In This Guide
Quick answer: the Nol cards and what they cost
The Nol card is the single fare card for Dubai's RTA public transport — Metro, buses, tram, water buses and abras. There are five options:
| Card | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Red Ticket | AED 2 | Occasional / single trips |
| Silver | AED 25 | Everyday standard-class travel |
| Gold | AED 25 | Gold-class cabin on Metro/tram |
| Blue (Personal) | AED 70 (incl. AED 20 credit) | Residents; students/seniors/PoD 50% off |
| Nol Travel | Varies | Tourists (day passes) |
For most residents the answer is a Silver card for daily travel, or a Blue/Personal card if you want the balance protected and (for students, seniors and People of Determination) the 50% concession. The rest of this guide covers each in detail, how to top up, and the fare caps.
What the Nol card covers
One card works across the whole RTA network:
- Dubai Metro (Red and Green lines).
- Public buses.
- Dubai Tram.
- Water buses and abras.
- Paid RTA parking and 2,000+ retail outlets that accept Nol.
You tap in and tap out; the fare is worked out by zones travelled. Because it also pays at some parking machines and shops, the card doubles as a small stored-value wallet around the transport network. If you drive as well as commute, see how the road costs stack up in the Salik toll guide and the parking SMS guide.
The card types in detail
Red Ticket (AED 2)
A paper smart ticket for occasional use. You load it with single or return trips or a day pass. Cheap to buy, but it is not a stored-value card for daily commuting.
Silver (AED 25)
The standard everyday card, usually sold with travel credit included. Works in standard-class cabins across the network — the default choice for most residents.
Gold (AED 25)
Same price as Silver but gives access to the Gold-class cabin on the Metro and tram, at a higher (roughly double) fare per trip. Worth it if you value the quieter cabin.
Blue / Personal (AED 70)
Registered to your name and Emirates ID, with about AED 20 of starting credit. Because it is personalised, the balance can be recovered if it is lost or stolen. It is also the card that carries the 50% concession for students, senior citizens and People of Determination — so if you qualify, this is the one to get.
Nol Travel
A newer tourist-focused option built around day passes for short visits.
How to get a Nol card
- Ticket machines and counters at every Metro station.
- Bus stations and Nol distributors, plus many supermarkets and shops.
- The Nol Pay app, which can also act as a digital card on a phone.
Anonymous cards (Red, Silver, Gold) need no documents — buy and go. The Personal (Blue) card is registered, so you apply with your Emirates ID (online, at a customer-service centre, or in the app) to get the name-linked, recoverable card and any concession.
How to top up
Keeping credit on the card is easy:
- Ticket machines at Metro and bus stations.
- The Nol Pay app (card or wallet).
- The RTA website.
- Retail outlets — 2,000+ shops and kiosks.
- Auto top-up — link a card so the balance refills automatically and you never get stopped at the gate.
Auto top-up is the single best setting for a daily commuter: no more scrambling for credit at a busy station.
Fares and passes
Fares are charged by the number of zones you travel through, tapping in and out. Beyond pay-as-you-go, the network offers daily, weekly and monthly passes for regular commuters, which cap your spend if you travel every day. If you commute the same route five or more days a week, a monthly pass is usually cheaper than pay-as-you-go.
Gold-class travel is charged at roughly double the standard fare for the premium cabin. Students, seniors and People of Determination on a Personal card pay 50% of the standard fare — a large saving over a year.
Personal vs anonymous: which to choose
| Personal (Blue) | Anonymous (Silver/Gold) | |
|---|---|---|
| Balance if lost | Recoverable | Lost with the card |
| Concessions | 50% (student/senior/PoD) | None |
| Documents to buy | Emirates ID required | None |
| Best for | Residents, eligible groups | Visitors, casual use |
Rule of thumb: a resident who commutes should hold a Personal card (recoverable balance, plus concession if eligible); a visitor or occasional rider is fine with a Silver or a Red Ticket. In Abu Dhabi the equivalent bus card is Hafilat.
New to the UAE? Get the setup right
A Nol card is a five-minute job, but it is usually one of a dozen things a new resident sorts at once — Emirates ID, a tenancy, utilities, a bank account, transport. Getting the order right saves weeks.
Wathim handles the UAE residency and paperwork side end to end so the rest slots in cleanly. Contact us, or read the related guides: the Abu Dhabi Hafilat card, the Salik toll guide, the parking SMS guide, and the new-resident bank account guide. Everything else is on the UAE services hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Red Ticket costs AED 2, a Silver or Gold card AED 25 (usually with travel credit included), and a Blue/Personal card AED 70 including about AED 20 of starting credit. The Personal card is registered to your Emirates ID, so its balance is recoverable if lost, and it carries the 50% concession for students, seniors and People of Determination.
For everyday standard-class travel, a Silver card. If you want the balance protected if lost, or you qualify for the 50% student/senior/People of Determination concession, get a Blue/Personal card. Gold gives access to the premium cabin at a higher fare, and a Red Ticket suits occasional single trips. Tourists can use Nol Travel day passes.
One Nol card works across Dubai's RTA network: the Metro, public buses, the tram, water buses and abras, plus paid RTA parking machines and 2,000-plus retail outlets that accept Nol. You tap in and out and the fare is charged by the number of zones travelled.
Top up at Metro and bus station ticket machines, through the Nol Pay app, on the RTA website, or at 2,000-plus retail outlets. You can also set up auto top-up linked to a bank card so the balance refills automatically — the best option for a daily commuter who does not want to be stopped at the gate.
Only if it is a Personal (Blue) card, which is registered to your name and Emirates ID — its balance can be recovered and transferred to a replacement. Anonymous cards (Red, Silver, Gold) are not linked to you, so the balance is lost with the card. Residents who carry meaningful credit should use a Personal card for this reason.
Yes. Beyond pay-as-you-go, the RTA offers daily, weekly and monthly passes loaded onto a Nol card. If you commute the same route five or more days a week, a monthly pass usually works out cheaper than paying per trip. Students, seniors and People of Determination also get 50% off standard fares on a Personal card.
No for anonymous cards (Red, Silver, Gold) — you buy and go. Yes for the Personal (Blue) card, which is registered to your Emirates ID; you apply online, in the Nol Pay app, or at a customer-service centre to get the name-linked, recoverable card and any concession you are eligible for.
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The Wathim team writes plain-English guides to GCC government services. We track ICP, GDRFA, MOHRE, Absher, Muqeem, Qiwa, Metrash, LMRA, ROP Oman, and MOI Kuwait so expats can plan visa, residency, ID, and licence steps without guesswork.
