In this article, we will discuss Dubai’s transport system in detail: we will learn what transport zones are, find out which cards you can use to pay for your journey, and just in case, we will talk about fines. Scroll down – it will be interesting.
How Dubai’s transport system is structured
Dubai is divided into 7 transport zones. These are used to calculate the cost of intra-city travel. The system is simple: the more zones you cross, the more expensive the trip. If you need to change from one mode of transport to another within one route, you are given 30 minutes to do so – make it on time, and the system will count it as one trip.
Now, briefly about the types of transport. There are many of them in Dubai – in addition to the standard metro and buses, there are also trams, monorails and river trams. There are also taxis – and both private and state-owned companies are engaged in transportation.
How to pay for travel
There is only one travel ticket in Dubai – Nol Card. According to the principle of operation, it is completely identical to our “Trinity”: you buy a card, top up the balance and pay for travel on any type of public transport with it. They are sold at metro stations, bus stops and in special machines. Keep in mind that you should take care of buying a Nol Card in advance – you will not be able to pay for travel in cash.
There are also significant differences – if one “Troika” is no different from another, then Nol Card can come in as many as four varieties.
Red
A temporary ticket, which in many ways resembles the Moscow “Yediny”. It can be topped up for a maximum of 10 trips, and the validity period is 90 days. The main drawback is that one red card can be used only in one type of transport: only in the bus, only in the metro or only in the tram. The Red card does not apply to other transport.
The cost of one ticket depends on the number of transport zones you intend to cross:
- 4 dirhams – within 1 zone;
- 6 dirhams – within 2 consecutive zones;
- 8.5 dirhams – more than 2 zones;
- 20 dirhams – unlimited per day.
An ideal option for tourists and those who rarely use public transport.
Silver
Travel pass for regular trips. The validity of such a ticket is 5 years. You can buy and top up the silver card both in person and online – using the RTA Dubai application. The travel pass is valid for all types of transport, and you can use it to pay for parking.
In 2023, the Silver card costs 25 dirhams. 6 of them are the cost of the card itself, and 19 are automatically credited to your balance. You can top up the card with a maximum of 1,000 dirhams.
Fare:
- 3 dirhams – within 1 zone;
- 5 dirhams – within 2 consecutive zones;
- 7.5 dirhams – more than two zones.
Gold
An advanced version of the Silver card for those who prefer to travel in comfort. The only difference is that the Nol Card Gold gives its holders access to Gold Class metro cars. The Gold card is also valid for 5 years.
In 2023, the Gold card costs 25 dirhams, 19 of which are credited to your balance. There are no differences from Silver here. But the journey itself in Gold Class cars costs more:
- 6 dirhams – within 1 zone;
- 10 dirhams – within 2 consecutive zones;
- 15 dirhams – more than two zones.
Please note that bus fares are exactly the same as Silver fares. There is no separate premium class on the buses, so there is no additional charge.
Blue
A preferential travel pass for vulnerable groups: students, pensioners, and people with disabilities. The program applies to both citizens and expats.
Students and pensioners receive a 50% discount on travel, and people with disabilities can use public transport for free.
Dubai Metro
The Dubai Metro is small but very technological. All trains are automatic, and instead of driver’s cabs they have large panoramic windows. underground – except for a few sections.
Each train consists of three types of carriages. The first of them are general carriages for all passengers. The second are special carriages for women and children, marked with pink signs. And the third are Gold Class carriages with wide leather seats and other amenities. We remind you that travel in Gold Class carriages is available only to Nol Card Gold holders.
Currently, the Dubai Metro consists of two lines: the Red and the Green. The Red Line runs along the coast and covers the most popular areas of the city, such as Dubai Marina and Downtown. The Green Line is located in Old Dubai and provides convenient access to various historical attractions such as the Dubai Museum or traditional markets.
Trains run every 10 minutes, but metro operating hours vary by day of the week. The Red Line operates from 05:00 to 00:00 from Saturday to Wednesday, from 05:00 to 01:00 on Thursdays, and from 10:00 to 00:00 on Fridays.
The Green Line operates from 05:30 to 00:00 from Saturday to Wednesday, from 05:30 to 00:00 on Thursdays, and from 10:00 to 00:00 on Fridays. This is because in Islam, Friday is considered a special day dedicated to prayers and communication with God.
Dubai Buses
The city’s bus fleet consists of over 1,500 vehicles operating on 119 routes. The extensive route system covers almost 90% of the city, meaning that you can easily get to almost any part of the city by bus. But not just get there, but get there in comfort: all buses and all stops are equipped with air conditioners, which help mitigate the effects of the hot climate.
Important point: if you see that your bus is approaching the stop, you need to give a special sign to the driver – otherwise he will pass by. Entry to the bus is through the front door, and to exit you also need to first notify the driver. For this, special buttons are installed in the cabins.
Daytime buses run from 05:00 to 00:00. In addition to daytime buses, there are special night buses that run from 23:00 to 06:00 – for example, bus N55, which connects Al Maktoum Airport and Al Ghubaiba Bus Station.
Bus schedules usually change during Ramadan. You can follow all the changes on the official RTA website.
To make getting around the city even easier, use the RTA route planner. The algorithm for working with it is as simple as possible: you indicate your departure point, then indicate your arrival point, and the system itself builds the fastest route for you — not only on buses, but also on the metro, trams, and water transport.
Other types of public transport
Tram
There is only one tram line in Dubai. It has 11 stops and passes through the city’s tourist areas – Dubai Marina, Jumeirah Beach Residence and Al Sufouh. All trams are equipped with air conditioning and free Wi-Fi and can accommodate up to 400 people.
As with the metro, tram cars are divided into three types: general, for women and children, and Gold Class.
From Saturday to Thursday, the tram runs from 06:00 to 01:00, and on Friday from 09:00 to 01:00. The interval of movement is 5-7 minutes. Keep in mind that the trams are primarily designed for tourists, so they move slowly and allow you to calmly enjoy the beauty.
Monorail
The monorail connects the man-made island of Palm Jumeirah to the mainland. Trains depart from the Palm Gateway station in Dubai Media City and terminate at the center of the crescent, next to the large Atlantis, The Palm hotel. The monorail also stops halfway through at the island’s commercial area, which is home to restaurants, boutiques, and the Nakheel Mall.
The first monorail departs at 09:00, and the last one at 21:45. The monorail interval is 15 minutes, and the journey from the first station to the last takes a little over 10 minutes.
Please note that the monorail is owned by a private company, so you cannot use a Nol Card to pay for your fare.
Water taxi
The local water taxi network covers the Persian Gulf along with the Dubai Canal and includes more than 40 stops. familiar.
Many water taxis look like futuristic boats with streamlined hulls, inside which air conditioning and a TV are necessarily installed. One such boat can accommodate 10 people. Water taxi operating hours are from 10:00 to 22:00.
The operator of the water taxi network is the already familiar RTA, so you can pay for your ride using a Nol Card.
Fines on public transport
We have collected some of the most common fines that a careless foreigner may face:
- A passenger eats, drinks, chews gum, or smokes – 100 dirhams.
- The passenger bought a ticket for one car and got on another – 100 dirhams.
- A passenger uses transport while intoxicated and/or carries alcohol – 100 dirhams.
- The passenger did not pay for the fare – 200 dirhams.
- The passenger unnecessarily used emergency equipment – 2,000 dirhams.