Al Rashidiya

Al Rashidiya is an established residential area east of the creek, next to Dubai International Airport and Dubai Festival City, with its own terminus station on the red metro line. It is one of the more practical addresses in old Dubai.

The district is bordered by the airport to the north, Umm Ramool to the west, Nad Al Shamma to the south and Mirdif to the east, and covers 4.41 square kilometres with a population of just over 38,400. Local roads follow a grid, with even numbered roads running north east to south west and odd numbered roads the other way, which makes the area easy to navigate once you know the pattern.

The area is mostly low rise: independent villas, older apartment blocks and family compounds, with a long settled resident population rather than a transient one, and it is generally considered one of the more comfortable, established addresses in this part of Dubai. Villas here tend to be larger and older than the newer gated communities further south, with separate dining rooms, helper quarters and private gardens on plots that run from around 3,500 up to 10,000 square feet or more, and only a small number of apartments by comparison.

Who does Al Rashidiya suit?

People working at or around the airport, in Festival City, Deira or along the red line, who want to be close in without paying central tower rents. The metro station is the single biggest practical advantage: it puts Deira, Bur Dubai and Downtown within a direct ride, and it is one of the few older districts in Dubai where a family can have a proper villa with a garden and still reach the centre in under half an hour on a good day.

It suits people looking for a new build with a gym and pool less well. This is an older, quieter, residential area, and the housing stock reflects that rather than the amenity heavy branding of a newer master planned community.

Residents tend to describe it as a practical rather than a glamorous address: close to the airport, close to the centre, and considerably cheaper than either Downtown or the newer waterfront districts for a similar amount of indoor and outdoor space.

Schools, clinics and mosques

Eman Private School, open since 1973, PACE Modern British School and Bright Learners Private School cover private options, alongside public schools including Al Jahidh Girls School and Mohammad Noor Boys School. Several kindergartens are also based in the district, which matters for families with younger children who would rather not drive across Dubai twice a day.

For healthcare, Axon Medica and Al Noor clinics operate locally, with Mediclinic City Hospital around 11 minutes away by car for anything more serious. The district has several mosques, including Al Kabeer Mosque, a centrally located and architecturally notable building, Saeed Almula Mosque, Al Saliheen Masjid and Zaid Bin Haritha Mosque, along with a public library.

What is nearby?

• Dubai International Airport, minutes away, which is either the main attraction or the main drawback depending on your tolerance for aircraft noise.
• Dubai Festival City and its mall, across Al Rebat Street.
• Al Rashidiya metro station on the red line, and Bin Sougat Mall for everyday shopping.
• Established schools and clinics in the area and in neighbouring Al Garhoud and Nad Al Hamar.
• Al Rashidiya Park and Nad Al Shamma Park, both within the district.
• Ras Al Khor and the creek, with the flamingo sanctuary nearby.

What should you check before renting here?

• Aircraft noise on the specific street. It varies a great deal, and it is the thing people most regret not checking.
• Age and condition of the property, particularly air conditioning.
• Whether maintenance is included, which is common in older compounds.
• Walking distance to the metro, which is not the same as the map distance in summer.
• Ejari registration, which protects you if anything is disputed. See Ejari explained.

What about buying?

Freehold options are limited in this part of Dubai, so buyers drawn by the location usually compare it with Al Jaddaf, which is freehold, newer and a similar distance from the centre. If rental yield close to the airport is the objective, that is the practical alternative.

The Dubai Airport Tunnel, a 1.6 kilometre link that cost around AED 686 million to build, runs close to the district and is one of the reasons the drive into Deira and Bur Dubai from here is quicker than the map distance suggests.

Frequently asked questions

What is available now?

We may not have an Al Rashidiya listing today. Tell us what you are looking for using the form on this page and we will come back to you when something fits. You can also browse what we currently hold to rent and for sale.