Buy a Silver Nol card for AED 25, which includes AED 19 of credit, and you can ride the Metro, tram and buses, and pay for the ferry and water taxi, at AED 3, 5 or 7.5 a trip. It is sold at any station ticket office or machine and valid for five years. Gold is the same card with access to Gold Class at double fare; the paper Red Ticket costs AED 2. This guide compares the five types, shows the fares and explains how to top up.
By SB Excursions · Published 29 October 2026 · Updated 29 October 2026
Tour on this route: Dubai Marina Shared Yacht Tour — From $32 per person, 1 hour.
How much does a Nol card cost in Dubai?
A Silver or Gold Nol card costs AED 25, of which AED 19 is credit. The paper Red Ticket costs AED 2, nol Travel AED 100 including AED 19 credit, and the Personal (blue) card AED 70 including AED 20 credit. Silver is the one most visitors buy; prices are RTA's and can change.
This guide also answers:
- Is a Nol card needed in Dubai?
- Where to buy a Nol card at Dubai airport?
- How to top up a Nol card?
The five Nol options and who each is for
#1
Silver card: the one to buy
RTA calls it the regular card, and it does everything a tourist needs: Metro, tram, bus, ferry and water taxi, at AED 3, 5 or 7.5 a trip. It holds up to AED 1,000 unregistered and lasts five years, so keep it for your next visit. Load AED 50 for a long weekend of mixed trips and top up as you go.
#2
Gold card: Gold Class and little else
The Gold card has the same features as Silver but also lets you use the Gold Class cabin on the Metro and the tram, at twice the fare (AED 6, 10 or 15 a trip). It is worth it for a long ride from the airport with bags, and not worth it for a ten-minute hop. A Silver card is fined if you sit in Gold Class.
#3
Red Ticket: the paper option
A disposable paper ticket from any ticket machine for AED 2, rechargeable for up to 10 journeys or 5 daily passes, and valid for 90 days. It works for only one mode of transport at a time, and the per-trip fares are higher than Silver (AED 4, 6 or 8.50). Fine for a single airport ride; poor value after that.
#4
nol Travel: a tourist card with offers
RTA describes nol Travel as a card with offers, benefits and discounts for tourists and residents, usable across the UAE. It costs AED 100 with AED 19 of credit, AED 75 more than Silver. We could not confirm which discounts it includes, so open RTA's nol Travel page and check the offer list before you pay the difference.
#5
Personal (blue) card: for residents
A personalised card that lets you recover the balance if it is lost or stolen, and it is the card concession fares attach to, with documents RTA lists. It costs AED 70 with AED 20 credit and holds up to AED 5,000. For a normal holiday the application is not worth the trouble; register a Silver card online instead if you want protection.
Nol card in one minute
Buy a Silver Nol card at any station ticket office or machine: AED 25, of which AED 19 is credit, valid for five years. It pays for the Metro, tram and buses, and for the ferry and water taxi, and cash is not accepted on RTA public transport, so you need a card or a ticket for every ride. You tap in at the gate or on the bus and tap out at your stop.
Fares depend on how many zones you cross: AED 3 within one zone, AED 5 across two adjacent zones and AED 7.5 for more on Silver. Keep at least AED 7.50 on the card, because RTA sets that as the minimum balance to tap in. Taxis are paid in cash or by card instead, as our taxi guide explains, and the Metro guide shows where each line goes.
The Nol card types compared
RTA lists five cards. The prices and limits below are from its Choose nol page; they can change, so confirm on rta.ae or at the ticket office.
| Card | Price | Max balance | Valid | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver | AED 25 with AED 19 credit | AED 1,000 unregistered; AED 5,000 registered | 5 years | Most visitors |
| Gold | AED 25 with AED 19 credit | AED 1,000 unregistered; AED 5,000 registered | 5 years | Gold Class riders, at double fare |
| Red Ticket | AED 2 (paper) | Up to 10 journeys or 5 daily passes | 90 days or 10 trips | One or two rides, one mode at a time |
| nol Travel | AED 100 with AED 19 credit | AED 1,000 unregistered; AED 5,000 registered | 5 years | Visitors who want its listed offers |
| Personal (blue) | AED 70 with AED 20 credit | AED 5,000 | 5 years | Residents and concession fares |
Source: RTA's Choose nol page. Silver and Gold cards can be registered online to protect the balance.
