effectively functions as a three-way transport hub:
- Metro — Green Line, underground platform
- Bus — Al Ghubaiba Bus Station, directly across Al Ghubaiba Road
- Marine transport — abra and water taxi access via Al Ghubaiba Marine Transport Station, a short walk toward the Creek
That combination is rare on the Dubai Metro network. Most stations connect to one or two transport modes; this one connects to three, which is part of why it stays busy well outside the standard morning and evening rush.
Green Line Route: Where You Can Go From Here
Al Ghubaiba sits between Al Ras and Sharaf DG on the Green Line. Trains run in two directions:
| Direction | Key stops you’ll pass through |
|---|---|
| Toward Creek/Etisalat | Al Ras, Palm Deira, Baniyas Square, Salah Al Din, Union (Red Line transfer), Abu Hail, Abu Baker Al Siddique, Etisalat |
| Toward Dubai Healthcare City/Creek | Sharaf DG, BurJuman (Red Line transfer), Oud Metha, Dubai Healthcare City |
For anyone heading to Downtown Dubai or Dubai Mall, the move is simple: board the Green Line, transfer at BurJuman or Union, then continue on the Red Line to Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Station. It’s a two-seat ride, roughly 25–35 minutes door to door depending on the wait at the interchange.
First Train, Last Train and Weekend Timings
Timetables at Al Ghubaiba Metro Station (G24) follow the general Green Line schedule, but the exact minute depends on which direction you’re heading and which day of the week it is. Here’s the station-specific breakdown:
Southbound — toward Creek (Al Ras → Al Ghubaiba → Sharaf DG)
| Day | First Train | Last Train |
|---|---|---|
| Monday – Thursday | 5:07 AM | 11:49 PM |
| Friday | 5:07 AM | 12:49 AM |
| Saturday | 5:07 AM | 11:49 PM |
| Sunday | 8:07 AM | 11:48 PM |
Northbound — toward Etisalat by e& (Sharaf DG → Al Ghubaiba → Al Ras)
| Day | First Train | Last Train |
|---|---|---|
| Monday – Thursday | 5:07 AM | 11:39 PM |
| Friday | 5:07 AM | 12:38 AM |
| Saturday | 5:07 AM | 11:37 PM |
| Sunday | 8:07 AM | 11:36 PM |
Two things worth knowing that most guides skip:
- Sunday mornings start noticeably later — 8:07 AM instead of the usual 5:07 AM — while Friday nights run the latest, with trains still running past 12:30 AM. Mix these two up and you’ll either wait around for over an hour or miss the last train home.
- Public holidays and events like Ramadan or National Day change both first and last train times — sometimes by an hour or more. If your trip matters, check the S’hail app the same day rather than trusting a fixed timetable you found online.
Fares and Nol Card Basics
Al Ghubaiba Metro Station Dubai sits in Fare Zone 6, and every fare on the Dubai Metro depends on how many zones you cross rather than a flat rate. For journeys from this station, expect:
- Silver Nol Card — the standard card most visitors buy; works for metro, bus, and tram
- Cost per trip — roughly AED 3 to AED 7 depending on zones crossed
- Discounted fares — available for students and seniors (60+) with the right Nol card registration
- Under-5s — travel free
You can buy and top up a Nol card directly at the station’s ticket machines or customer service desk — no need to plan ahead. If you’re only in Dubai for a few days, the Silver card covers everything you’ll realistically need; the Gold card (first-class) only matters if you specifically want the quieter carriage.
Station Layout: Platforms, Entrances and Getting Around Inside
Al Ghubaiba Metro Station follows the standard Dubai Metro underground layout, spread across three levels:
- G (Street level) — entrances and exits
- L1 (Concourse) — Automatic Fare Collection gates, station agent desk, and the crossover between platforms
- L2 (Platform level) — two side platforms, one for each direction (westbound and eastbound)
Inside the station you’ll find:
- Ticket vending machines and Nol top-up points
- A staffed information booth / customer service desk for fare or route questions
- Real-time train arrival displays
- Prayer rooms
- Restrooms
- Small retail outlets and an ATM machine
- Free WiFi throughout the station and on board trains
- Clearly marked women-and-children cabins on the platform (respect this — RTA enforces it)
- Elevators for step-free access between every level
Drivers should note that paid public parking is available nearby, though space is limited given how dense Al Shindagha is — the metro or a taxi drop-off is usually the less stressful option during the day.
