National Paints Metro Station Overview
National Paints is a Red Line station in Zone 2, the fork point where the line splits into two southern branches. It is station R38, between DMCC on the north side and Ibn Battuta or The Gardens on the south side, depending on which branch the train takes.
Most trains continue south on the Route 2020 branch to Expo 2020, while a separate shuttle covers the four stations of the Life Pharmacy spur, starting at Ibn Battuta. For Ibn Battuta, Energy, Danube and Life Pharmacy, you change at National Paints rather than ride straight through.
First and last train from National Paints Station
These times come from the official RTA timetable. For the exact minute on the day you travel, the RTA S'hail app is the live source.
| Direction | First train | Last train |
|---|---|---|
| To Centrepoint | 5:14 AM daily | 12:05 AM (Mon to Wed, Sun) 12:04 AM (Thu, Fri) 12:02 AM (Sat) |
| To Expo 2020 | 5:05 AM (Mon to Sat) 7:31 AM (Sun) | 11:05 PM (Mon to Wed) 11:02 PM (Thu, Sat, Sun) 12:06 AM (Fri) |
| To Life Pharmacy | 5:02 AM (Mon to Sat) 8:23 AM (Sun) | 11:01 PM (Mon to Wed) 11:06 PM (Thu, Sat, Sun) 12:02 AM (Fri) |
Booking Expo City Dubai tickets?
National Paints sits one branch transfer from Expo City. Pre-book entry and the attractions you want to skip the queue on arrival.
National Paints Station opening hours and facilities
National Paints station keeps the standard RTA opening hours, the same right across the network:
- Monday to Thursday: 5:00 AM to 12:00 AM
- Friday: 5:00 AM to 1:00 AM
- Saturday: 5:00 AM to 12:00 AM
- Sunday: 8:00 AM to 12:00 AM
National Paints has the standard Dubai Metro facilities, confirmed in the official RTA passenger guide. The station is step-free, with lifts to all levels, tactile guidance paths, and dedicated wheelchair spaces on every train. Nol card machines and a ticket counter sit inside the concourse, alongside bilingual signage and information screens. Du Wi-Fi covers the network.
Every regular train carries three cabin types: Gold Class at one end, a Women and Children cabin with pink signage, and Standard cabins. Door pictograms on the platform show where each cabin stops. The station has at least one bus connection, dedicated Metro Police, CCTV throughout, and emergency call points on every platform and train.
Check the front of the train at the platform before you board, especially heading south. The Life Pharmacy branch runs as a shuttle from National Paints, so a through service to Expo 2020 will not stop at Ibn Battuta or the three stations after it. Getting on the wrong train means doubling back through National Paints.
The fork that defines the Red Line
National Paints is the one Metro station where the Red Line splits into two branches. From the platform south of National Paints, the line forks: one branch runs west to Life Pharmacy, the other south to Expo City on the Route 2020 line. It is the only branching point on the network today.
The Route 2020 extension was built ahead of the Expo 2020 world fair, and the station closed for reconstruction during the works. It reopened on 1 January 2021 with the first passenger trip on the new branch, from what was then Jebel Ali down to Al Furjan. The full Route 2020 line, including Expo 2020 station, opened on 1 June 2021.
Three names in twenty years
The station has been renamed twice. It opened in 2009 as Nakheel Harbour & Tower, the name of the developer that originally sponsored it. The RTA renamed it Jebel Ali during the Route 2020 reconstruction, and then to its current name, National Paints, on 1 July 2025 under a new sponsor agreement. The station code, R38, has stayed the same through both renames, which is why it is the most reliable reference if you are following an older map.
How to use the branch transfer
If your destination is on the Life Pharmacy branch, watch the platform display south of Union as you board: trains are marked for Expo 2020 or for Life Pharmacy, and only the Life Pharmacy service stops at Ibn Battuta, Energy, Danube and Life Pharmacy. The transfer at National Paints is across the platform inside the paid area, so no second tap and no second fare, but allow a few minutes for the wait. The shuttle runs less often than the through service, especially late evening and on Sunday mornings, when it starts later than the main timetable.
The station was called Jebel Ali until 1 July 2025, and Nakheel Harbour & Tower before that. Older signs, printed maps and route announcements may still use the previous names. The station code (R38) does not change with the sponsor, so it is the safest reference if a map is out of date.
Fares from National Paints Station
Fares depend on how many zones your trip crosses, not how many stations you pass. A Silver Nol card costs AED 3 within one zone, AED 5 across two zones, and AED 7.50 for three or more zones, per the RTA Nol fares page. A personal Blue Nol card pays the same as Silver. Gold Class costs double: AED 6, 10 or 15 across the same bands.
Without a Nol card, the Red ticket is a separate, higher tariff of AED 4, 6 or 8.50 by zone band, and the blank ticket costs AED 2 to buy. Children aged five and under travel free, and travel is free for People of Determination.
| Destination | Stops | Zones | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall | 10 | 2 | AED 5.00 |
| Mall of the Emirates | 6 | 1 | AED 3.00 |
| Expo 2020 | 6 | 3 | AED 7.50 |
| Airport Terminal 3 | 22 | 3 | AED 7.50 |
| Union | 17 | 3 | AED 7.50 |
Metro Stations Before and After National Paints Station
- DMCC (R37): The stop after National Paints on the Red Line going towards Centrepoint
- Ibn Battuta (R39): The stop after National Paints on the Red Line going towards Life Pharmacy
- The Gardens (R70): The stop after National Paints on the Red Line going towards Expo 2020
Get a Dubai travel eSIM
A prepaid eSIM gives you data the moment you arrive, useful for the RTA S'hail app and live train times around the branch transfer.