Dubai Metro Tickets & Fares (2026)
Dubai Metro fares are simple once you know the system: you pay with a rechargeable Nol card, the price depends on how many zones your journey crosses, and you tap in and out at the gates. This page explains every card type in detail, the full fare and pass tables, and exactly how to buy, recharge and use your card.
Nol Card Types Explained
Nol is the single smart card used across Dubai's metro, tram, buses and water transport. There are four products, each suited to a different kind of traveller:
🥈 Silver Nol Card — the all-rounder
The Silver card is the default choice for tourists and regular riders, and the one most visitors should buy. It costs AED 25 at the ticket office or machine, of which AED 19 is usable balance and AED 6 is the non-refundable cost of the card itself, and it stays valid for five years. Travel is pay-as-you-go: the system deducts the correct zone-based fare automatically when you tap out, so you never need to know the price in advance. You can also load weekly or monthly travel passes onto the same card, and top it up at any station, online or through the Nol Pay app. Because it works on the metro, tram, buses and water bus alike, a single Silver card covers virtually every public-transport trip you will make in Dubai.
🥇 Gold Nol Card — comfort & space
The Gold card costs exactly the same to buy as the Silver (AED 25, with AED 19 balance), but it unlocks the Gold Class cabin at the front of every train. This carriage has plusher seating, more space and far fewer passengers, which makes a real difference during the morning and evening rush or when you are carrying luggage in from the airport. The trade-off is cost: Gold travel is charged at double the standard fare for the same journey, so a one-zone trip is AED 6 instead of AED 3. You don't need a separate card to dip in and out of Gold — the same Gold card lets you choose the Gold cabin whenever you want it and pays the higher rate only for those trips.
🔵 Blue Nol Card — personalised & concessions
The Blue card is a registered, personalised card carrying your name and photo, priced at AED 70 (including AED 20 of travel credit). Its real purpose is to unlock concessionary travel for eligible groups — students, senior Emiratis and residents, and People of Determination — who qualify for heavily discounted or free fares. Because it is tied to your identity, a lost Blue card can be blocked and your balance protected, unlike the anonymous Silver and Gold cards. Issuing one requires supporting ID documents and a short application, so it is aimed at residents who travel regularly rather than short-stay tourists, who are better served by a Silver card.
🎫 Red Nol Ticket — the occasional trip
The Red Ticket is a thin paper smart card that costs just AED 2 and is designed for visitors making only a handful of journeys. You load individual trips onto it rather than a cash balance, and it remains valid for 90 days and can hold up to ten trips. The catch is that each trip is charged at a slightly higher rate than the Silver card — AED 4 instead of AED 3 for one zone — and it cannot be used for the Gold cabin. As a rule of thumb, if you expect to take more than two or three metro rides during your stay, a Silver card will quickly work out cheaper and more convenient.
Fares by Zone
Dubai Metro fares are zone-based, not distance-based. You tap in and out, and the price depends on how many fare zones your journey crosses:
| Payment type | 1 zone | 2 zones | 3+ zones |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Nol | AED 3.00 | AED 5.00 | AED 7.50 |
| Gold Nol | AED 6.00 | AED 10.00 | AED 15.00 |
| Red Ticket | AED 4.00 | AED 6.00 | AED 8.50 |
💰 How the fare is worked out
- Count the zones your trip passes through
- 1 zone is cheapest, 3+ zones is the cap
- Use our fare calculator for any two stations
⏱️ Transfers & free travel
- Linked metro/bus/tram transfers count as one journey
- Children aged 5 and under travel free
- People of Determination travel free with the right card
Travel Passes
If you ride often, a period pass can beat pay-as-you-go. Prices in AED:
| Pass | Silver 1z | Silver 2z | Silver all | Gold all | Concession all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 days | 50 | 80 | 110 | 220 | 55 |
| 30 days | 140 | 230 | 350 | 700 | 175 |
| 90 days | 330 | 550 | 830 | 1,660 | 415 |
| 365 days | 1,060 | 1,770 | 2,670 | 5,340 | 1,335 |
A 1-day pass also exists (commonly around AED 20 regular / AED 40 Gold) — confirm in Nol Pay before buying.