Dubai runs its entire public transportation network through a single agency, and almost the entire system takes a single card. If you can tap, you can ride the Metro, the buses, the tram, and even the boats across Dubai Creek.
The basics
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) runs everything — trains, buses, the tram, taxis, and the marine fleet all report to the same operator.
The backbone is the Dubai Metro, a fully automated, driverless system with two lines today:
- Red Line — the longest and busiest, running along Sheikh Zayed Road through Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, and the airport.
- Green Line — loops through Deira and Bur Dubai, crossing the Red Line at interchange stations.
- A third line, the Blue Line, is under construction and due to open in 2029, extending the network out to Dubai Creek Harbour, Silicon Oasis, and a second route to the airport.
Around the Metro, RTA runs a large bus network — 1,518 buses across 119 routes, including 35 lines that feed Metro stations, 8 fast/express lines, and 12 intercity lines to other emirates — covering about 82% of Dubai’s built-up area and carrying roughly 369,000 riders a day. The Dubai Tram runs a single line along Al Sufouh Road and Jumeirah Beach Road through the Marina/JBR area, connecting to the Metro (and, on a separate ticket, the privately-run Palm Monorail). For Dubai Creek, RTA also runs traditional and modern abras, plus the air-conditioned Dubai Ferry and Dubai Water Taxi.
How to pay
Everything runs on nol. Hold a nol card over the reader — or your phone, if you’ve loaded a virtual card through the nol Pay app — and the correct fare is deducted automatically.
- nol Silver card — AED 25 (includes AED 19 of credit). The practical choice for most visitors, and valid on the Metro, buses, tram, and marine transport.
- nol Gold card — also AED 25, but it gets you into the Gold Class cabins on the Metro and tram (private cabins, wide leather seats) for roughly double the regular fare.
- nol Personal (Blue) card — AED 70 (includes AED 20 of credit), a personalized card, and the one you need to claim concession pricing.
- nol Red Ticket — a paper ticket for AED 2, loadable with up to 10 single trips, sold at vending machines — the simplest option if you’re only riding once or twice.
You can transfer between modes — Metro to bus, say — and pay for the combined trip as a single fare, as long as you check in on the next leg within 30 minutes of checking out (up to 3 transfers, 180 minutes total).
Fares
Dubai’s transport map is split into 7 zones, and your fare depends on how many you cross:
| 1 zone | 2 zones | 3+ zones | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver / Personal | AED 3 | AED 5 | AED 7.50 |
| Gold | AED 6 | AED 10 | AED 15 |
| Red Ticket | AED 4 | AED 6 | AED 8.50 |
Concessions run through the Personal (Blue) card: eligible students, senior citizens, and residents get 50% off, and People of Determination ride free. Children 5 and under ride free on any card.
If you’re staying a while, registered Silver and Gold cards can also carry a travel pass (7, 30, 90, or 365 days), priced by how many zones it covers — a 30-day, all-zone Silver pass, for example, costs AED 350.
Getting from the airport
The Dubai Metro Red Line stops right at Dubai International Airport (DXB), with stations at both Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 (Terminal 3’s station connects directly into the terminal building).
- Cost: the standard zone fare — there’s no separate airport fare, so it’s the same AED 3–7.50 as any other trip, depending on how many zones you cross to reach your hotel.
- Luggage: you’re allowed two pieces of luggage per person on board.
- Hours: trains run 5am to midnight Monday through Thursday and on Saturday, 5am to 1am on Fridays, and 8am to midnight on Sundays.
Ticket offices and vending machines are in both terminals, so you can pick up a nol card the moment you land.
Apps to download
- S’hail — RTA’s all-in-one app: plan a trip across the Metro, bus, tram, taxi, and marine transport, and book a taxi from the same screen.
- nol Pay — top up your nol card balance from your phone, or, on supported Samsung and Huawei phones, load a virtual nol card and tap straight from your device.
- RTA Dubai — RTA’s broader app bundling transport with the authority’s other services.
When it runs
The Dubai Metro runs 5am to midnight Monday through Thursday and on Saturday, 5am to 1am on Fridays, and 8am to midnight on Sundays — hours that can extend for public holidays and citywide celebrations.
Accessibility
The Metro and Dubai Tram are both built for step-free access: lifts serve every station level, platforms carry tactile guidance paths and audible/visual door alerts, and every train has dedicated wheelchair spaces. Buses carry space and facilities for wheelchair users too. The Dubai Ferry seats up to 98 passengers, including space for two wheelchairs, with restrooms for people of determination on board.
Etiquette & local quirks
- Women & Children cabins. The Metro and tram both reserve a cabin for women and children only — men riding alone should stick to the general cabins.
- Gold Class is a real upgrade, not just a name. Tap a Gold nol card and you get a separate, quieter cabin with leather seats — but you pay roughly double for it, and sitting there on a Silver fare is a finable offense.
- No eating or drinking on board — it’s finable, along with putting your feet on the seats.
- The abra is worth riding for its own sake. For AED 1 in cash, the old motorized abras still cross Dubai Creek between Bur Dubai and Deira — it’s the cheapest sightseeing trip in the city.
Good to know
RTA enforces its rules with posted fines — a few worth knowing before you ride:
- Riding without paying, or entering paid areas without tapping: AED 200.
- Using someone else’s card, an expired or invalid card, or refusing to show it on request: AED 200.
- Using a counterfeit card: AED 500.
- Sitting or standing in a restricted area or one meant for a different category of rider (Gold Class, the women & children cabin), or putting your feet on the seats: AED 100.
- Eating or drinking where it’s not allowed: AED 100.
- Sleeping in a shelter or station: AED 300.
Cash isn’t much use once you’re past the ticket machine — nol is how you pay for the Metro, buses, tram, marine transport, and even RTA parking meters, so it’s worth topping up before you need it.