Financial Centre

Step off at Financial Centre and you land at the doorstep of DIFC, the crisp, glass-and-stone district where much of Dubai's banking and legal world works. On a weekday morning the crowd here is unmistakable, all lanyards and coffee cups, streaming towards the offices around the Gate building. It is one of the more polished corners of the city, and the metro drops you right into it.

What surprises many first-time visitors is how much there is to do beyond the boardrooms. The Gate Village that sits within DIFC is quietly one of Dubai's best art destinations, its walkways lined with contemporary galleries, and come evening the same streets fill with diners heading to some of the city's most talked-about restaurants. Arriving by metro sidesteps the notorious parking squeeze along this stretch of Sheikh Zayed Road.

Station Overview

Financial Centre Station opened in 2010 on the Dubai Metro's Red Line. It sits in Zone 6 of the NOL fare system. The Dubai Metro runs fully automated, driverless trains, and Financial Centre is an elevated station carried above the road on a viaduct.

Lines and Connectivity

Financial Centre is a Red Line station. North-east the line runs towards Dubai International Airport and the Centrepoint terminus, and south-west it continues along Sheikh Zayed Road towards Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall, the Marina and the Route 2020 branch. For the Green Line, transfer at BurJuman or Union.

Station Layout and Structure

Financial Centre is an elevated station with lifts, escalators and stairs from the concourse up to the platform, and a footbridge leading into the DIFC 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

Financial Centre has full step-free access, with lifts linking street level, the concourse and the platform. Tactile paving, audio announcements and platform screen doors are all in place, and the covered bridge into DIFC keeps the walk shaded and level.

Travel Tips

• Take the DIFC-side exit and footbridge for the galleries, offices and restaurants of the financial district.
• Evenings are the time to come if you want the Gate Village dining rather than the office rush.
• A NOL card costs AED 25 including AED 19 of credit and works on metro, bus, tram and marine transport.
• For the Green Line, change at BurJuman or Union.
• Gold Class carriages at the front of the train need a Gold Class NOL card or ticket.
• The metro runs Saturday to Wednesday 05:00-00:00, Thursday 05:00-01:00 and Friday 08:00-01:00.

Nearby Attractions

Dubai International Financial Centre - beside the station, a landmark business district built around the arched Gate building.

Gate Village - within DIFC, a cluster of walkways lined with contemporary art galleries and highly rated restaurants.

Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall - one stop south on the Red Line, an easy hop for the tower, the mall and the fountain.

Timings and Best Time to Travel

Trains at Financial Centre run Saturday to Wednesday 05:00-00:00, Thursday 05:00-01:00 and Friday 08:00-01:00. Weekday rush hours are around 07:30-09:30 and 17:00-19:30, when the DIFC crowd is at its thickest. Mid-morning and early afternoon are the calmest for a gallery visit, and evenings bring a livelier dining crowd.