The honest summary: Silver for nearly everyone, Gold only if you want the front cabin, and the Red Ticket only for a single ride. The Personal card and nol Travel are for people with a reason to pay more.
Fares: what a trip actually costs
RTA publishes one zone-based fare table that applies to the Metro, tram and buses. Dubai is split into zones along the coast, so a short hop costs the minimum and a long ride across the city costs the maximum of AED 7.5 on Silver.
| Journey | Silver | Gold | Red Ticket (regular) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Within one zone | AED 3 | AED 6 | AED 4 |
| Two adjacent zones | AED 5 | AED 10 | AED 6 |
| More than two zones | AED 7.5 | AED 15 | AED 8.50 |
RTA's published fares; check the S'hail app for the exact zones of your trip.
In practice: Downtown to the Marina is AED 5-7.5, the airport to the Marina is the maximum AED 7.5, and a hop of a few stops inside Downtown or the Marina is AED 3. A day with four rides of AED 5 costs AED 20, which is why most people load AED 50 for a long weekend. Boats have their own fares: the water taxi is AED 7 a segment and the Dubai Ferry AED 25 per stop on Silver, both explained in our water taxi and ferry guide, and the traditional Creek abra takes AED 1 in cash.
Where to buy and how to top up
Cards are sold at ticket offices and ticket machines in stations, at RTA customer happiness centres, through authorised sales agents and online. At the airport, ticket offices and machines sit in the Metro stations at Terminals 1 and 3, so you can buy as soon as you land; Terminal 2 has no station, so buy at your first Metro stop. Air-conditioned abra stations also sell Nol cards.
- At a station: use a machine or the ticket office to buy a card and to add credit; the machine prompts you through the amount.
- Online: RTA's nol site offers top-ups, and the S'hail app manages nol accounts and plans journeys; nol Pay is RTA's app for commuters and tourists.
- Register a Silver or Gold card online if you want to protect the balance if the card is lost, and to raise the cap from AED 1,000 to AED 5,000.
- Check the balance before a long ride: a card below AED 7.50 may not let you through the gate.
How much to load, and the day pass
Think in trips: most visitors take two to four rides a day at AED 3-7.5, so AED 15-25 a day is typical. A long weekend fits on the AED 19 starting credit plus one or two top-ups of AED 20-30.
RTA also sells weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual bundles with unlimited public transport. They pay off only on long stays, so check rta.ae for current prices rather than relying on a guide. A one-day pass exists too: Etihad Rail's fare information, which lists it as an option, quotes AED 22 on a regular card and AED 42 on Gold. At AED 5 a ride the day pass breaks even after about four or five trips, so skip it on a day with a tour and a taxi, and consider it on a day of Metro-and-tram sightseeing.
Using it: tap in, tap out and the rules
Each traveller taps in with their own card or ticket, so a family of four needs four cards, or one card per person that rides. Tap in at the gate, tap out at the exit; if you forget to tap out the top fare is taken. The Red Ticket works for one mode of transport at a time, so a Metro-to-bus journey needs a second ticket.
The usual Metro rules apply whatever card you hold: no eating or drinking on the train, the front carriage is split into Gold Class and the women-and-children section, and men may not enter the latter. Our Metro guide lists the rest. If you lose a registered card, RTA can help recover the balance; a lost unregistered card is simply gone.
Nol and our tours: where the card helps and where it does not
A Nol card gets you to the meeting point of our city tours. The 1-hour shared yacht tour from $32 meets at the marina pier, Level P of Al Majara Tower: take the Red Line to DMCC, then the tram or a short walk or taxi, and arrive 20 minutes before departure because the yacht leaves on time. Full pre-payment secures the slot, and there is no hotel transfer. The Old Dubai walking tour from $35 starts in Al Fahidi near Sharaf DG metro station, and the Green Line reaches it.
