How to go to malls without metro stations in Dubai
Shopping malls in Dubai are some of the biggest in the world. They offer tourists and residents an avenue for shopping, dining and recreation. Malls in Dubai also offer some of the best indoor activities in the city, whether you want to catch the latest movies or play a round of mini-golf.
In this blog, we talk about how you can reach malls in the city that are not connected to Dubai Metro. We will also talk about transport alternatives for malls in Dubai that have metro access.
WAYS TO GET TO THE MALLS IN DUBAI USING PUBLIC TRANSPORT
REACHING SHOPPING MALLS IN DUBAI VIA BUS
RTA buses are the cheapest ways to get to the shopping malls in Dubai, especially those located at a distance from metro stations.
DUBAI FESTIVAL CITY MALL
Part of Dubai Festival City, this shopping mall is especially popular because of stores like IKEA, Ace Hardware and Robinsons. The Festival City Mall is located at Dubai Creek, and you can reach the mall by taking bus 44 from Rashidiya Metro Station.
Note: Dubai Festival City Mall also has a water taxi station that services Zone 2 of RTA water taxi routes between Dubai Creek and Dubai Water Canal.
MADINA MALL
One of the smaller malls in the city, Madina Mall caters to the communities of Al Qusais and Muhaisnah.
To reach the mall, get off at the Al Qusais Metro station (Green Line) and take bus 13B or 17 that will take you to Madina Mall bus stop.
ARABIAN CENTRE
This mall is a popular hangout for the residents of Al Mizhar.
You can reach the mall by taking the feeder bus F05 from Al Rashidiya Metro Station and reach the Arabian Centre bus stop.
NAKHEEL MALL
The recently launched Nakheel Mall has expanded shopping and leisure options in the vibrant Palm Jumeirah community. One of the best ways to reach Nakheel Mall is to take a water taxi and enjoy the impressive views between Dubai Marina and Palm Jumeirah as you head to the mall.
Of course, you can also use the Dubai Tram Line that services the mall from 09:00 am to 09:00 pm every day.
Note: Nakheel Mall also offers complimentary shuttle services from morning to evening from hotels in Palm Jumeirah, Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Barsha and JBR. You can find the complete list of hotels and timings on the official Nakheel Mall website.
DUBAI FESTIVAL PLAZA
One of Dubai South’s newest hotspots, Dubai Festival Plaza is home to the newest IKEA store in Dubai. You can reach the plaza by taking a feeder bus from the Energy Metro Station in Jebel Ali.
DRAGON MART
The largest trading hub for Chinese products outside mainland China, the massive Dragon Mart is home to more than 3,500 shops. You can take bus 366 from Rashidiya Metro Station to reach Dragon Mart using public transport.
CITY CENTRE MIRDIF
Spread over 196,000 sq.m of retail space, City Centre Mirdif is also home to iFLY Dubai. This indoor skydive experience is one of the best things to do at City Centre Mirdif, which is extremely popular for its wide selection of stores, restaurants and more!
Located on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, you can reach Mirdif City Centre by public transportation via RTA bus F10 which you can board from the Al Rashidiya Metro Station.
DUBAI OUTLET MALL
While located outside the main city, Dubai Outlet Mall is frequented by those who love a good bargain. The mall is located on Dubai – Al Ain Road (E66) and you can take buses 66 and 67 from Bur Dubai to reach your destination. Both buses stop at Almenhad 2 station near the mall.
Note: If you are a tourist, many hotels in Dubai offer shuttle services to the Dubai Outlet Mall.
WAFI MALL
Among the first shopping malls in the UAE, Wafi Mall is known for its distinct Egyptian theme. The pyramid-shaped structure is visible from a distance on Sheikh Zayed Road. There are several ways to reach the mall.
If you are using public transport, you can take buses X23 and C04 from Gold Souq Bus Station, X25 from Al Karama Bus Station and 44 from Al Ghubaiba Bus Station.
