Dubai attractions not near the Metro: which ones need a car

Which Dubai attractions can you reach by Metro?

The Dubai Metro Red Line runs along Sheikh Zayed Road, the spine of the city. Stations serve Downtown Dubai, the area around the Dubai Mall, Business Bay, the Marina and Jumeirah Lakes Towers. The Dubai Metro guide covers fares and the Nol card.

Attractions beside that corridor are simple by Metro. Old Dubai on the Creek also has stations. Check the RTA journey planner for exact stops and any changes.

Which ones are far from a station?

Some of the biggest family venues sit in or near Dubailand, Al Barsha South, Al Warqa and the Jebel Ali side. These are not on the Sheikh Zayed Road corridor.

Attraction	Part of the city	Metro	Car
Global Village	Dubailand, inland	No station nearby	Drop-off and a waiting car
Dubai Miracle Garden	Al Barsha South	Not within walking distance of a station	Direct and short
Dubai Parks and Resorts	Jebel Ali side, near the E11	Check RTA for bus links	Direct on the E11
IMG Worlds of Adventure	Dubailand, inland	No station nearby	Direct
Dubai Safari Park	Al Warqa, inland	No station nearby	Direct
Hatta	109 km from Dubai	None	Only by road

Distances from Downtown or the Marina vary with traffic. Use a mapping service on the day, and confirm the Metro or bus option on the RTA site, as bus routes change.

Dubai Parks and Resorts and the Jebel Ali side

Dubai Parks and Resorts lies on the western side of the city, toward Jebel Ali, close to the E11 coastal highway. From the Marina it is the shortest trip of this group. From Downtown allow longer.

A car drops you at the entrance and waits for your return. That helps with strollers, bags and tired children, and saves a long walk from a bus stop to the gate. See Dubai with kids for pacing a theme park day.

IMG Worlds, Global Village and Dubai Safari Park

These three sit inland in Dubailand and Al Warqa, reached by the E311 and E611 highways rather than Sheikh Zayed Road.

• IMG Worlds. An indoor park, so it suits the hot months. Opening hours are listed on its official site.
• Global Village. A seasonal event, open in the cooler months. Opening dates and times are in our Global Village timings guide. Tickets are on our Global Village tickets page.
• Dubai Safari Park. Check the park’s official site for its season and hours before you travel.

The Metro does not reach these three. Buses and taxis do, with longer waits.

Miracle Garden and Al Barsha South

Dubai Miracle Garden is in Al Barsha South, a short drive from the Sheikh Zayed Road corridor but not walkable from a station. It is a seasonal garden, so confirm the opening dates first. Our Miracle Garden guide has the detail, and tickets are on the Miracle Garden tickets page.

Closing-time taxi queues and how a waiting car avoids them

At large evening venues thousands of guests leave in the same 30 minutes. Taxi ranks and ride-hailing pickup points fill up, and fares at surge times rise. If you have children or are leaving late, that wait is the weak point of the day.

A pre-booked car with a named pickup point removes it. Your driver tracks your message, positions the car and you walk straight to it. See our car with driver service, and the comparison in how to get around Dubai.

Two attractions in one day: pairings that work by car

Pair venues that share a part of the city:

• Miracle Garden and Global Village. Both are inland and seasonal, so they overlap in the winter months. Visit the garden by day and the Village in the evening.
• IMG Worlds and Dubai Safari Park. Both are inland on the Dubailand and Al Warqa side, so one morning and one afternoon work.
• Dubai Parks and Resorts and the Marina. The Marina is the closest base, so a hotel there suits a theme park day.

Hours and seasons change, so check each venue’s own site. For more options see places to visit in Dubai and the attraction tickets page, or the wider day trips from Dubai.