Ask for the global village bus timing and every answer sounds oddly specific — buses only from mid-afternoon to late evening — because that is exactly how the service works. Global Village opens in the late afternoon and closes around midnight, so the RTA runs four dedicated bus routes purely for the season: 102 from Rashidiya, 103 from Union, 104 from Al Ghubaiba and 106 from Mall of the Emirates. They are direct, Nol-only, and they exist only while the park is open. This guide covers each route, the current season dates, the AED 12 fare, and the one detail that catches people out — the last bus home leaves before the park closes.
| Global Village Bus — Quick Facts | |
| Season | Season 31: 14 October 2026 to May 2027 — no buses outside the season |
| Routes | 102 (Rashidiya) · 103 (Union) · 104 (Al Ghubaiba) · 106 (Mall of the Emirates) |
| Fare | AED 12 one way, Nol card only — no cash, and entry ticket not included |
| Service hours | About 3:15 PM to 11:15 PM daily |
| Journey time | Around 30 minutes; direct services — no getting off between the station and the park |
| Park hours | 4:00 PM to 12:00 AM (Sun–Wed); to 1:00 AM (Thu–Sat and public holidays) |
| Entry ticket | AED 25 (Mon–Thu) · AED 30 (Fri–Sun and holidays) — bought separately |
| Live times | RTA S’hail app · RTA call centre 800 9090 |
The Four Global Village Bus Routes
All four routes are run by the RTA for the Global Village season and all four start at a major bus station attached to a Metro station, so the standard journey is Metro first, bus second — there is no Metro station at Global Village itself. Frequencies below are the published season pattern; check S’hail on the day, as the RTA adds buses on peak nights.
| Route | Departs from | Metro connection | Frequency |
| 102 | Al Rashidiya Bus Station | Centrepoint Metro (Red Line terminus) | Every 60 minutes |
| 103 | Union Bus Station | Union Metro (Red and Green Lines) | Every 40 minutes |
| 104 | Al Ghubaiba Bus Station | Al Ghubaiba Metro (Green Line) | Every 60 minutes |
| 106 | Mall of the Emirates Bus Station | Mall of the Emirates Metro (Red Line) | Every 60 minutes |
Route 102: Rashidiya (Centrepoint) to Global Village
The northern option. Buses leave Al Rashidiya Bus Station, beside Centrepoint Metro station at the end of the Red Line, roughly every hour. It is the natural choice from Rashidiya, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah and the airport side of the city — ride the Red Line to its terminus and follow the signs into the bus station. Because the frequency is hourly, time your Metro ride to the bus, not the other way round.
Route 103: Union to Global Village
The busiest of the four. From Union Bus Station in Deira — directly above Union Metro, where the Red and Green Lines cross — route 103 runs about every 40 minutes, the best frequency on the network. If you are coming from Deira, Bur Dubai via the Metro, or anywhere along either line, Union is usually the fastest door-to-gate option, and the station’s size means queues are managed with barriers on busy nights.
Route 104: Al Ghubaiba to Global Village
The Bur Dubai option, leaving Al Ghubaiba Bus Station — a few minutes’ walk from Al Ghubaiba Metro on the Green Line — roughly every hour. It suits Satwa, Jafiliya, Karama and Bur Dubai itself, and the route passes the Max Metro station area on its way out of the old city. Al Ghubaiba is also Dubai’s main Abu Dhabi and Sharjah coach station, so do not confuse the Global Village bay with the intercity departures: follow the route-number signs for 104.
Route 106: Mall of the Emirates to Global Village
The southern option, from the Mall of the Emirates Bus Station beside the Red Line Metro station, roughly every hour. It is the obvious choice from Al Barsha, JLT, the Marina side and anywhere down Sheikh Zayed Road — and by far the shortest bus ride of the four, which matters at the end of the night. Note for regular Dubai bus users: the 106 number is reused for this seasonal service during the Global Village months.
Global Village Bus Timings
The service window is built around the park: buses run from about 3:15 PM to 11:15 PM daily, so the first departures land you at the gates close to the 4:00 PM opening and the last departures from the stations are in the late evening. The ride itself takes around 30 minutes from most stations, traffic permitting — Friday and Saturday evenings on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road are the slowest.
Two timing traps to plan around. First, the return direction: the last buses leave Global Village within that same evening window, while the park stays open until midnight — and until 1:00 AM from Thursday to Saturday. If you are staying for the last shows, assume you are taking a taxi or ride-hailing home, or leave on the last bus and miss the finale. Second, fireworks nights (usually Thursday and Friday, around 9:00 PM) compress demand into the hour after they end — the bus queues at the park are longest then, and boarding is first-come.
Global Village Bus Fare and Nol Card
The fare is AED 12 one way on all four routes, paid by tapping a Nol card — cash is not accepted, and there is no separate paper ticket. That AED 12 is the RTA’s current season fare: some older guides and a few season-opening reports still quote AED 10, which was the fare in earlier seasons, so if you see both numbers, AED 12 is the one to budget. A return trip is simply another AED 12 tap, AED 24 in total, which still undercuts a taxi from almost anywhere in Dubai.
Practical points: make sure the card carries enough balance for both taps before you set out — the top-up machines at the park end are busy at closing time — and remember the fare covers the bus only. Global Village entry (AED 25 Monday to Thursday, AED 30 Friday to Sunday and public holidays) is bought separately at the gates or in the Global Village app, and Tuesdays are traditionally the park’s family and ladies day, when the crowds — and the buses — skew accordingly.
