Dubai Metro tickets must be purchased in the form of a Nol card. No other payment form is possible for the Metro. A Nol card is like a credit card that holds either a balance or a specific season ticket for travelling on a lot of the public transport in Dubai including the Metro, buses and the tram.
There are different types of Nol card so check out the section on Nol cards for which type of card is best for you. If you want to get a ticket for the Dubai Metro then you can buy Nol cards at all of the metro stations. You can also buy Nol cards at any other public transport stations and customer service centres.
No Cash Payments
You cannot pay by cash or credit card to travel on the Dubai Metro, you need to buy a Nol card. However, you can top your Nol card up using cash or credit card at each of the stations.
The prices for travel on the Dubai Metro, Tram and Buses are as follows:
| Ticket Type | 1 Zone or <3km 2 zones | 2 Zones | 3+ Zones |
| Standard Adult Ticket (Red) | 4 dirhams | 6 dirhams | 8.50 dirhams |
| Pre-paid Standard Adult Ticket (Silver Nol) | 3 dirhams | 5 dirhams | 7.50 dirhams |
| Concessionary (Blue Nol Card) | 1.50 dirhams | 2.50 dirhams | 3.75 dirhams |
| Gold Class (Red Ticket) | 8 dirhams | 12 dirhams | 17 dirhams |
| Gold Class Pre-Paid | 6 dirhams | 10 dirhams | 15 dirhams |
You can work out how many zones you will travel through by checking out the Metro Map. Prices apply to the number of zones and do not take account of the actual zone numbers.
Standard tickets are those purchased by buying a red Nol card so are likely to be those charged to tourists or visitors. Pre-paid means where you have purchased a Silver, Blue or Gold Nol card.
Concessionary Nol cards are available to students, disabled and elderly people on registration and application. Standard Blue Nol cards have benefits including the purchase of season tickets.
Season Tickets
New season ticket passes were introduced with the opening of the Dubai Tram in 2014 and the prices are as follows:
| Ticket Type | 1 Zone | 2 Zones | All Zones |
| Annual Silver Class | 1,060 dirhams | 1,770 dirhams | 2,670 dirhams |
| Quarterly Silver Class | 330 dirhams | 550 dirhams | 830 dirhams |
| Monthly Silver Class | 140 dirhams | 230 dirhams | 350 dirhams |
| Weekly Silver Class | 50 dirhams | 80 dirhams | 110 dirhams |
| Daily Silver Class | 20 dirhams | ||
| Annual Gold Class | 2,120 dirhams | 3,540 dirhams | 5,340 dirhams |
| Quarterly Gold Class | 660 dirhams | 1,100 dirhams | 1,660 dirhams |
| Monthly Gold Class | 280 dirhams | 460 dirhams | 700 dirhams |
| Weekly Gold Class | 100 dirhams | 160 dirhams | 220 dirhams |
| Daily Gold Class | 40 dirhams |
Metro One Day Pass or Not?
You should work out how many journeys you are likely to make in one day as a one day pass may be better. The one day pass also includes travel on the Dubai Tram and Dubai buses.
If you do not purchase a one day ticket you can still get charged more than 20 dirhams if you make a lot of journeys as travel is not capped at 20 dirhams unless you buy the one day ticket. You can find out more details about the One Day pass here.
The above tickets can only be purchased on particular Nol cards:
You can get the one day card on a Red ticket. You can get the weekly ticket on a Blue, Silver or Gold Nol card.
You can charge the Red ticket with up to 5 one day tickets – you need to buy each ticket on the day of travel and not in advance and it is only valid up until midnight of the day of purchase.
The remaining season tickets can only be purchased on a Blue Nol Card or a registered Silver or Gold Nol card. Blue cards require an application form with ID and photo.
Therefore if you are travelling to Dubai as a visitor your only options for a season ticket are the day or weekly passes.
Hello I am trying to move to Dubai, my work going to be in Meydan Road UAE, Dubai. al Quoiz1, and now I am looking for apartment/rooms to rent arround this are, what it would be your advice to look for? should i buy a silver montly ticket? What’s the difference of silver and gold? Thank you, Linas.
Hi sorry, we don’t give advice on accommodation. The silver ticket is for standard travel and the gold ticket is in the premium carriages with larger seats. In order to get a monthly ticket you need to register your nol card so you may need to wait until you have your Emirates ID card.
Am traveling aboobakkar sideeq station To noor bank every day
I want to know the quarterly packages and monthly package.?
Hi, that takes you through 3 zones so you will need an all zones ticket as shown above.
Hello. I will be in Dubai in a few weeks with a group of 17 people. We need to go from the airport to the Dubai Mall, and then from the Mall to our hotel, which is near the airport.
What is our best option for this? Is it possible to pre-purchase our fares?
Thank you.
Hi Chris, you can either get the metro – it is 6 dirhams each way on a red ticket or else it might be worth getting taxis – although they will be more expensive from the airport.
Thank you. Looking forward to returning to Dubai!
Is it possible to purchase the red tickets before arrival? Thanks.
Sorry, forgot to reply to that bit! you can only buy tickets when you are in Dubai at present.
Hi, am planning to visit Dubai for two days and I wish to know which among these card package you think will be better for me because am planning to visit the maximum places i can within the little time frame and at the cheapest possible transportation. Thanks.
