Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) will extend Metro operating hours on Sunday, 1 February 2026 to accommodate the 25th anniversary edition of the Dubai Marathon. Trains on both the Red and Green Lines will run from 05:00 to 00:00, giving runners, support crews and spectators extra time to reach the start line at Dubai Police Academy and return home after the race.
The transport tweak, announced on 30 January, is part of a now familiar playbook whereby RTA uses mega-events to nudge residents and visitors towards public transit. In 2025, the marathon drew more than 38,000 participants from 140 countries, many of them corporate wellness teams and expatriate running clubs. Hoteliers along Sheikh Zayed Road reported occupancy spikes of up to 20 %, and organisers expect similar numbers this year.
International visitors planning to lace up for race day who still need entry clearance can streamline the process through VisaHQ, which offers up-to-date guidance and online application handling for United Arab Emirates visas. The platform cuts paperwork time and provides real-time status alerts—visit https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/ for details.
![Dubai Metro to Start at 5 a.m. on 1 Feb for 25th Dubai Marathon]()
For mobility managers arranging incentive trips or group travel around the race, the earlier first train cuts the need for charter buses and eases road-closure headaches. The RTA will also deploy additional staff at key stations (Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Internet City, and On Passive) to manage flows and provide race-route guidance.
The authority said that the move reflects Dubai’s commitment to “seamless mobility during international events” and hinted that similar extensions could apply during COP28-legacy conferences and Expo City gatherings later in the year. RTA’s data show that public-transport ridership during major events has climbed 12 % year-on-year, supporting the emirate’s 2030 Green Mobility Strategy.
Visitors arriving from abroad should note that road closures around Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim start at 03:30 on race day; journey planners recommend taking the Metro to cut arrival times by up to 40 minutes.
The transport tweak, announced on 30 January, is part of a now familiar playbook whereby RTA uses mega-events to nudge residents and visitors towards public transit. In 2025, the marathon drew more than 38,000 participants from 140 countries, many of them corporate wellness teams and expatriate running clubs. Hoteliers along Sheikh Zayed Road reported occupancy spikes of up to 20 %, and organisers expect similar numbers this year.
International visitors planning to lace up for race day who still need entry clearance can streamline the process through VisaHQ, which offers up-to-date guidance and online application handling for United Arab Emirates visas. The platform cuts paperwork time and provides real-time status alerts—visit https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/ for details.
For mobility managers arranging incentive trips or group travel around the race, the earlier first train cuts the need for charter buses and eases road-closure headaches. The RTA will also deploy additional staff at key stations (Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Internet City, and On Passive) to manage flows and provide race-route guidance.
The authority said that the move reflects Dubai’s commitment to “seamless mobility during international events” and hinted that similar extensions could apply during COP28-legacy conferences and Expo City gatherings later in the year. RTA’s data show that public-transport ridership during major events has climbed 12 % year-on-year, supporting the emirate’s 2030 Green Mobility Strategy.
Visitors arriving from abroad should note that road closures around Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim start at 03:30 on race day; journey planners recommend taking the Metro to cut arrival times by up to 40 minutes.