Which Station Should You Choose?
- Deira, Bur Dubai (Metro side), Sharjah commuters: Union (103) — the most frequent service and the easiest interchange.
- Bur Dubai, Satwa, Karama, Jafiliya: Al Ghubaiba (104) — walkable from the Green Line and the old city.
- Rashidiya, Qusais, airport side: Rashidiya (102) — but plan around the hourly frequency.
- Al Barsha, JLT, Marina, Jebel Ali side: Mall of the Emirates (106) — the shortest ride home.
- Coming from further afield: Global Village draws its own long-distance coaches too — Ras Al Khaimah runs a weekend Global Village bus (see our Ras Al Khaimah Bus Station guide), and Ajman has advertised a seasonal service in past seasons; check with the operator before relying on either.
Boarding, Queues and the Ride Itself
At the station end, boarding is simple: find the bay signed for your route number, queue, and tap your Nol card on the reader as you board — there is no ticket window and nothing to show the driver. The buses are the RTA’s standard air-conditioned city buses on most departures, with extra capacity drafted in on peak nights. At the park end, all four routes share the Global Village bus stop outside the gates: this is where the evening’s real queue forms, so when you arrive in the afternoon, note exactly where your route boards for the way back.
The ride itself is non-stop in the sense that matters: these are direct station-to-park services, and you cannot get off at intermediate points along the way. Journey times hover around 30 minutes from Mall of the Emirates and Union in free-flowing traffic, and stretch on Friday and Saturday evenings when Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and the park access roads clog — another reason the frequencies in S’hail beat any printed timetable.
Global Village Bus vs Taxi and Driving
The honest comparison: a return bus trip costs AED 24 per person on a Nol card you probably already own. A taxi from Deira or Bur Dubai to Global Village runs several times that each way, and from the Marina side more again — though for a group of four splitting one cab, the per-person gap narrows and the cab wins on convenience, especially after the last bus. Driving yourself is free of fares but not of friction: the park’s car parks are vast, the walk from the far rows is long, and the exit queues after the fireworks are the slowest part of many visitors’ nights.
Where the bus genuinely wins is the solo visitor and the couple: Metro to one of the four stations, a direct bus, no parking, no exit queue, and a fixed price known in advance. Where it loses is flexibility — you travel on the RTA’s clock, not yours, and the night ends at the last bus whether you are ready or not.
Tips for the Global Village Bus
- Go early in the week: Tuesday to Thursday evenings are markedly calmer than Friday and Saturday, on the buses as much as in the park.
- Top up Nol before you travel: you need balance for the return tap, and the park-end queues at closing time are the worst of the day.
- Decide your exit before the fireworks: last bus, or stay late and taxi — the expensive mistake is assuming the buses run until the park closes.
- Keep the group together at the park bus stop: boarding is first-come on peak nights, and split groups regularly end up on different buses an hour apart.
- Check S’hail before leaving home: the RTA adjusts frequencies on event nights; the app shows the day’s actual departures.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Global Village bus timing?
Buses run daily during the season from about 3:15 PM to 11:15 PM: route 103 from Union about every 40 minutes, and routes 102 (Rashidiya), 104 (Al Ghubaiba) and 106 (Mall of the Emirates) about every 60 minutes. Exact departures for your station and date are in the RTA S’hail app.
How much is the bus fare to Global Village?
AED 12 one way on all four RTA routes, paid with a Nol card — AED 24 return. Some older guides still show AED 10 from earlier seasons; AED 12 is the current season fare. The fare is for the bus only and does not include park entry.
Which bus goes from Union to Global Village?
Route 103, from Union Bus Station in Deira (above Union Metro station), running about every 40 minutes through the afternoon and evening — the most frequent of the four Global Village routes.
Is there a bus from Mall of the Emirates to Global Village?
Yes — route 106 leaves Mall of the Emirates Bus Station about every 60 minutes during the season. It is the shortest of the four rides and the best option from Al Barsha and the Sheikh Zayed Road corridor.
What is the last bus back from Global Village?
Return buses run within the same roughly 3:15 PM to 11:15 PM service window, so the last departures from the park are in the late evening — before the park’s midnight (or 1:00 AM weekend) closing. Check the day’s last departure in S’hail, and if you are staying to closing time, plan a taxi or ride-hailing trip home.
Can I pay cash on the Global Village bus?
No. Like all Dubai buses, the Global Village routes are Nol-card only. Buy or top up a Nol card at any Metro or bus station before you travel, and keep enough balance for the return tap.
When does the Global Village bus service run?
Only during the Global Village season. Season 31 runs from 14 October 2026 to May 2027, and the four routes operate on those dates only — there are no Global Village buses in the summer months when the park is closed.
Does the bus ticket include Global Village entry?
No — the AED 12 Nol fare is transport only. Entry is separate: AED 25 Monday to Thursday and AED 30 Friday to Sunday and public holidays, bought at the gates or through the Global Village app.
Related Routes
- Union Bus Station Dubai: Routes, Timings & Metro
- Al Ghubaiba Bus Station Dubai: Routes & Timings
- Rashidiya Bus Station Dubai: Routes & Timings
- Mall of the Emirates Bus Station: Routes & Timings
- Dubai Bus Guide: Routes, Timings, Fares & Nol Payment
Daniyal Sheikh
Transport Editor, UAE Travel Hub
Dubai daily commuter covering the Metro, Nol cards, RTA buses and intercity routes across all seven emirates — every fare and timing checked against official RTA, ITC and SRTA sources.