Getting out:
The station has multiple marked exits, with direct pedestrian access toward Al Ghubaiba Bus Station on one side and toward the Al Shindagha heritage district on the other. If your destination is the Textile Souk or Al Fahidi, take the exit facing the Creek rather than the one facing the bus station — it shaves several minutes off the walk and avoids cutting through the busiest part of the bus concourse during peak hours.
Connecting to Buses and the Water Taxi (Abra)
This is where Al Ghubaiba genuinely stands out from most other Green Line stations.
Bus connections — Al Ghubaiba Bus Station sits directly across the road, roughly a 3–5 minute walk, and handles both local Dubai routes and intercity services toward Sharjah and Abu Dhabi. If you’re continuing beyond Dubai’s city limits, this is one of the more convenient metro-to-intercity-bus transfers on the whole network.
Marine transport — a short walk further gets you to the Al Ghubaiba Marine Transport Station, where traditional abras cross the Creek to Deira for as little as AED 1 per person, alongside faster, slightly pricier water taxi services. It’s genuinely one of the cheapest, most memorable short trips in the city, and most tourist guides completely leave it out of their “how to use Al Ghubaiba Metro Station” write-ups.
Getting From the Metro to the Bus Station (Exit-by-Exit)
Al Ghubaiba Metro Station has two main exits, and which one you take genuinely changes your transfer time:
| Method | Time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Walk | 5–7 min | Exit 1 puts you closest — head out, cross Al Ghubaiba Road, and the bus concourse is right there. |
| Bus | 2–3 min ride | From Exit 2, hop on route 4, 4A, 32C, or E400 for a quick hop over — tap your Nol card as usual. |
Walking is free and faster overall once you account for waiting on a bus, but if you’re hauling luggage or it’s the middle of a Dubai summer afternoon, the two-minute bus ride from Exit 2 is worth the fare.
Al Ghubaiba to Dubai Mall: Three Ways to Get There
If Dubai Mall or Burj Khalifa is the plan, you have three realistic options from this station:
| Option | Time | Cost (Nol card) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro | 20–25 min | AED 7 | Fastest, avoids traffic, direct connection into the mall |
| Bus (route 29 from Al Ghubaiba Bus Station) | 35–40 min | AED 4–7 | More scenic, better if you’re already at the bus station |
| Taxi | 15–20 min (traffic-dependent) | AED 15–25 | Most convenient for groups or heavy luggage |
The metro route runs Green Line to BurJuman, then a same-station transfer to the Red Line toward Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Station, which connects directly into the mall — no outdoor walking required at the other end. During peak traffic hours this is comfortably the fastest and cheapest option of the three.
Bus route numbers on this corridor get renumbered occasionally, so if the posted route at the bus station doesn’t match what’s written here, check the departure board or ask the RTA staff on-site — the metro option above is the more reliable one to plan around regardless.
What’s Actually Worth Walking To Nearby
Forget the generic “close to attractions” line most pages use without naming anything specific. Here’s what’s realistically walkable from Al Ghubaiba Metro Station, and how long it actually takes:
| Landmark | Walking time | Why it’s worth it |
|---|---|---|
| Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood | 8–12 min | Restored wind-tower houses, narrow lanes, small museums |
| Dubai Museum (Al Fahidi Fort) | 10–15 min | UAE’s oldest existing building, pre-oil history exhibits |
| Textile Souk | 8–10 min | Fabric, tailoring shops, bargaining culture |
| Meena Bazaar | 5–8 min | Dense shopping strip, South Asian food stalls |
| Al Shindagha Historical District | 12–15 min | Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House, waterfront heritage sites |
| City Centre Al Shindagha | 5–10 min | Modern mall option if you need AC, food court, or a break from walking |
| Dubai Creek waterfront | 5–7 min | Abra crossings, photo spots at sunset |
If you only have an hour between transfers, Al Fahidi plus a quick abra crossing to the Gold and Spice Souks on the Deira side gives you the most “old Dubai” experience for the least walking.
