NOL Card for Tourists in Dubai 2026: Types, Prices & Fares

Planning to visit Dubai and want to explore the NOL system for public transport? Here’s all that you need to know! The NOL card is an e-ticketing smart card that you must have while traveling through RTA Metro, buses, or trams in Dubai. This rechargeable chip card can be used not only to pay RTA fares in public transport but also to pay dues in museums, parking points, and even in grocery stores for shopping. 

Getting confused about which type of NOL card for tourists is recommended and how to use it during your Dubai travel? This guide will provide you with complete details, making your journey more hassle-free and exciting!

Who Needs a NOL Card in Dubai?

Passengers aged 5 years or above need to have a NOL card to use public transport in Dubai. However, differently abled passengers, locally known as ‘People of Determination’, are exempted from fares. Such individuals must have a Personal Nol Card.

Which NOL Card to Buy for Tourists? Best Nol Card for Tourists 2026

Keeping the visitors’ convenience in mind, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has introduced 4 types of NOL cards in Dubai for tourists. These are the Silver NOL card, Red Ticket, Gold Card, and Blue NOL Card. Out of these, Silver and Red cards are considered the best for travellers. Their key features and advantages of each are listed below:

Red NOL Ticket

• You can get a Red NOL Card for AED 2, without any pre-loaded balance. You can recharge it as per your tour plans.
• It doesn’t require registration with RTA and is best for occasional travellers. 
• With a Red Ticket, you can get a 24-hour pass for AED 20 by which you can enjoy unlimited travel till midnight.
• One person can get a maximum of 10 journeys or 5-day Passes.
• The Red Card is valid for 90 days or 10 trips.

Silver NOL Card

• Can be used for payments in all transportation and non-transportation services across Dubai.
• Available at AED 25, out of which AED 6 is for the card and AED 19 is the credit amount.
• Rechargeable and valid for 5 years.
• Automatically calculate the cost of every trip and make deductions from your e-purse.
• Allow a maximum journey of 180 minutes.

Blue NOL Card

• A secure, personalised smart card, without the fear of losing balance if lost or stolen. 
• Available at AED 70 with an e-purse value of AED 20. 
• It can be recharged upto AED 5000.
• Valid for a period of 5 years.
• Automatically calculates your travel cost for deductions.
• A special discount of 50% of the regular fare is available for students, senior citizens, and social welfare holders.

Gold NOL Card

• Allow luxury travel in the Gold Class Cabin of the Metro.
• Carries the same features as of Silver Card, besides providing access to the Gold Class cabins in Metro and Tram on a premium fare.
• Valid for a maximum period of 5 years.
• Available at AED 25 upfront, with AED 19 as e-purse value.

Allows maximum journey duration of 180 minutes, for which your trip cost keeps calculating automatically for deductions.

Estimated Cost of Metro Trip with NOL Card for Tourists in Dubai

For the tourists’ convenience, Dubai’s Metro network is divided into seven main zones. The estimated cost of your trip depends on the number of zones you travel in a single journey, and the fare automatically deducts from your nol card as you tap while entering or exiting a station.

1 Zone: Involves travelling within 1 zone or area less than 3 km while crossing 2 zones.

2 Zones: Travel starts from one zone and ends in another nearby zone.

3+ Zones: Travel that involves crossing 3 or more zones. 

Note: While switching your transport mode (metro, bus, or tram), make sure to do so within 30 minutes to be considered as a single journey. Failing to do so in the mentioned period, you will have to pay for a separate journey, and an extra fare will be deducted from your card.

Fare Cost Within One Zone

• Silver Card: Dh3
• Gold Card: Dh6
• Personal Card: Dh3
• Red Ticket: Dh 4

Fare Cost for Two Zones

• Silver Card: Dh5
• Gold Card: Dh10
• Personal Card: Dh5
• Red Ticket: Dh6

Fare Cost for More Than 3 Zones

• Silver Card: Dh7.5
• Gold Card: Dh15
• Personal Card: Dh7.5
• Red Ticket: Dh8.5

How to Get a NOL Card Pass for Tourists?

Besides paying for the single-use fare system in Metro and other public transport in Dubai, frequent travellers can pay upfront for weekly, monthly, quarterly (3-months), and annually (once a year). However, for a more than 7-days plan, you must first register your travel pass product.

Pass	1 Zone	2 Adjacent Zones	3+ Zones
7-Day Regular Pass	AED 50	AED 80	AED 110
7-Day Gold Pass	AED 100	AED 160	AED 220
30-Day Regular Pass	AED 140	AED 230	AED 350
30-Day Gold Pass	AED 280	AED 460	AED 700
90-Day Regular Pass	AED 330	AED 550	AED 830
90-Day Gold Pass	AED 660	AED 1100	AED 1660
365-Day Regular Pass	AED 1060	AED 1770	AED 2670
365-Day Gold Pass	AED 2120	AED 3540	AED 5340