Port Rashid, also known as Mina Rashid, is Dubai’s original cruise terminal, sat on Sheikh Rashid Road a short drive from the airport. Your ship will dock at Terminal 2 or the bigger Terminal 3, and there’s a free shuttle bus running out to the nearby shopping malls.
You’ll see this harbour written a few different ways too, Dubai Port Rashid, Mina Rashid, or misspelt as Port Rasheed and Port Rachid. It’s all the same place. The question most people actually want answered before they’ve even left the ship is how the shuttle bus system works, and whether a taxi from the gate is worth paying extra for.
Where Port Rashid sits on Sheikh Rashid Road
Mina Rashid was Dubai’s first commercial port, named after Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum and opened back in the early 1970s. Cargo moved out to Jebel Ali Port years ago, so the original harbour is now cruise ships only.
The gate sits over 2km from the water, on the southwestern side of the port where Jumeirah Road meets Sheikh Rashid Road. Security here is tight, and walking in or out just isn’t realistic, the roads around the port weren’t built with pedestrians in mind. Plan on a vehicle for every journey, in and out.
Terminal 2 or Terminal 3: which one your ship uses
Port Rashid has three cruise terminals, though only two get used regularly. Terminal 1 is the oldest and rarely called on these days. Most passengers board or get off through Terminal 2 or Terminal 3, Port Rashid’s newest and biggest facility, officially named the Hamdan bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal.
Terminal 3 dwarfs its older neighbour. People have called it one of the biggest single, covered cruise terminal buildings anywhere, built to push thousands of passengers through in a single day. Terminal 2 is smaller, built a few years earlier, but it still handles several ships at a time.
| Terminal | Size and capacity | Facilities |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal 2 | Smaller, older of the two, built to handle several ships simultaneously | Small cafe, free internet terminals, currency exchange, ATM, tourist desk, small shops, post office for letters and postcards |
| Terminal 3 (Hamdan bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal) | Port Rashid’s largest terminal, able to process thousands of passengers in a single day | Same facilities as Terminal 2, plus a VIP business centre and dedicated turnaround facilities |
Which terminal you end up at isn’t something you get to pick, the cruise line assigns it. Check your boarding documents rather than guessing from the terminal number alone.
Checking in for your flight before you leave the ship
If you’re flying Emirates at the end of your cruise, Terminal 3 has in-terminal check-in, so you can check in for your flight and hand your bags over before you’ve even stepped off the ship, at no extra charge. It’s a real time-saver if your flight home leaves the same day you disembark.
Driving in from Dubai International Airport
Port Rashid sits roughly 15km north of Dubai International Airport, around a 25-minute drive depending on traffic. If you’re arriving independently, the route runs via the flyover signed for Jebel Ali and Abu Dhabi, over the bridge toward Port Rashid, and on to the cargo gate, where signs point cruise passengers toward the Passenger Cruise Terminal.
A taxi from the terminal into central Dubai, Dubai Mall included, takes around 15 to 20 minutes, give or take the traffic and exactly where you’re headed.
Why a taxi from inside the terminal costs more than one outside the gate
The taxi firm inside the cruise terminal building is a private concession, and its fares run noticeably higher than a standard Dubai taxi. Walk past the terminal doors to the rank just outside and you’ll find regular metered cabs charging the normal rate.
If the queue’s long, or you’d rather skip the terminal taxi rank altogether, taking the free shuttle to a nearby mall first and picking up a cab or the Metro from there often works out cheaper than a taxi straight from the gate. A portable charger is worth chucking in your day bag if you end up waiting around, phone signal and map apps chew through battery fast in that heat.
The free shuttle buses to Mercato Mall and Dubai Mall
Port Rashid’s terminals run free shuttle buses out to nearby shopping centres, and it’s the option most people without a car booked end up using. The best-documented service goes to Mercato Mall, an Italian-renaissance-themed shopping centre with its own help desk inside the main terminal, leaving roughly on the hour.
A second shuttle to Dubai Mall has also been reported, sometimes starting mid-morning and running every couple of hours, along with a City Centre service. Coverage isn’t always consistent, mind, some travellers have turned up to find only the Mercato Mall shuttle running that day. Check the help desk inside the terminal as soon as you arrive, the schedules are posted there and they shift with the season.
Hop-on-hop-off tour buses sell tickets from inside the terminal too, a straightforward option if you’d rather see the city from an open-top deck than puzzle out buses and the Metro yourself.
Reaching the Metro and city buses without a shuttle
The nearest bus station, Al Ghubaiba in the Al Fahidi district, is around four miles away. From there, routes run out to Dubai Mall, Business Bay and Mall of the Emirates.