MERCATO MALL
Moving on, the Italian-themed Mercato Shopping Mall is a community favourite in Jumeirah. Located on Jumeirah Beach Road, the mall is accessible via route 8 and route 88 which runs between Deira City Centre and Dubai Internet City. You can also take bus C10 from Hamriya Port, Control Tower to reach Mercato Shopping Mall.
ALTERNATE TRANSPORT OPTIONS TO REACH MALLS NEAR METRO STATIONS
The most frequented malls in Dubai are either linked to a metro station or have one nearby. These include The Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates and Ibn Battuta Mall. But in case you miss a metro or don’t want to bear long queues, here are some of the best ways to get to these shopping malls in Dubai.
THE DUBAI MALL
One of the biggest malls in the world, Dubai Mall is also a tourist hotspot. The mall is located on Sheikh Zayed Road. Although the mall is easily accessible from the Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall metro station, if you are wondering how to get to the Dubai Mall without using the metro, you can catch buses from route 27 and route 29. The former departs from Deira Gold Souk station, while you can catch the route 29 bus from Ghubaiba bus station. The buses leave every 16 minutes. They arrive and depart in front of the Grand Drive Entrance at the lower ground floor of the mall.
Note: You can also avail of coach services from different locations in Dubai Marina and Palm Jumeirah to Dubai Mall.
MALL OF THE EMIRATES
The mall with the biggest indoor ski resort, Mall of the Emirates, is one of the most-visited places for shopaholics in the UAE. The Mall of the Emirates Bus Station is located right next to the mall and services the following routes: F29 to Dubai Production City, F30 to Dubai Studio City, F33 to Al Barsha, F35 to The Greens and F37 to Dubai Sports City. The bus routes operate every day from 05:19 am to 12:42 am (next day).
CITY CENTRE DEIRA
One of the city’s most visited malls, City Centre Deira is also one of the oldest shopping centres in Dubai. Route C15 operates from Hamriya Port, Control tower to the Deira City Centre Bus Station.
BURJUMAN MALL
With a central location in Bur Dubai, BurJuman Mall continues to be a popular shopping destination despite being one of the oldest malls in the country. The mall is located on Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Road D88 and is accessible via the BurJuman Metro Station and its adjacent bus stops.
IBN BATTUTA MALL
Named after the Arab explorer, Ibn Battuta Mall is the world’s largest themed mall. This is another mall on Sheikh Zayed Road, and you can catch bus number 8 from Gold Souq Bus Station to reach Ibn Battuta Metro Station Bus Station.
DUBAI MARINA MALL
With 140 stores, 21 dining options, Reel cinemas and a play zone, Dubai Marina Mall is a hotspot for shoppers in and around the Marina area. You can reach the mall using bus F37 that stops directly in front of the mall. Buses are available every 10 to 15 minutes.
AL GHURAIR CENTRE
Finally, we have Al Ghurair Centre, another historic mall in the city. Located on Al Rigga Road in Deira, you can take a bus to Al Ghurair Centre from Salah Al-Deen Metro Station.
REACHING SHOPPING MALLS IN DUBAI VIA TAXI
RTA taxis are another common (albeit costlier) way to reach shopping malls in the emirate. There are designated taxi stops at shopping malls in the city. You can easily book a cab through the Dispatch Centre, SMS service or online. In addition, you can also book taxis through RTA’s S’hail app.
General taxi meters start at AED 5 from 06:00 am to 10:00 pm, and AED 5.50 from 10:01 pm to 05:59 am. Also, note that fares can also include Salik charges if you pass through a toll gate. For a complete breakdown of taxi charges in the city, read our guide on RTA Dubai taxi price.
RIDE-HAILING SERVICES
Finally, you can also use ride-hailing services like Uber, Careem and Hubun to reach malls in Dubai without metro stations. Charges for these services depend on factors like choice of ride, location, travel distance and traffic conditions.
These are some of the best ways to get to shopping malls in Dubai. Needless to say, public transportation in Dubai is one of the finest in the world. There are several alternative Dubai transport options to reach your desired destination at any given location.
You can also find the list of bus routes in our RTA Dubai Bus guide so you can navigate easily around town.