The Nol card does not help with the trips that leave the city. The Abu Dhabi city tour (from $45, 9 hours) collects you at your hotel at 8:00 AM, and the desert safari and the sunrise balloon also have hotel pickup. For those, you do not need a card at all; for the rest of your trip, how to get around Dubai shows which transport to use where. If you land at the airport, the airport terminals guide says which terminal has the ticket machines.
FAQ
How much does a Nol card cost in Dubai?
A Silver or Gold Nol card costs AED 25, of which AED 19 is credit. The paper Red Ticket costs AED 2, nol Travel AED 100 including AED 19 credit, and the Personal (blue) card AED 70 including AED 20 credit. Silver is the one most visitors buy; prices are RTA's and can change.
Is a Nol card needed in Dubai?
Yes, for the Metro, tram and buses, because cash is not accepted on RTA public transport. Taxis are paid in cash or by card, and the traditional Creek abra takes AED 1 in cash. A Silver card is the simplest way to cover the rest.
Where to buy a Nol card at Dubai airport?
At the ticket offices and machines in the Metro stations at Terminals 1 and 3. Terminal 2 has no Metro station, so buy your card at your first station or at an air-conditioned abra station. Cards are also sold at RTA customer happiness centres, by authorised sales agents and online.
How to top up a Nol card?
Use a ticket machine in any Metro station, or top up online through RTA's nol site; the S'hail app also manages nol accounts. Anonymous Silver and Gold cards hold up to AED 1,000, and up to AED 5,000 once registered. Keep at least AED 7.50 on the card to tap in.
Can two people use the same Nol card?
No. Each traveller taps in and out with their own card or ticket, so a couple needs two cards or two Red Tickets. A Red Ticket can hold several trips, but it is still one traveller per tap. Buy one card per person from the machine.
Does a Nol card expire?
Silver, Gold and nol Travel cards are valid for 5 years, so keep yours for the next visit. The Red Ticket expires after 90 days or 10 trips. If an unregistered card is lost, the balance goes with it, so register the card online if you load a larger amount.
Is Gold Class on the Dubai Metro worth it?
On a long ride with luggage, yes: the fare is double, AED 15 instead of AED 7.5 at the top band, for the front cabin. For a short hop it is not. You need a Gold card with enough credit to use the cabin, and a Silver card in Gold Class is fined.
Recommended Dubai tours for this guide
Dubai Marina Shared Yacht Tour
It is the most stylish way to see the skyline without paying for a private charter: a premium yacht with spacious decks and 5-star hospitality, a red carpet at the pier and the crew helping with photos against JBR and Ain Dubai. Full pre-payment secures your slot — the hourly departures sell out — and the yacht leaves strictly on time.
- Duration
- 1 hour
- Area
- Dubai Marina
- Format
- Shared 1-hour sightseeing cruise
- Best for
- families, couples and anyone who wants the Marina skyline from the water without a private charter
From $32 per person Full prepayment
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Old Dubai Walking Tour
It is the Dubai that is walked rather than driven: the Creek where the city began as a trading port, the restored wind-tower quarter and the souks that still trade spices and gold. A local guide tells the story along the way. The $35 walk includes the abra, Arabic coffee or tea, dates and water; the $55 option adds street-food tastings.
- Duration
- 3-4 hours
- Area
- Old Dubai: Bur Dubai and Deira
- Format
- Shared group walk
- Best for
- first-time visitors, food lovers and anyone who wants the old trading side of Dubai on foot
From $35 per person Full prepayment
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Abu Dhabi City Tour from Dubai
It is the classic capital day in one organised loop: the mosque before the midday heat and crowds, the newly opened BAPS Mandir, the skyline from the Corniche, Bedouin history at Heritage Village and a photo op at Ferrari World. Transport, a licensed guide, mosque registration assistance and bottled water are included; the $45 shared tour covers all free-entry sites, and a private VIP car for up to 7 people is $245.
- Duration
- 9 hours
- Area
- Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Format
- Full-day guided city tour (shared or private)
- Best for
- families, seniors and first-time visitors who want the capital's landmarks in one day
From $45 per person No prepayment
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Photos: Gold card: Gold Class and little else — Laika ac, CC BY-SA 2.0, nol Travel: a tourist card with offers — Gokul Venugopal, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).