Dubai Run 2026 Route: 5km and 10km Map, Starting Point and Start Time
Both Dubai Run 2026 routes start on Sheikh Zayed Road near the Museum of the Future at 6:30am on Sunday 22 November. The 5km finishes on Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard near Dubai Mall, and the 10km at the Gate Building in DIFC. The start line closes at 8am.
The Dubai Run route for 2026 is confirmed. There are two routes - 5km, and 10 km. Both start on Sheikh Zayed Road near the Museum of the Future at 6:30am, and both are free with a place in Dubai Run.
The two routes split after the start. The 5km turns into Downtown Dubai and finishes near Dubai Mall. The 10km stays on Sheikh Zayed Road, crosses the Dubai Canal bridge, turns back and finishes in DIFC. This page shows both, with the Metro stop for each start and finish.
Dubai Run Route
In this guide you will find a sketch of each route, where to stand at the start, the times that decide your morning, where each route ends, and how to choose between the two distances.
Latest announcements, updated 15 October 2026
- Official FAQ: both routes start on Sheikh Zayed Road near the Museum of the Future. The 5km ends near Dubai Mall and the 10km near Emirates Towers. 5km route
- Official Dubai Run page, 15 October: the 10km "continues along Sheikh Zayed Road before finishing at the Gate Building in DIFC". 10km route
- Official FAQ: the run starts at 6:30am, the start line closes at 8am and the event finishes at 9am. Start time
- Official FAQ: street-level access to Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro station from the Dubai Mall side is closed for building work, so use Business Bay station. Finish line
- Not announced: the detailed route map, the arrival slots and the date Dubai Run booking opens. Route map
Also read:
Dubai Run 5km Route
The 5km starts on Sheikh Zayed Road near the Museum of the Future and finishes on Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, near Dubai Mall. In the words of the official Dubai Run page, it "takes you into Downtown Dubai". It is the route most people choose, and it is the one for families.
You start on the motorway itself, with the Museum of the Future beside you. The route then leaves Sheikh Zayed Road and goes into Downtown, where it ends on the boulevard that runs around the Burj Khalifa. In 2025 the 5km passed the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Opera on the way to a finish near the Address Downtown hotel. Expect the same area in 2026, but the exact line is on the map sent to registered runners.
The whole route is flat and on closed roads. Strollers are allowed on the 5km, which makes it the only choice if you are pushing a baby.
Dubai Run 10km Route
The 10km starts at the same place, near the Museum of the Future, and finishes at the Gate Building in DIFC, near Emirates Towers. The official page says the route "continues along Sheikh Zayed Road" instead of turning into Downtown.
So the 10km is mostly motorway. In 2025 runners went along Sheikh Zayed Road, crossed the Dubai Canal bridge, turned around and came back on the other side. Near the end they left the motorway through the DIFC tunnel to reach the finish. You run past the same skyline twice, once in each direction, which is part of the fun for many runners.
The official FAQ calls the 10km "more suitable for experienced runners". There is no fitness test and no qualifying time. But the clock matters more on this route, as the start time section below explains.
Where the 10km finishes
The 10km finishes at the Gate Building in DIFC. That is what the official Dubai Run page and the official FAQ both say on 15 October 2026. Some social media posts say the 10km "finishes near Dubai World Trade Centre". That is not what the organisers say, so plan your meeting point and your way home around DIFC.
Dubai Run Route Map
The official route map for 2026 is not public yet. The FAQ says that detailed route maps, with parking options, "will be shared with registered runners closer to the event". So the map comes after you register, by email or in your Dubai Fitness Challenge account.
Our two sketches above show what is confirmed today: the start, the finish and the roads in between. We will replace them with the official map when it is published.
When you get the map, check three things. First, find the entrance to your start area, because 5km and 10km runners arrive at different Metro stations. Second, find the water stations. Third, find the finish exit, because it decides how you get home.
Dubai Run Starting Point
Both routes start on Sheikh Zayed Road near the Museum of the Future. The museum is the silver, ring-shaped building next to Emirates Towers, so it is easy to spot in the dark.
On the day, Sheikh Zayed Road is closed to cars, and you walk onto it from the side. The official FAQ names a different Metro station for each route:
- 5km runners: get off at World Trade Centre station.
- 10km runners: get off at Emirates Towers station.
