The Dubai Metro is driverless, clean and easy to use, even if it is your first time. You pay with a Nol card, tap in at the gate, ride, and tap out at the other end. There are two lines, the Red and the Green, and a single tap covers your whole trip, including a change between lines. This guide takes you from buying a card to stepping off at your stop.
Your first ride, step by step
- Buy a Nol card. Use a ticket vending machine or a counter in any station. A Silver Nol card costs AED 25, which includes AED 19 of travel credit. For one or two short trips, a paper Red ticket costs AED 2 to buy, then you load the fare on top.
- Top up. Add credit at the machine, the counter, or in the RTA Dubai or nol Pay app. Keep enough on the card for your longest trip, up to AED 7.50 one way.
- Tap in. Hold the card flat on the gold reader at the gate until it beeps and the gate opens. The system records where you start.
- Pick the right cabin. Most riders use the Standard cabins. The front of the train has the Gold Class cabin and the Women and Children cabin (see below).
- Ride. Screens and announcements name the next stop in English and Arabic. Trains stop 20 to 30 seconds, so move to the doors a stop early at busy times.
- Tap out. Tap the same card at the gate when you leave. This sets your fare by the zones you crossed. If you forget, you can be charged the maximum fare.
Which cabin to use
Every train has three cabin types, all reached from the same platform. Standing in the wrong one carries a fine, so it is worth knowing which is which before you board.
| Cabin | Where | Who can ride | If you should not be there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Class | Front of the train | Gold Nol card holders, who pay a higher fare | AED 100 fine |
| Women and Children | First Standard cabin, marked pink | Women, and children with them | AED 100 fine for men |
| Standard | Rest of the train | Everyone | Open to all |
Men have been fined AED 100 for riding in the women and children cabin since the rule took effect, per Gulf News. Gold Class sits at the very front, so the same end of the platform serves both the priciest and the pink cabins.
What it costs
Fares depend on the number of zones your trip crosses, not the distance or the number of stops. A Silver Nol card costs AED 3 within one zone, AED 5 across two zones, and AED 7.50 for three or more, per the RTA Nol fares page. Spending is capped at AED 14 a day on a Silver card, so once you hit the cap the rest of the day's rides cost nothing. For the cards, fares and discounts in full, see the Nol card guide.
Rules and fines worth knowing
The Metro is kept spotless and the rules are enforced by inspectors and cameras. The ones that catch visitors out most are eating and drinking, which is fine in the station but not on the train. The fine for eating, drinking or chewing gum on board is AED 100, per the RTA Fares, Fines and Etiquette brochure.
| What | Fine |
|---|---|
| Eating, drinking or chewing gum on the train | AED 100 |
| Sitting in the wrong cabin (Gold Class or Women and Children) | AED 100 |
| Riding without a valid Nol card or enough balance | AED 200 |
| Smoking anywhere in the station or train | AED 200 |
| Misusing an emergency button or system | AED 2,000 |
Finish your coffee before you tap in. The rule starts at the gate, not the train, so a drink on the platform counts. Inspectors do board at random, and the AED 100 fine for a half-finished water bottle is a common first-day mistake.
Tips for first-timers
Travel outside the morning and evening peaks if you can, as trains fill fast around the airport, Union and Downtown. Children under five, or shorter than 90 cm, ride free with an adult. Keep your card handy for the tap out, not just the tap in, because missing it can cost you the maximum fare. Stand behind the yellow line and let people off before you board, since the platform doors open only briefly. And if you land late at night, check the hours first: the Metro does not run around the clock, so a midnight arrival may need a taxi.
Dubai Metro Guide is independent and not affiliated with the RTA. Fares, fines and rules can change. Confirm current details with the RTA before you travel.