Dubai Airport Free Zone

Dubai Airport Free Zone Metro Station is squarely a working person's stop. It sits beside DAFZA, one of the emirate's oldest and most productive free trade zones, a tightly packed cluster of offices, showrooms and logistics companies tucked along the edge of the airport. On weekday mornings the platforms here belong to commuters in lanyards, streaming out towards the zone's business towers before the day begins.

The neighbourhood makes no pretence of being a tourist draw, and that is exactly its appeal for the people who use it. This corner of the Green Line is about getting to work efficiently while the roads around the airport are choked with traffic. Come the weekend the crowd thins out noticeably, leaving a calm, functional station that only really springs to life when the offices reopen.

Station Overview

Dubai Airport Free Zone Metro Station opened in 2011 on the Dubai Metro Green Line. It sits in Zone 5 of the NOL fare system. Trains are fully automated and driverless, and the station is elevated, raised above the road on a viaduct.

Lines and Connectivity

Dubai Airport Free Zone is a Green Line station. North-east the line runs towards the Etisalat by e& terminus, while south-west it heads through Deira towards Bur Dubai. It does not connect to the airport passenger terminals, which are served by the Red Line, and for the Red Line you change at Union or BurJuman.

Station Layout and Structure

The station is elevated, with lifts, escalators and stairs linking the concourse to the platform, and a footbridge easing the walk towards the free zone side. Facilities include toilets, ATMs, NOL top-up machines and a staffed service point. Gold Class carriages sit at the front of each train and a women and children carriage runs in the middle.

Accessibility

Dubai Airport Free Zone has full step-free access, with lifts between street level, the concourse and the platform. Tactile paving, audio announcements and platform screen doors are all in place, and the covered walkway towards DAFZA keeps the route level and shaded.

Travel Tips

• This station serves the free zone offices, not the airport terminals, so use the Red Line for Terminals 1 and 3.
• The DAFZA complex has plenty of cafes and restaurants inside, handy for a lunch break between meetings.
• A NOL card costs AED 25 including AED 19 of credit and works on metro, bus, tram and water transport.
• For the Red Line, change at Union or BurJuman.
• The metro runs Saturday to Wednesday 05:00-00:00, Thursday 05:00-01:00 and Friday 08:00-01:00.

Nearby Attractions

Dubai Airport Free Zone (DAFZA) - beside the station, a major free trade zone packed with corporate offices, showrooms and eateries.

Al Twar Centre - nearby, a neighbourhood mall with a supermarket and everyday shopping for the surrounding area.

Al Nahda Park - a short ride away, a green park with jogging tracks for a break from the office district.

Timings and Best Time to Travel

Trains at Dubai Airport Free Zone run Saturday to Wednesday 05:00-00:00, Thursday 05:00-01:00 and Friday 08:00-01:00. It is at its busiest during weekday office peaks around 07:30-09:30 and 17:00-19:30, and much quieter at weekends and in the middle of the day.