For the Metro, change onto the Red Line at Union or Burjaman station. From there it’s around 15 minutes to Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall, and under half an hour to Mall of the Emirates or Dubai Marina Mall. Most people just take the free shuttle as far as Dubai Mall and pick up the Metro from the station underneath it.
Careem pick-ups are easiest from Al Shindagha on the Dubai Creek waterfront, about three miles from the terminal. Accessible taxis can be booked ahead through Dubai Taxi Corporation rather than hailed at the gate.
What’s inside the terminal building
What’s inside the terminal building is pretty basic: a small cafe and deli, free wifi, currency exchange, an ATM, a tour desk, a postcard-only post office and a few small shops, with Terminal 3 adding a VIP business centre. For proper shopping, take the shuttle into town.
- A small cafe or coffee bar and deli
- Free internet terminals and wifi
- Currency exchange and an ATM
- A concierge desk that can arrange day tours
- A post office handling letters and postcards only
- A handful of small shops
Terminal 3 adds a VIP business centre on top of all that. None of it amounts to much though, don’t expect proper shopping inside the building itself, that’s what the shuttle buses are for. Comfortable walking shoes make more sense than anything else if a mall’s marble floors are on the cards once the shuttle drops you off.
When several ships dock on the same day
Port Rashid’s quay stretches over 2km and is built to berth several mega-ships at once. In practice, a day with two or three ships in means busier queues at immigration, longer waits for the shuttle buses, and a fuller taxi rank outside the gate. If your schedule is tight, build in extra time at both ends of the day rather than assuming you’ll stroll straight off the ship and into a cab.
Port Rashid or Dubai Harbour: two different Dubai cruise ports
Dubai now has two cruise ports. Port Rashid is the original, run by DP World since the early 1970s, while the Dubai Harbour cruise terminal guide covers the newer terminals on Palm Island used by Carnival Corporation’s ships in the region. Check your cruise documents carefully, the two ports are some distance apart and a taxi booked for the wrong one costs you time as well as money.
For wider context on cruising this coastline, including return calls at the Ras Al Khaimah cruise terminal guide, have a look at the United Arab Emirates cruise port guide.
Common Questions
Is Port Rashid the same as Mina Rashid?
Yes. Mina Rashid is the official name for Dubai’s original cruise port, Port Rashid is just what most passengers and websites call it. Both point to the same harbour on Sheikh Rashid Road.
Which terminal, 2 or 3, will my ship use?
Your cruise line decides that, not you. Check your boarding documents: Terminal 3, the Hamdan bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal, is the newer, bigger facility, while Terminal 2 is smaller and handles multiple ships at once.
Can I walk from the terminal into central Dubai?
No. The gate sits over 2km from the water with no pedestrian-friendly route, and heavy security rules out walking anyway. Plan on a taxi, shuttle or pre-booked transfer for every journey in or out.
How long does a taxi to Dubai Mall take?
Around 15 to 20 minutes by taxi, depending on traffic and exactly where you’re headed within the mall complex. A free shuttle, where it’s running, takes about the same time and drops you near the mall’s Metro station.
Do the free shuttle buses run every day?
Reports vary. A Mercato Mall shuttle is the one mentioned most consistently; a Dubai Mall shuttle has turned up for some passengers and not for others. Check the help desk inside the terminal when you arrive.
Is Port Rashid open all year round?
Yes, the port runs year-round, 24 hours a day, so there’s no seasonal closure to plan around. Expect busier terminals and taxi ranks on days when more than one ship is in.
What’s permanently moored at Port Rashid?
The RMS Queen Elizabeth 2, Cunard’s historic ocean liner launched in the late 1960s, is permanently moored at Port Rashid rather than sailing anywhere. Worth a look if you’re passing through the terminal.
Can I check in for my flight before leaving the ship?
Yes, if you’re flying Emirates. Terminal 3 has in-terminal check-in and baggage drop at no extra charge, so you can sort your flight before you’ve even left the ship.
What’s the contact number for Port Rashid?
Published numbers vary across sources for the port’s operator, DP World. Rather than trust an old number you’ve found online, use the terminal contact on your cruise line’s booking confirmation or boarding pass.
Why trust About2Cruise
This guide draws on port operator information, terminal facility listings and first-hand passenger reports gathered from cruise forums and travel writers, cross-checked against each other to flag where sources disagree, like the shuttle bus schedules and contact numbers. Read more about how we research and fact-check our port guides on our about us page.
Last Updated: 19 October 2026