Dubai Public Transport: Tickets, Passes, Prices
Dubai is large, but straightforward to navigate with public transport. You can explore individual areas on foot, yet longer distances are best covered by the Dubai Metro, the Dubai Tram and public buses. Services generally operate daily from around 5:00 am until midnight, with extended hours on Fridays. Dubai does not have a 24-hour metro system, but selected bus routes provide overnight service after metro and tram closing times.
Tickets & Prices
Dubai uses a zone-based fare system. The city is divided into several fare zones, and your fare depends on how many zones you travel through. Even short distances can cross into another zone, including trips from the airport to the city. To use metro, tram and bus, you need the rechargeable stored-value Nol card. The correct fare is automatically calculated when you tap in and tap out.
Nol Card
There are two Nol cards for regular public transport use: Nol Silver and Nol Gold. Both cards cost AED 25, €5.80, $6.80*. The price includes AED 19, €4.40, $5.15* of usable travel credit. The Nol Silver Card is used for regular class travel. The Nol Gold Card gives access to the Gold Class cabin on metro and tram. Gold Class fares are charged at double the regular fare. Once the stored credit is used up, you can recharge the card at metro station ticket machines.
Single Rides
Single ride fares depend on the number of zones traveled and are automatically deducted from your Nol Card balance for each trip.
| Ticket Type | AED* | €* | $* |
| Regular Class Fare (Nol Silver) – 1 Zone | AED 3 | €0.70 | $0.80 |
| Regular Class Fare (Nol Silver) – 2 Adjacent Zones | AED 5 | €1.15 | $1.35 |
| Regular Class Fare (Nol Silver) – More than 2 Zones | AED 7.50 | €1.75 | $2.05 |
Day Ticket
The 1-Day Ticket allows unlimited travel for the selected class on the same day. The fixed amount is deducted directly from your Nol Card balance. This ticket is worthwhile if you plan several trips across different zones in one day.
| Regular Class (Nol Silver) | AED 20* | €4.65* | $5.45* |
*All prices as of January 2026
Please note: Children under 5 years old, or under 90 cm in height, travel free.
Dubai International Airport (DXB) Transfer
Dubai International Airport is very close to the city, about 5 km, 3 miles from central Dubai. The Metro Red Line connects directly from the airport into the city. For this ride, you use the same Nol fares listed above, depending on the zones crossed.
Where to Buy & How to Validate Tickets
Nol cards are available from ticket vending machines at Metro stations, including the airport Metro stations.
You must tap in and tap out for every trip. In the Metro you do this at the station gates. On tram and bus, you tap at the card readers when you enter and when you exit.
Local Tip – The Front Cabin View
The Metro has a Gold Class cabin at the front. With a Nol Gold Card you can use that cabin and you pay the Gold Class fare on Metro and Tram.
A skyline view through the front window can be possible in regular class as well, but Gold Class often feels calmer and more comfortable, especially at busy times.
