Board the Green Line towards Creek and ride one stop to Union. Change to the Red Line towards Centrepoint, with no need to tap your Nol card again, then stay on for five stops to Airport Terminal 3.
6 stops, 1 change at Union. The line colour shows which train you are on at each point.
For one or two people, the Metro wins on cost and predictability. For a family with luggage, or in a hurry, a taxi is door to door and skips the walk.
| Option | Cost | Time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro | AED 3 (Silver Nol) | ~20 min | Cheapest, no traffic |
| Taxi | AED 21 to 31 | 14 to 21 min | Door to door, luggage, families |
Baniyas Square to the airport is the shortest Metro hop from old Deira to Terminal 3, and the whole trip stays inside one zone for AED 3. The change at Union is across the platform with no second tap, and Union platforms can fill up at peak; boarding at the back of the Green Line train at Baniyas Square saves you a long platform walk on arrival.
Airport Terminal 3 station is fully underground, with a covered link straight into the terminal building for Emirates and Qantas passengers.
For more on the area around Airport Terminal 3, what is close by and worth a stop, see the Airport Terminal 3 station guide.
Pick up a prepaid Dubai eSIM before you leave the souks so the data switches on the moment you arrive at the gate. Useful for Emirates check-in and at-gate updates.
Yes, once. The Green Line runs one stop from Baniyas Square (G21) south to Union (G20), where you change across the platform to the Red Line. The Red Line then runs five stops north to Airport Terminal 3 (R13). The change is on the same level, no second Nol card tap.
Terminal 3 is the Emirates and Qantas terminal at Dubai International. If you are flying flydubai, Air Arabia, Wizz Air or another carrier, you are at Terminal 1 instead. Get off one stop earlier at Airport Terminal 1 (R14).
The trip stays inside one fare zone (Zone 5). On a Silver Nol card it is AED 3, on a Gold Nol card AED 6, on a Blue personal card AED 3, and on a single-use Red ticket AED 4 plus AED 2 to buy the ticket itself.
About 20 minutes from platform to platform, including the cross-platform change at Union and the short waits between stations. The walk into the terminal from the station adds another 10 to 15 minutes, longer with bags or a queue.
Yes. Baniyas Square has lifts to and from the platform, Union is fully step-free at the interchange, and Airport Terminal 3 station has a covered, step-free link straight into the terminal. The Red and Green Line trains have wide doors throughout.
No. A taxi from Baniyas Square to Terminal 3 is around AED 21 to 31 and 14 to 21 minutes depending on traffic, against AED 3 on the Metro. The taxi is door to door and works any hour, but the Metro saves around 85 per cent of the fare during operating hours.
Late afternoon and early evening, when residents head home from the souks and tourists travel to the airport for evening flights. Friday and Saturday evenings are the busiest of the week. The first trains in the morning are usually quiet.
The last southbound train from Baniyas Square towards Creek (via Union) runs about 12:43 AM every day. From Union, the last Red Line train towards Centrepoint (and Terminal 3) runs until just after midnight every day.