Why the Architecture Looks Different From Other Metro Stations
Most Dubai Metro stations lean modern — glass, steel, curved ceilings. Al Ghubaiba Metro Station Dubai deliberately breaks that pattern. Its above-ground entrances borrow from traditional Emirati building design: sand-toned exteriors, arched openings, and wind-tower-style elements (barjeel) that reference the natural cooling towers used in old Bur Dubai homes. It’s a small design choice, but it signals something the surrounding neighborhood cares about — this station was built to blend into Al Shindagha’s heritage character rather than override it.
Practical Tips From Actually Using This Station
- Avoid the 7:30–9:00 AM window if you’re carrying luggage — this is one of the more crowded Green Line stations because of the triple transport interchange, and platform space fills fast.
- The bus station side gets congested faster than the marine transport side. If you have a choice of exit and aren’t in a rush, take the Creek-facing exit.
- Taxis outside the station are genuinely competitive with the metro for short hops to Al Fahidi or Meena Bazaar if you’re traveling with more than one person — split three ways, it can cost less than three separate Nol taps.
- Confirm your Nol deduction on your first trip. The station sits in Zone 6, but a few third-party trackers list it differently — check your balance once so you know the real cost of your regular route.
- Friday plans need a buffer. Both the first and last train shift on Fridays, and it catches first-time visitors off guard more than any other timing quirk on this line.
Etiquette Tips for Exploring Old Dubai on Foot
Al Ghubaiba puts you right at the edge of the most traditional, conservative part of the city, and a few small habits go a long way:
- Dress modestly, especially around Al Fahidi and any mosque you pass — cover shoulders and knees; women may need a headscarf for mosque interiors.
- Ask before photographing people, particularly in the souks and residential lanes. It’s a common courtesy that locals notice and appreciate.
- Bargain respectfully in the souks — starting around half the asking price is normal, but keep it friendly rather than aggressive.
- Wear shoes you can actually walk in. The lanes around Al Fahidi and the Textile Souk are uneven and not built for sightseeing in sandals for hours.
- Go early morning or early evening if you’re visiting between May and September — midday heat in Old Dubai’s narrow, low-shade streets is no joke.
Common Mistakes People Make With This Station
- Assuming it’s in Deira because it’s near the Creek — it’s firmly on the Bur Dubai side.
- Confusing “Al Ghubaiba Metro Station” with “Al Ghubaiba Bus Station” when giving directions to a taxi driver — say “metro” explicitly.
- Missing the last train on weekends because they assume weekday timings apply.
- Skipping the abra crossing entirely, not realizing it’s one of the cheapest and most scenic things to do within five minutes of the platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Al Ghubaiba Metro Station on the Red Line or Green Line?
Green Line only. To reach Red Line destinations like Dubai Mall or Burj Khalifa, transfer at BurJuman or Union.
What fare zone is Al Ghubaiba Metro Station in?
Zone 6. A few third-party trackers list a different number, so if your Nol deduction looks off on your first trip, go with what the card shows.
How do I get to Dubai Mall from Al Ghubaiba Metro Station?
Take the Green Line to BurJuman, transfer to the Red Line, and get off at Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Station. Total journey is roughly 25–35 minutes.
Is Al Ghubaiba Metro Station Dubai connected to the bus station?
Yes, directly. Al Ghubaiba Bus Station sits across the road, a 3–5 minute walk, with both local and intercity routes.
Can I catch a water taxi or abra from this station?
Yes. Al Ghubaiba Marine Transport Station is a short walk away and offers both traditional abras and faster water taxis across Dubai Creek.
What’s the closest heritage site to Al Ghubaiba Metro Station Dubai?
Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, about 8–12 minutes on foot, followed closely by the Textile Souk.
What time does the first and last train run?
5:07 AM most days, 8:07 AM on Sundays. Last trains run around 11:37–11:49 PM, extending past midnight on Fridays.
The Bottom Line
Al Ghubaiba Metro Station Dubai isn’t just another stop on the Green Line — it’s the rare interchange where metro, bus, and water transport genuinely meet in one place, sitting right at the edge of the oldest part of Dubai. If you’re heading toward Al Fahidi, the souks, or a Creek crossing, this station gets you closer, faster, and cheaper than most alternatives. Just double-check your day-specific train times before you go — direction and day-of-week swings are the one detail even well-established sources still get wrong.
