Danube Metro Station Dubai: Complete R41 Red Line Guide

Danube Metro Station is a small stop on the Dubai Metro Red Line. The reason is simple. After National Paints (formerly Jebel Ali) station, the Red Line splits into two branches, and Danube sits on only one of them. Board the wrong train and you will end up at Expo City instead of Danube, or the other way round. This guide covers where the station is, which train to board, the timings, the fares, and who actually uses this stop.

Checked: 12 November 2026

Danube Metro Station at a Glance

Where Is Danube Metro Station?

Danube Metro Station stands on Sheikh Zayed Road in Jebel Ali, between the D57 and E77 road junctions. It serves Jebel Ali Industrial Area and the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA), the big port and warehouse district at the far end of Dubai.

This is not a tourist station. There is no mall, no beach and no famous sight at the exit. Almost everyone who uses it is going to work in the industrial area, or coming home from a shift. If you are a visitor and your map sends you here by mistake, you probably want a different station.

The station opened in December 2012 and took the name Danube after Danube Group, a UAE building materials company, bought the naming rights. Old maps and guides may still show the planning name, Jebel Ali Industrial.

A Short History of Danube Metro Station

Danube Metro Station opened in December 2012 as part of the Red Line extension to Jebel Ali.

It carries the name of Danube Group, a UAE building materials company, under the RTA naming rights project.

The Branch Split: The One Thing You Must Know

The Red Line has two southern ends, Expo 2020 and Life Pharmacy. Trains now run directly from Centrepoint to both, alternating, so check the destination on the front of the train and the platform screen. Danube is on the Life Pharmacy branch only. If your train says Expo 2020, do not board it.

Danube Metro Station Timings

Danube follows the normal Dubai Metro hours. These are the same hours in our Dubai Metro Map guide.

Last trains at some stations leave a few minutes after the times above.

Trains come every 2 to 3 minutes at busy times and every 5 to 7 minutes when it is quiet. On public holidays and big event nights, the RTA often extends the hours, so check the S’hail app on the day.

Fares and the Nol Card

You cannot pay with cash or a bank card at the gate. You need a Nol card, and you tap in and tap out. The fare depends on how many zones you cross.

A Silver Nol card costs AED 25 to buy, including AED 19 of credit. It works on the metro, tram, buses and water buses. Young children ride free. Check the RTA website for the current age and height rule.

One honest note on zones: some websites list Danube in Zone 1 and others list it in Zone 2. Rather than print a number that may be wrong, use the fare table above. A trip from Danube to Downtown or the Marina costs AED 7.50 on a Silver card, because it crosses three or more zones. A short trip to a nearby station costs AED 3.

Which Nol Card Should You Buy?

You need a Nol card to ride, and there are four kinds. Most visitors need only the first one.

Silver card: the one most visitors should buy. It costs AED 25, including AED 19 of credit. It works on the metro, tram, buses and water buses.

Red Ticket: a paper ticket for one-off rides. It costs more per ride than Silver (AED 4 for one zone, AED 6 for two, AED 8.50 for three or more) and it is easy to lose. Only worth it if you will ride once or twice.

Gold card: the same idea as Silver but for the Gold class cabin, with wider seats and a front view. The fare is double.

Blue (personal) card: for residents. Students, seniors and people of determination get half fares (AED 1.50, AED 2.50 or AED 3.75). People of determination who are UAE residents ride free with the right card.

Buy your card at the ticket office or the machines, and top it up before the morning rush.

Getting to Expo City from Danube

This is the most common question about this station, and the answer surprises people. Danube and Expo City are on different branches, so there is no direct train between them.

Change at the junction station and follow the RTA signs to the Expo 2020 train. Going the other way, ride an Expo 2020 train to the junction station, then change to a Life Pharmacy train for Danube.

Danube to Dubai Airport, Marina and Downtown

Danube sits at the far end of the Life Pharmacy branch, so most trips from here are long ones. The good news is that you do not need to change trains for the main places.

To Dubai Airport: stay on the train towards Centrepoint. It runs direct to Airport Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. No change, one fare, AED 7.50 on a Silver card.

To Dubai Marina: ride towards Centrepoint and get off at DMCC or Sobha Realty. Both serve the Marina, and the walk from either is short.

To Downtown and Burj Khalifa: ride towards Centrepoint to Burj Khalifa Dubai Mall station. The trip takes about an hour, so check the S’hail app. It costs AED 7.50 on a Silver card. A covered, air-conditioned walkway takes you straight into Dubai Mall.

To old Dubai: change at BurJuman or Union to the Green Line for the souks, the Creek and Deira. The change is easy. Follow the signs, tap through the gates, and board the Green Line train.

If you are going to the airport for a flight, leave early. The trip from Danube is long, and the airport stations get busy.

Buses and Taxis from Danube Station

The station has bus stops outside, and feeder buses run into the Jebel Ali Industrial Area and the free zone. The buses matter here, because the workplaces are spread out and the walk can be long in the heat.

If no bus matches your stop, ride-hailing apps work here too. The meter runs, and a short ride inside the industrial area is cheap.

Your workplace will have its own parking.

Is Danube Metro Station Safe at Night?

Yes. Dubai Metro stations are staffed, well-lit and covered by cameras, and Danube is no different. The station is busy until the last train, because the industrial area runs late shifts.

Two things to plan for at night. First, the last train. On Monday to Thursday and Saturday it leaves at midnight, and on Friday at 1:00 AM. Miss it and you will need a taxi. Second, the bus. Feeder buses thin out late at night, so check the time before you leave work. Ride-hailing apps work here at all hours.

5 Tips for Danube Metro Station

1. Check the train destination before you board. Life Pharmacy means Danube. Expo 2020 means no Danube.
2. Travel before the morning rush. The trains fill up with workers heading into JAFZA.
3. Keep your Nol card topped up. There is a ticket office and machines at the station, but the morning queue can be slow.
4. Do not rely on walking. The industrial area is wide and spread out. Plan the bus or taxi leg before you arrive.
5. Sunday trains start late. The first train on Sunday is 8:00 AM, so plan a Sunday shift around that.

Danube Metro Station FAQs

Is Danube Metro Station on the Red Line?

Yes. Danube (R41) is on the Red Line, on the Life Pharmacy branch. It is not on the Green Line. For the Green Line, change at BurJuman or Union.

What was Danube Metro Station called before?

It was planned as Jebel Ali Industrial. It opened in December 2012 as Danube, named after Danube Group, which bought the naming rights.

How do I get to Danube Metro Station from Dubai Mall?

Take a Red Line train towards Life Pharmacy from Burj Khalifa Dubai Mall station. Do not board an Expo 2020 train. The trip takes about an hour, so check the S’hail app. It costs AED 7.50 on a Silver Nol card.

Is there anything to see near Danube Metro Station?

Not really. The area is warehouses, factories and worker housing around JAFZA and the port. Come here for work, not for sightseeing.

Can I take luggage on the metro from Danube?

Small suitcases are fine, but avoid the morning rush.

Dubai Tours and Safari Editorial Team

The Dubai Tours and Safari editorial team researches and updates our Dubai and UAE travel guides, checking prices, timings and facts against official sources.