Line🔴 Red Line
Station IDR21
ZoneZone 1
Operating Hours05:00–00:00
Nol ZoneZone 1
Accessibility♿ Full Access
Status
Max Metro Station platform
Max Metro Station, Dubai
Max station entrance

About Max Metro Station

Max Metro Station (R21) is an elevated station on the Dubai Metro Red Line, located in the Trade Centre district along Sheikh Zayed Road between ADCB (R20) and World Trade Centre (R22). It sits in Nol Zone 1, the cheapest fare band, making it among the most cost-effective metro stops in the city. The station takes its name from the Max Fashion retail chain, whose store is directly below the station structure at street level.

The station opened in September 2009 as part of the original Red Line launch — the UAE's first metro system. It serves a mixed-use corridor of SZR high-rise residential towers, commercial offices, and a cluster of international hotels. Passenger volumes are moderate compared to interchange stations, as the stop is primarily used by residents of the surrounding Trade Centre apartments and office workers in the SZR mid-corridor zone.

The max metro station sits on Sheikh Zayed Road at the northern edge of the Trade Centre area, approximately 600 metres south of the DIFC Gate South entrance and 400 metres from Shangri-La Hotel Dubai. The Dubai World Trade Centre exhibition halls are roughly 800 metres to the east. The immediate street level is characterised by 1980s and 1990s era office towers alongside newer residential buildings, with retail ground floors serving the local population.

From Max Station, key destinations are reachable within 2–4 stops: World Trade Centre (R22) is 1 stop and 3 minutes away; Emirates Towers (R23) is 2 stops and 5 minutes; Financial Centre / DIFC (R24) is 3 stops and 8 minutes; and Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall (R25) is 4 stops and 10 minutes in the direction of Expo City. In the other direction, ADCB (R20) is 1 stop back and Union interchange for the Green Line is 2 stops at 5 minutes.

The station is primarily used by SZR corridor residents and office workers who find the metro faster than driving during peak traffic hours when SZR is heavily congested. A practical travel tip: if your destination is in DIFC or Emirates Towers, Max is one stop closer than Financial Centre and may be preferable depending on your exact destination. The max metro red line station also makes a good starting point for the SZR hotel strip — several four and five-star hotels are within a 5–10 minute walk along the service road.

Opened
September 2009
Platform Type
Elevated
Platform Doors
Yes
Gold Class
Yes (Car 1)
Women & Children Car
Yes (Car 3)

About Trade Centre & SZR — Max Metro Station Area

The Trade Centre district is one of Dubai's original commercial corridors — developed in the early 1980s around the Dubai World Trade Centre, which was for many years the tallest building in the Middle East. Today the area is a mid-SZR zone that bridges the older Bur Dubai commercial fabric to the north and the newer DIFC and Downtown core to the south. The max metro station sits at the heart of this transitional strip, surrounded by a mix of legacy office towers, hotel apartment buildings, and ground-floor retail.

Shangri-La Hotel Dubai at 400 metres is the area's most prominent landmark — its distinctive tower visible from the station platform. The SZR hotel corridor between Max and World Trade Centre stations contains several international four and five-star properties that collectively make this one of the more transit-friendly hotel strips in the city. For budget travellers, the Trade Centre apartments area also has furnished flat rentals catering to long-stay business visitors. DIFC Gate South is 600 metres south, putting the financial district's offices and restaurants within walking distance for those who prefer to avoid the one-stop metro hop.

The sheikh zayed road stretch around Max Station is useful to know as a transit hub rather than a destination in itself. Peak-hour traffic on SZR is among the worst in Dubai, and the metro is consistently faster than taxis between Max and points south (DIFC, Downtown, Marina) during the 07:30–09:30 and 17:00–19:30 windows. The station's Zone 1 status means a single-zone Silver Nol journey costs AED 3.00, keeping costs low for short hops to neighbouring stations.

Red Line — Nearby Stations

Adjacent stations on the line.

 BurJuman R19 Visit →
ADCB R20 Visit →
Max R21 ← You are here
World Trade Centre R22 Visit →
Emirates Towers R23 Visit →

Nearby Places

Verified places at or within walking distance of Max Metro Station.

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Shangri-La Hotel Dubai

Sheikh Zayed Road · Iconic 5-star hotel towering over SZR

★ 4.7 ~400m walk

Shangri-La Hotel Dubai is a 43-storey five-star tower on Sheikh Zayed Road, rated 4.7/5. The hotel houses several dining outlets including Hoi An Vietnamese restaurant and Dunes Café, a large pool deck, and a spa. It is 400 metres from the max metro station along SZR — walkable but entirely exposed to sun and road noise. The hotel is a frequent choice for business travellers visiting DIFC offices and guests attending Dubai World Trade Centre events, making the hotel's location between Max and World Trade Centre stations particularly convenient.

