Al Fardan Exchange Metro Station Overview
Al Fardan Exchange is the R35 station on the Dubai Metro Red Line, in Zone 2 on the elevated stretch of Sheikh Zayed Road between Dubai Internet City (R34) and Sobha Realty (R36). The station is a southbound stop before the DMCC tram interchange, usually quieter than DMCC itself, with feeder buses to parts of Palm Jumeirah.
The station carries three names in older signage and maps. It opened as Nakheel in 2010, became Al Khail, and was renamed Al Fardan Exchange on 18 March 2025 under a 10-year naming-rights deal with the Al Fardan group. Expect a mix of old and new signs for a while, especially inside the trains and on Google Maps.
First and last train from Al Fardan Exchange 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 | 5:04 AM daily | 12:12 AM (Mon to Wed, Sun) 12:09 AM (Thu, Sat) 1:14 AM (Fri) |
| To Expo 2020 | 5:13 AM daily | 11:12 PM (Mon to Wed, Sun) 11:09 PM (Thu to Sat) |
| To Life Pharmacy | 5:09 AM daily | 11:08 PM (Mon to Wed, Sun) 11:14 PM (Thu to Sat) |
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Al Fardan Exchange Station opening hours and facilities
Al Fardan Exchange 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
Al Fardan Exchange 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.
Al Fardan Exchange is a quieter alternative to boarding at DMCC in the evening Marina rush. The two stations are one stop apart, so a southbound passenger coming out of a Marina evening can backtrack one stop here, grab a seat before the crush, and ride north from a less busy platform. Peak Thursday evenings are when this matters most.
From Nakheel to Al Khail to Al Fardan Exchange
Al Fardan Exchange is the Red Line’s first stop under RTA’s refreshed naming-rights initiative. WAM reported on 18 March 2025 that the RTA had signed an agreement granting Al Fardan Exchange the naming rights to the station previously called Al Khail, with signage changes rolled out between April and the end of June 2025. The ceremony at the station was described by RTA as the opening of a new phase of strategic public-private partnerships for the Metro’s commercial naming programme.
Older sources trace the station’s name history back further. It opened as Nakheel in 2010, under the master developer behind nearby Jebel Ali and Palm Jumeirah, before being rebranded as Al Khail. Dubai Metro naming rights now run on a 10-year contract baseline, with a per-station price that can reach substantial figures for premium Red Line stops. Expect older signs, maps and app listings to catch up gradually; the station itself has not moved.
A southbound alternative to DMCC
Al Fardan Exchange sits one stop north of DMCC, which is the Red Line’s tram interchange and one of the busier evening boarding points on the whole network thanks to Marina residents. For northbound passengers, this station is a less crowded place to catch a train heading back to Downtown or Deira in the Thursday-evening rush, especially during cooler months when the Marina walk is busiest. Direct services from Centrepoint pass through here, so you still board whatever service you need without a mid-trip change.
The station’s own catchment is a mix of office blocks along the elevated Sheikh Zayed Road stretch and feeder-bus connections towards Palm Jumeirah frond villas. Walkability is limited by the eight-lane road alignment, so most trips in and out use buses or taxis from the station exit rather than walking.
For Palm Jumeirah frond or signature villa drop-offs, feeder buses from this station work out cheaper than taxis from DMCC. Check the F55 and F55A timings on the RTA S'hail app before you leave the platform. If the next bus is more than ten minutes away, walking across to DMCC and taking the tram one stop to Palm Jumeirah monorail is usually quicker.
Fares from Al Fardan Exchange 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mall of the Emirates | 3 | 1 | AED 3.00 |
| Ibn Battuta | 4 | 1 | AED 3.00 |
| Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall | 7 | 2 | AED 5.00 |
| Expo 2020 | 9 | 3 | AED 7.50 |
| Airport Terminal 3 | 19 | 3 | AED 7.50 |
Metro Stations Before and After Al Fardan Exchange Station
- Dubai Internet City (R34): The stop after Al Fardan Exchange on the Red Line going towards Centrepoint
- Sobha Realty (R36): The stop after Al Fardan Exchange on the Red Line going towards Expo 2020
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