Have at least AED 15 on your nol card or in the nol app before you travel. The FAQ asks for this so that the station gates do not slow the crowd down. If you come by taxi, use the taxi drop-off points near the start lines.
Road closures and the Metro opening hours for the morning are announced by the RTA a few days before the run. Our Dubai Run road closures guide has the 2025 plan and will carry the 2026 plan when the RTA posts it.
Dubai Run Start Time
Dubai Run 2026 starts at 6:30am on Sunday 22 November. But 6:30am is not the time you need to arrive. You arrive during the arrival slot you choose when you register, and you cross the start line when your part of the crowd reaches it.
There are no race waves or timed pens, because Dubai Run is not a race. The arrival slots do the same job: they spread more than 300,000 people across the early morning. In 2025 the first slots began at 4am, and places in each slot were limited. The 2026 slots have not been published.
Cut-off times
The start line closes at 8am, and the event finishes at 9am. If you reach the start after 8am, you cannot take part, even with a bib.
In 2025 the 10km had one more cut-off: the last runners had to leave Sheikh Zayed Road through the DIFC tunnel by 9:05am, so that the RTA could reopen the motorway. No cut-off on the course has been published for 2026. If you plan to walk the 10km, start early.
Dubai Run Finish Line
The two routes end in different places, so your way home depends on your route. Bring a plan for meeting your family too, because the FAQ asks you to arrange it before you reach the start.
5km finish: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, near Dubai Mall. The nearest Metro station is Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall. But the official FAQ warns that street-level access to that station from the Dubai Mall side of Sheikh Zayed Road is closed because of building work, and tells you to use Business Bay station instead.
10km finish: the Gate Building in DIFC, near Emirates Towers. Emirates Towers is the station the FAQ names for the 10km, so you can go home from the station where you arrived.
There are taxi pick-up points near the finish lines as well. Water stations from Mai Dubai are at the finish, and there are a few toilets at the start and finish lines.
5km or 10km: Which Should You Choose
Choose the 5km unless you already run 10km comfortably. The official FAQ says the 5km suits "a broad range of participants" and the 10km suits experienced runners.
The time limits make the choice for many people. Walking 10km at an easy pace takes about two hours. Since the event ends at 9am, a walker would need to start by about 7am. The 5km takes about an hour at the same pace, so even a late start leaves you time.
If you are running with children, the choice is simple. Strollers are allowed only on the 5km, and anyone under 18 must be with an adult. Everyone in your group must book the same route and the same arrival slot, because each person registers on their own.
You can change your mind after booking, but it takes work. You cancel in your Dubai Fitness Challenge account, register again for the other route, and collect a new bib. Bibs are collected at the Zabeel Park Fitness Village from 2 to 21 November, and our Dubai Run bib collection guide explains how.
FAQs
How long is the Dubai Run?
You choose one of two distances when you register: 5km or 10km. Both are free, and you can walk either one.
Is the Dubai Run route flat?
Yes. Both routes are on closed city roads, mostly Sheikh Zayed Road, with no hills to climb.
Can I watch the Dubai Run without running?
Yes, but watch from outside the course, because only people with a bib can enter it. In 2025 spectators were advised to use Max Metro station next to Zabeel Park.
Is the Dubai Run route the same as last year?
The start and finish points match the 2025 run: Sheikh Zayed Road near the Museum of the Future, with the 5km ending near Dubai Mall and the 10km in DIFC. The detailed 2026 map has not been published yet.
When does Dubai Run registration open?
It is not open yet, and no date has been announced. On 15 October 2026 the official Dubai Run page had no booking button. Our Dubai Run registration guide will carry the link the day it opens.
Sources and method7 sources from 5 publishers · last checked 15 October 2026
Official
- Dubai Fitness Challenge Dubai RunFAQs
- Dubai Media Office Over 300,000 athletes descend on Sheikh Zayed Road for Dubai Run 2025
Reporting and other sources
- About this guide: the route details were read on the official Dubai Fitness Challenge website on 15 October 2026. The two route sketches are our own drawings of the official descriptions and are not to scale. The official map goes to registered runners, so check it before you go.
- Khaleej Times Dubai Run 2025: date, time, routes, collection pointsEverything to know about Dubai Run 2025
- What's On Road closures for Dubai Run, 23 November 2025