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Max Fashion Store

Sheikh Zayed Road · Affordable fashion & lifestyle retail

Fashion Retail ~200m walk

Max Fashion is a mid-market clothing and lifestyle retailer operated by Landmark Group, selling men's, women's and children's fashion at accessible price points. The SZR store is 200 metres from the station — effectively at the station's ground-level exit — and is the namesake of the max metro station itself. Open approximately 10:00–22:00. Particularly useful for budget-conscious travellers needing to replace items or pick up essentials without venturing to a larger mall.

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DIFC Gate South

DIFC · Southern entrance to Dubai International Financial Centre

Business District ~600m walk

DIFC Gate South is the southern pedestrian entrance to the Dubai International Financial Centre — home to 6,000+ financial firms, regulators, and law offices operating under English common law. The 600-metre walk from Max Metro Station follows the SZR service road southward along the DIFC perimeter wall. If your specific destination within DIFC is closer to Gate Avenue or the northern towers, consider taking one more stop on the Red Line to Financial Centre (R24) instead, which deposits you closer to the DIFC central plaza.

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SZR Restaurants Strip

Sheikh Zayed Road · Wide variety of dining options along the road

Dining ~300m walk

The service road running parallel to Sheikh Zayed Road between Max and World Trade Centre stations has a concentrated strip of restaurants ranging from Indian thalis and Lebanese grills to Filipino family diners and South-East Asian chains. Most are open 11:00–00:00, priced significantly lower than DIFC or Downtown equivalents. Many serve the large South Asian office worker population in the surrounding towers. The 300-metre walk from the max metro red line station exit leads directly to this strip via the pedestrian bridge over SZR.

How to Use Max Metro Station Metro Station

Here is a straightforward guide to entering, navigating, and exiting Max Metro Station Station whether you are a first-time visitor or a regular commuter.

  1. Look for the Dubai Metro logo (red M on white background) on street signage. Max Metro Station has multiple exits — check which exit is closest to your destination before entering. Exit maps are displayed at the top of the stairs and beside the gates.

  2. Tap your Silver or Gold Nol Card on the reader at the entrance gate. The gate will display your remaining balance. If your balance is below AED 3.00 the gate will not open — top up at the vending machines beside the gates before entering.

  3. Check the overhead direction signs on the platform. On the Red Line trains run towards Centrepoint (Rashidiya) in one direction and towards UAE Exchange / Expo City in the other. On the Green Line trains run towards Etisalat by e& or towards Creek. Confirm your direction on the station map before the train arrives.

  4. Stand behind the yellow safety line until the train stops and doors open. Let passengers exit first then board. Tap your Nol Card at the exit gates at your destination — forgetting to tap out results in the maximum fare being charged for that journey.

Nol Card tip: If you are visiting Dubai for more than 2 days a Silver Nol Card (AED 25 including AED 19 travel credit) saves money compared to buying individual paper tickets. It works on metro, bus, tram, and water bus across all of Dubai. Available at every metro station vending machine.

Getting There

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By Metro

Red Line, Station R21. Hours: 05:00–00:00 (Mon–Thu, Sat–Sun); 10:00–01:00 (Friday).

Red Line R21
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By Bus

RTA bus routes X25, F51 serve this station.

X25F51

Route X25 is an express bus running from Al Ghubaiba Bus Station through Trade Centre and SZR all the way to Sharjah (Al Jubail) — frequency every 20–30 minutes, approximately 50–60 minutes to Sharjah, Nol Card required. Useful if coming from Sharjah and heading to the Trade Centre or DIFC area. Route F51 is the DIFC internal feeder that circulates within the financial centre's road network, connecting Max and Financial Centre stations to buildings inside DIFC that are not easily walkable from station exits — frequency every 10–15 minutes, short circular route, free with Nol Card tap. Both routes stop on the SZR service road directly below the max metro station.

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By Taxi / Ride-Hail

RTA taxis available at the station exit. Uber and Careem also serve this area. Use the RTA app for journey planning and fare estimates.

Approximate RTA taxi fares from Max Metro Station: DIFC / Gate Avenue AED 15–22 (though 3 stops by metro is faster during peak hours); Downtown Dubai / Burj Khalifa AED 20–30 (15–20 min); Dubai Marina AED 50–70 (35–50 min, metro is strongly recommended); Dubai Airport T3 AED 50–65 (25–40 min); Satwa / Jumeirah Beach Road AED 20–30 (15–20 min). Uber and Careem are typically AED 3–6 less during non-surge periods. During weekday peak hours, taxis heading toward Downtown or DIFC may sit in SZR traffic — the metro is almost always faster for those destinations.