Hi, if you are going to spend more than 20 dirhams a day on trips on the Metro then buy a day ticket each day on a Red Nol card.
Sir,
zone 5 and 6, how much will come in season ticket per month, any discount together 3months & 6months ?
All the ticket prices are shown above, see the table showing the number of zones and the duration.
I need to buy a Gold season card for one month for red line. Metro lobby staff says go and register by on line. what I do. please advise
You can only get a monthly pass on a blue Nol card which you need to buy online through the RTA. Try http://www.nol.ae
Hello. I am travelling from salah aldin metro to stadium station, then going by bus from stadium off to dewa bus station. This is my trip for 6 days in a week. What card would be best and economical for me? Thanks a lot.
You need to check how much you are paying each week and work out if a weekly or monthly ticket would be cheaper. See this post for more details.
Dear sir /Madam
Next month I’ll be coming to Dubai …my doubt is if I travel from Dubai rta bus station to Abu Dhabi bus station , can I use one day nol red unlimited pass ? And in case if it is not possible ,which card I need to buy to travel from Dubai to Abu ?
If you travel from Dubai to Abu Dhabi you will need a special ticket for that journey, not a travelcard.
Hi Admin
Thank you for the informative post! I’m looking to travel to Dubai in April and we will be using the metro a few times.
Just to confirm, if I buy a gold class day pass, I can travel between as many zones as I want during that day? And I can also use it on the bus and tram?
I was told by a friend that the day pass is not unlimited use, that you may only use it for a certain amount of zones. It seems quite confusing.
Thank you!
Yes you can use the day pass as much as you like on Metro, Bus and Trams until midnight on the day of purchase.
Greetings
For a family with 2 children (under 10) visiting for 1 week. For unlimited trips:
1) Would recommend Red or Silver ?
2) Does every adult have to have a separate card ?
3) Do children need separate cards ?
Thank you.
Hi, please see this post regarding which ticket to buy. Yes, everyone needs their own ticket.
My wife & I will be in Dubai Feb. 6-8/18 We are staying at the Hilton Garden Inn on Abu Baker Al Siddique Road. We would like to know which Metro Station would be the closest to our hotel. We will just be using the Metro for 1 day so would our best purchase be the Silver Card? I understand you can use that card all day anywhere on Buses & Metro is that correct?
The nearest Metro station is Abu Baker al Siddique on the green line and you can buy a one day ticket on a red nol which works out cheaper if that is the only day you are going to use it. Yes, you can use it on buses, metro and tram.
Dear Mam
i am travelling from Al riqqa to Burjuman and vice versa from Saturday to thursday. I spend around Aed.200. Is there any way i can reduce the expense to cut short.
regards
Salman
The only cheaper option is a quarterly or annual pass for 2 zones but you would need to find the money up front for those. You can find the prices here.
We are visiting Dubai for a couple of days in March. My husband has a blue ‘disabled’ badge. Can he get concession art travel in Dubai? If so, what does he need to do and what are the costs of the nol card and a day pass?
Unfortunately concession Blue Nol cards are only available if you have an Emirates ID card so he will only be able to use the standard Nol card with no concession.
Hello,
Can you please guide me. We are four person (Me, My wife, my 5 year old and an infant).
We will be staying in Dubai for roughly 7 days and staying near Al Rigga metro station. I will be using Metro with my family on daily basis for my up and down travel to different Dubai attractions / locations .. Which pass i should buy and how many passes should i buy for whole family? I dont know about this zone criteria, all i can say i would be going to dubai mall one day, ibn e batuta mall on another day, or other places similarly.
Regards and Advance Thanks
Ali
Please see this post for information about which ticket to buy.
Hi. Is it still the case that the red card can only be used on a single transport system e.g. metro or tram (for single trips, I know the day pass can be used on all)? I’m stopping at the Le Meridian Mina Seyahi and need to catch the tram to get to the metro station. Does this mean I need two red cards, one for tram and another for metro?
Hi Sparky, no, sorry I must update that, I believe that the Red Nol card can now be used on all 3 forms of transport (metro, bus, tram).
Hi I want to go dubai for a week in JAN ,and my week start from Wendsday,can i get weekly card?
I mean weekly card is just start from monday to sunday or I can use of middle week for 7 days?
Hi Yes, the 7 day season ticket is valid from the day you buy it.
Hi,
My wife and myself will spend a week in Dubai. I’m wondering whether we both have to buy a red (or blue) card? I’m rather thinking about purchasing a red (or blue) one day ticket and use it commonly (once used one passes it to another). Does it work?
Thanks.
Stan
Hi Stan, no you each have to have your own red or silver ticket (blue tickets are for registered travellers who perhaps want long term season tickets).
HI,
I will be in Dubai from 9th Feb until 14Feb. And maybe i”m staying around Dubai Silicon Oasis. Would you suggest me, which card i should buy ?
Please refer to this post.
i travel from sharaf dg to deira city center everyday. it costs me 15 dirhams everyday. is there any cheaper options?
If you travel every day then a monthly ticket may be cheaper i.e. 15 x 30 = 450 and monthly ticket is 350 dirhams.
here in dubai as a resident travel everyday in metro minimum 1 zone atleast what could you suggest me the best option
You need to work out how much you spend and if a season ticket is cheaper for you. Unfortunately I am not able to calculate your journey costs for you.