ONPASSIVE Metro Station Is Getting a New Name as RTA Signs 10-Year Naming Rights Deal
By Thasmiya
Dubai Metro passengers will soon need to get used to another station name change.
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced that **ONPASSIVE Metro Station will be renamed Garmin Metro Station** under a new 10-year naming rights agreement.
The agreement brings global technology brand Garmin into Dubai Metro’s long-running station naming rights programme, with the new name being introduced across signs, apps, digital systems and onboard announcements.
## **ONPASSIVE Metro Station will become Garmin Metro Station**
The Red Line station currently known as ONPASSIVE will officially carry the name **Garmin Metro Station**.
RTA granted the naming rights through **AMIT Retail LLC**, Garmin’s exclusive distributor in the UAE. Garmin is known globally for GPS navigation technology, smartwatches, fitness devices and other smart technology products.
The agreement will run for **10 years**.
## **When will the station name change?**
Passengers will start seeing the Garmin name introduced progressively from **September 2026**.
RTA says the transition will continue until the **end of November 2026**, allowing the authority to update information throughout the Metro network rather than changing everything at once.
During this period, commuters may see both old and new references while the transition is taking place.
## **What exactly will change?**
RTA will update the station’s name across its passenger information network.
This includes internal and external directional signs at Metro stations, digital smart systems, RTA public transport applications and onboard audio announcements before and when trains arrive at the station.
The station itself is not moving. This is a **name change**, so regular commuters will continue using the same Red Line station.
## **Where is Garmin Metro Station?**
The station is located on Dubai Metro’s **Red Line**, between Equiti and Business Bay stations.
It serves areas and destinations around Al Quoz, including access towards Al Quoz Industrial Area, Oasis Mall, Times Square Centre and Kite Beach.
For commuters who already know the stop as ONPASSIVE, Garmin Metro Station will refer to the same location.
## **This is not the station’s first name change**
Long-time Dubai residents might remember this Metro stop by several different names.
The station originally opened on **May 15, 2010 as Noor Bank Metro Station**.
In November 2020, it became **Al Safa Metro Station**.
In January 2023, RTA granted ONPASSIVE naming rights and the station became **ONPASSIVE Metro Station**.
Now, in 2026, it is becoming **Garmin Metro Station**.
So the timeline looks like this:
**Noor Bank → Al Safa → ONPASSIVE → Garmin**
## **Why does Dubai rename Metro stations?**
Dubai operates a commercial naming rights programme that allows companies and organisations to secure naming rights for selected Metro stations.
RTA launched the Dubai Metro Station Naming Rights Initiative in **2009**, describing it as the first initiative of its kind globally.
For brands, the attraction is significant. A Metro station name appears repeatedly in people’s everyday journeys and across maps, station signs, digital applications, navigation systems and train announcements.
RTA says this provides brands with long-term visibility among millions of residents and visitors while helping maximise the commercial value of public transport assets.
## **Garmin becomes the first global brand under the initiative**
According to Mada Media CEO Mansoor Al Sabahi, Garmin will be the **first global brand to secure this investment opportunity** within the Dubai Metro Red Line naming rights programme.
The agreement was signed by AMIT Retail and Hypermedia in the presence of Mada Media.
Mada Media oversees naming rights agreements under its concession arrangement with RTA, while Hypermedia manages the Metro Station Naming Rights Initiative under Mada Media’s supervision.
## **Will your Metro journey change?**
There is no announced change to the station’s location or Metro service as part of the renaming.
The main adjustment for passengers will simply be recognising **Garmin Metro Station as the new name for ONPASSIVE Metro Station**.
RTA has asked Metro users to pay attention to updated names across signs, applications and announcements during the September-to-November transition period. Staff at Metro stations can also assist passengers who are unsure about the change.
## **What commuters should remember**
If your usual directions say **ONPASSIVE Metro Station**, start looking for **Garmin Metro Station** instead.
The new name will gradually appear across the Dubai Metro network from September through the end of November 2026.
For visitors using older maps, saved locations or directions from friends, knowing both names could be useful during the transition.
## **Why this matters**
Metro station name changes can initially be confusing, particularly for residents who use the same stop every day.
But Dubai’s naming rights programme has become an established part of the city’s public transport system, connecting major brands with some of its busiest transport infrastructure.
For ONPASSIVE commuters, the important update is simple:
**Same Metro station. New name. ONPASSIVE is becoming Garmin Metro Station for the next 10 years.**
## **Source Credits**
Information source/resource owners: Dubai Roads and Transport Authority, Government of Dubai Media Office, Emirates News Agency (WAM), AMIT Retail, Mada Media and Hypermedia.
## **Image Credits**
**Primary image credit/resource owner:** Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
The official announcement includes the supplied visual for the Garmin Metro Station naming rights agreement.
View the official announcement and image – Government of Dubai Media Office
Alternative news image/source – The National