Walking Distances from Station

200m
Max Fashion Store
Shopping
300m
Sheikh Zayed Road Hotels (SZR)
Hotels
600m
DIFC Gate South
Business
200m
Trade Centre Apartments
Residential
400m
Shangri-La Hotel Dubai
Hotels

Nol Card Fares from Max Metro Station — Zone 1

Max Metro Station is in Zone 1 of the Dubai Metro fare system. Your fare depends on how many zones your journey crosses. The table below shows Silver and Gold Nol Card fares to the most common destinations from this station.

Destination Metro Station Silver Nol Card Gold Nol Card
Dubai International Airport T1Terminal 1 (R14)AED 8.00AED 11.00
BurJuman (interchange)BurJuman (R20)AED 3.00AED 6.00
Downtown Dubai / Burj KhalifaBurj Khalifa/Dubai Mall (R23)AED 3.00AED 6.00
Mall of the EmiratesMall of the Emirates (R25)AED 5.00AED 10.00
Jumeirah Lakes TowersDMCC (R27)AED 5.00AED 10.00
Union (interchange)Union (R19)AED 3.00AED 6.00
Expo City DubaiExpo 2020 (R35)AED 6.50AED 13.00

Fares shown are for Nol Card holders. Red Paper Tickets cost approximately 50% more per journey. Children under 5 travel free. A daily spending cap of AED 20 (Silver) and AED 40 (Gold) protects frequent travellers — once you hit the cap all further journeys that day are free. Airport stations carry an additional RTA airport surcharge of AED 5.00 per trip.

Best value: A Silver Nol Card costs AED 25 total (AED 6 card fee + AED 19 travel credit) and is available at every metro station vending machine. It works on all RTA transport including metro, bus, tram, and water bus. For stays of 5 or more days it saves significantly over paper tickets.

✦ Visitor Tips

Practical advice for using this station.

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Use a Nol Card

Top up your Nol Card at station vending machines (cash or card accepted). Zone 1 applies here — AED 3.00 (Silver) / AED 6.00 (Gold) per single journey. A daily fare cap protects frequent travellers.

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Operating Hours

Metro runs 05:00–00:00 Monday–Thursday and Saturday–Sunday. On Fridays the service starts late: 10:00–01:00. Plan accordingly for early Friday mornings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Max operates 05:00–00:00 Monday to Thursday and Saturday to Sunday. On Fridays the station opens later: 10:00–01:00. Trains run every 3–7 minutes at peak times and every 7–10 minutes off-peak.
Nol Card vending machines are installed at all Dubai Metro stations and accept cash and bank cards for self-service top-ups around the clock. For card purchase or account registration, visit an RTA customer service counter at a major station or the rta.ae website.
Max Metro Station (R21) is on the Red Line on Sheikh Zayed Road, between ADCB (R20) and World Trade Centre (R22) stations. It is in the SZR / Trade Centre area and is named after the Max Fashion retail store near the station.
Max Station sits on Sheikh Zayed Road in the Trade Centre residential and commercial zone. Shangri-La Hotel Dubai is approximately 400 metres away. DIFC Gate South entrance is about 600 metres. Several SZR apartment towers and offices are within walking distance, as is the Dubai World Trade Centre complex.
From Max (R21), take the Red Line toward Expo direction through World Trade Centre and Emirates Towers to Financial Centre, then one more stop to Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall (R25). The total journey takes approximately 12 minutes with no transfer needed.
Max Metro Station has multiple exits. Check the exit map displayed at the top of the stairs inside the station, or use the RTA Dubai app which shows numbered exit locations on a map. The app will suggest the exit closest to your specific destination. If in doubt, station staff near the gates can advise on the quickest route out.
Yes, passengers are permitted to bring personal luggage including standard suitcases on the Dubai Metro. Each train has designated luggage areas near the doors. Large or oversized items are not allowed during peak hours (06:00–09:00 and 17:00–20:00 on weekdays). Max Metro Station has elevators and wide corridors making it suitable for passengers with luggage. Keep bags out of the aisles and do not place them on seats.
The RTA Nol Card daily cap is AED 20 for Silver Card holders and AED 40 for Gold Card holders. Once your spending reaches the cap in a single calendar day all further metro journeys that day are free. The cap resets at midnight. This makes the Nol Card excellent value for people making multiple trips in one day. The cap applies to metro, bus, tram, and water bus journeys combined. You can check your current day spend in the RTA Dubai app or at any ticket machine.
During peak hours (06:00–09:00 and 17:00–20:00 on weekdays) trains at Max Metro Station run every 3–4 minutes on the Red Line and every 5–7 minutes on the Green Line. During off-peak daytime hours trains run every 7–10 minutes. On Fridays before 13:00 the metro opens later and trains run less frequently. Real-time train arrival information is displayed on the platform screens and in the RTA Dubai app.
RTA bus routes X25, F51 stop directly at or within 200 metres of Max Metro Station Metro Station. Bus routes connect this station to residential areas and destinations not directly served by the metro. Use the RTA S'hail app for real-time bus schedules and route planning from Max Metro Station.