Long before “shopping resort” became a marketing buzzword, Mall of the Emirates was already living up to the concept. Located in Al Barsha, this Majid Al Futtaim-developed mall made global headlines when it opened by putting a full-scale indoor ski slope inside a desert city — and two decades later, it remains one of Dubai’s most iconic and consistently busy retail and entertainment destinations.
Where Is Mall of the Emirates Located?
Mall of the Emirates is located at Interchange 4 on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, placing it firmly in the Al Barsha district. It’s strategically positioned in the heart of “New Dubai,” making it easily reachable from most of the city’s major residential and business districts.
Developed and owned by the Majid Al Futtaim Group, the mall opened in November 2005 — marketed at the time as the world’s first shopping resort in the UAE. That resort concept wasn’t just branding: the complex also houses two five-star hotels nearby, the Kempinski Hotel with over 900 rooms, restaurants, swimming pools, a spa, and a tennis court, alongside the Sheraton Dubai Hotel.
Shops and Stores: What’s Inside
Mall of the Emirates has grown substantially since its opening, and figures on its exact scale vary slightly by source. Wikipedia lists the mall at over 900 stores across four floors, with 11 anchor tenants, while other sources describe it as home to over 450 retailers and 70 restaurants and cafés, spread across roughly 2.4 million square feet of floor area. Whichever figure you go by, it’s unambiguously one of the largest retail destinations in the city.
Highlights include:
- Fashion Dome and luxury retail — a dedicated zone for high-end fashion shopping, alongside a broad mix of restaurants and cafés.
- International brands across every category — from fast fashion to exclusive luxury labels, along with a full range of dining formats from fast food to themed and fine-dining restaurants.
- A large Carrefour hypermarket for grocery and household shopping.
- Two mosques located within the complex, catering to shoppers and visitors throughout the day.
The entertainment side is arguably what sets this mall apart from nearly every other shopping centre in the region:
- Ski Dubai — the Middle East’s first indoor ski resort and snow park, established in December 2005, offering skiing, snowboarding, and snow play in the middle of the desert.
- Magic Planet — a two-level family entertainment centre ideal for younger visitors.
- VOX Cinemas (also referenced elsewhere as a 14-screen Cinestar multiplex) for the latest film releases.
- Dubai Community Arts and Theatre, featuring a 500-seat theatre and an art gallery, giving the mall a cultural dimension beyond typical retail entertainment.
This combination of skiing, luxury retail, dining, and entertainment earned Mall of the Emirates the World’s Leading New Shopping Mall award at the World Travel Awards in London, and it’s regularly ranked among Dubai’s top shopping destinations by major publications.
Mall of the Emirates Timings
General hours across the mall’s shops, Ski Dubai, Carrefour, restaurants, and food courts follow this pattern:
| Days | Timings |
|---|---|
| Sunday – Wednesday | 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM |
| Thursday – Saturday | 10:00 AM – Midnight |
Ski Dubai runs on a slightly different, longer schedule: Monday to Friday from 10:00 AM to midnight (with the first ticket at 9:00 AM and last ticket at 10:30 PM), and Saturday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to midnight (first ticket at 8:00 AM, last ticket at 10:30 PM).
Metro Station and Connectivity
Mall of the Emirates benefits from one of the most convenient metro connections of any mall in Dubai:
- Mall of the Emirates Metro Station — located at Interchange 4 on Sheikh Zayed Road in Al Barsha 1, on the Red Line, and first inaugurated on 9 September 2009. Passengers can walk directly from the station to the mall via a covered pedestrian walkway without needing to step outside. The station connects commuters directly to Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, and Dubai Internet City as part of the wider Red Line network.
- Travel time from the airport — taking the Red Line from Terminal 1 or 3 towards the mall takes approximately 30–35 minutes.
- To Downtown Dubai — a direct metro connection to Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro Station runs every 10 minutes, taking around 13 minutes and costing roughly $1–2.
- By Bus: Routes 84, 93, F29, and F30 among others connect to the mall, with several additional routes serving destinations like Dubai Miracle Garden, Global Village, Dubai Studio City, and Jumeirah Village Circle.
- By Car and Parking: Over 7,000 parking spaces are available, and the first four hours of parking are free on weekdays, with completely free parking on weekends.
- From the Airport: The mall is located around 26 kilometres from Dubai International Airport.
Nearby Areas
Mall of the Emirates’ location on Sheikh Zayed Road puts it within close reach of several of Dubai’s best-known neighbourhoods and attractions:
- Al Barsha — the immediate district housing the mall and its metro station.
- Dubai Marina — directly connected via the Red Line metro.
- Dubai Internet City — another stop along the same metro line, useful for business travellers.
- Dubai Miracle Garden and Global Village — both reachable via connecting bus routes from the mall’s bus station.
- Kempinski and Sheraton Hotels — located right within the mall complex for those wanting to stay close by.
FAQs — Mall of the Emirates Dubai
Q1. Where is Mall of the Emirates located? A: At Interchange 4 on Sheikh Zayed Road, in the Al Barsha district of Dubai.
Q2. What are Mall of the Emirates’ opening hours? A: Generally 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM from Sunday to Wednesday, and 10:00 AM to midnight from Thursday to Saturday, though Ski Dubai and individual venues may vary.
Q3. Is there a metro station at Mall of the Emirates? A: Yes — Mall of the Emirates Metro Station on the Red Line connects directly to the mall via a covered walkway, making it one of the easiest malls in Dubai to reach by public transport.
Q4. What makes Mall of the Emirates unique? A: It’s home to Ski Dubai, the Middle East’s first indoor ski resort, alongside a Fashion Dome, VOX Cinemas, Magic Planet, and the Dubai Community Arts and Theatre — combining shopping with large-scale entertainment.
Q5. Is parking free at the mall? A: The first four hours are free on weekdays, and parking is entirely free on weekends, across more than 7,000 available spaces.
Q6. How far is Mall of the Emirates from Dubai International Airport? A: Approximately 26 kilometres, with a metro journey from the airport taking around 30–35 minutes via the Red Line.