You need a nol card to ride Dubai’s public transport — Metro, buses, trams, and water buses. Prices range from AED 6 for a short-stay Red ticket to AED 80 for a Personal Gold card, and you can buy the basic cards (Red, Silver, Gold) with no ID at all.
If you want a registered Personal card instead, you can now order one online with home delivery, or skip the physical card entirely with a Virtual nol Card on your phone.
Nol Card Types & Prices in Dubai
| Card Type | Price | Starting Credit | Validity | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red (paper ticket) | AED 2 + fare | — | 90 days or 10 journeys | Tourists and short stays |
| Silver | AED 25 | AED 19 | 5 years | Everyday budget travel |
| Gold | AED 25 | AED 19 | 5 years | Gold-class seating on Metro, bus and tram |
| Personal | AED 70 | AED 20 | 5 years | Residents who want fare concessions and balance protection if lost |
| Personal Gold | AED 80 | AED 20 | 5 years | Residents who want gold-class seating plus balance protection |
| Customised | AED 30 | — | 5 years | Anyone who wants one of 16 Dubai-inspired card designs |
The Red Ticket works differently from the other cards: there’s no AED 4 “credit” loaded onto it. It’s a disposable paper ticket that costs a flat AED 2, plus the zone-based fare for your trip — so a single-zone journey is AED 2 + AED 4 = AED 6 total. Maximum stored balance on the reloadable cards is AED 1,000 for anonymous cards (Silver, Gold, Customised) and AED 5,000 for registered cards (Personal, Personal Gold).
Where to Buy a Nol Card in Dubai
At Metro, Tram & Bus Stations
Every Dubai Metro station and most tram and bus stations have staffed ticket offices and self-service ticket vending machines (TVMs). Tell the agent (or select on the machine) which card type you want, pay by cash or card, and you’ll have your card in a few minutes.
At Dubai International Airport
You can buy a nol card as soon as you land, at the ticket counters and vending machines near the Dubai Metro entrance inside the airport terminals.
At RTA Customer Happiness Centers & Authorized Agents
RTA customer happiness centers and a network of authorized retail agents across the city also sell nol cards. Use RTA’s Find Us page to locate the nearest one to you.
You don’t need any ID to walk up and buy a Red, Silver, Gold, or Customised card — it works like an anonymous prepaid card from the moment you pay for it.
Can You Buy a Nol Card Online?
Yes — but only the Personal and Personal Gold cards. You can apply through nol.rta.ae or the RTA Dubai / nol Pay apps, logging in with UAE Pass:
- Log in to nol.rta.ae (or the RTA Dubai / nol Pay app) with UAE Pass.
- Choose Personal or Personal Gold card and select your concession category (Adult, Student, Senior Citizen, Social Affairs, or People of Determination).
- Upload a photo and, if your category requires it, supporting documents — most applicants who are electronically verified through UAE Pass need no extra documents, but students need a current school/college/university letter or ID, and People of Determination need a special-needs card issued by the Ministry of Community Development.
- Pay the card fee (AED 70 Personal / AED 80 Personal Gold) plus delivery.
- Your card is delivered free to your registered address — within 2 working days if auto-approved, or up to 4 working days if your application needs manual verification.
People of Determination applications are free but currently go through a separate channel — email [email protected] rather than the standard online form.
Anonymous cards (Red, Silver, Gold, Customised) can’t be ordered online — you’ll need to buy those in person.
Get a Virtual Nol Card (No Physical Card Needed)
If you have an NFC-enabled Samsung or Huawei phone, you don’t need a physical card at all. RTA’s Virtual nol Card, issued through the nol Pay app, lets you access nol services entirely from your phone — tap to pay on Metro, bus, tram, and water bus gates, and top up directly from a saved debit or credit card.
- Samsung: install the nol Pay app from Google Play, log in with UAE Pass, and choose to create a new virtual card (or digitize an existing physical one).
- Huawei: open Huawei Wallet, tap the “+” to add a transport card, and follow the prompts to create or digitize a nol card.
This is separate from registering/personalizing a physical card (below) — a Virtual nol Card never needs a physical card to exist.
How to Register or Personalize a Physical Nol Card
If you want your card’s balance protected if it’s lost or stolen, and to earn nol Plus points faster, you can personalize a Silver or Gold card (or apply for a Personal card directly — see above) through the nol Pay app:
- Download nol Pay (App Store / Google Play).
- Log in or create an account using UAE Pass.
- Link your nol card by tapping it against your phone (NFC) or entering your nol Tag ID.
- Follow the in-app steps to register your personal details against the card.
Personalizing a Silver or Gold card costs AED 30. Once personalized, a lost or stolen card can be blocked within 48 hours of reporting it, and your remaining balance can be recovered.
Nol Card Fares by Zone
| Card Type | Within 1 Zone | 2 Adjacent Zones | More Than 2 Zones |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver | AED 3 | AED 5 | AED 7.50 |
| Gold | AED 6 | AED 10 | AED 15 |
| Personal | AED 3 | AED 5 | AED 7.50 |
| Red | AED 4 | AED 6 | AED 8.50 |
- 50% off: Students, Senior Citizens (UAE nationals, 60+), and Social Affairs beneficiaries get a 50% discount on Personal card fares. This does not extend to residents generally — a standard adult Personal card pays the same fare as a Silver card.
- 100% free: People of Determination travel free on a Personal card.
- Children: travel free on any card type if they’re under 5 years old, or under 90cm tall — whichever applies to them.
Earn Rewards with nol Plus
RTA’s nol Plus loyalty program rewards you for using your nol card. Personalized cardholders earn 1 point for every AED 1 spent on transport or top-ups; unregistered/standard cardholders earn 1 point for every AED 2. Points stay valid for a year and can be redeemed to top up your nol card or spent at partner merchants — one more reason personalizing your card is worth the AED 30.
Where Can You Use Your Nol Card?
Your nol card works across Dubai Metro, buses, trams, and water buses, plus RTA paid parking and Dubai public parks. It’s also used on intercity bus routes between Dubai and Sharjah — if you’re commuting across that route regularly, check with the specific bus operator that your card is accepted on your exact service, since coverage can vary route to route.
Beyond transport, you can pay with a nol card at everyday stores including Carrefour, LULU, Aswaaq, Al Maya, ALL DAY, CIRCLE K, and Zoom — just ask the cashier to tap your card.
Once you have a card, check your balance any time via our nol card balance check guide, and top up through any of the methods in our nol card recharge guide.
FAQs
Can I buy a nol card online?
Yes, for Personal and Personal Gold cards — apply via nol.rta.ae or the RTA Dubai/nol Pay app with UAE Pass, and it’s delivered to your address. Anonymous cards (Red, Silver, Gold, Customised) have to be bought in person. You can also skip the physical card entirely with a Virtual nol Card, created 100% digitally through the nol Pay app on an NFC-enabled Samsung or Huawei phone.
Who gets a discount on nol card fares?
Students, Senior Citizens (UAE nationals 60+), and Social Affairs beneficiaries get 50% off Personal card fares. People of Determination travel completely free on a Personal card. Regular adult residents don’t get a discount — a standard Personal card costs the same as a Silver card.
Do children travel free on the nol card?
Yes — children under 5 years old, or under 90cm tall (whichever applies), travel free on any card type.
Which nol card should I get?
Visiting for a short trip: get a Red ticket. Living in Dubai on a budget: get a Silver card. Want gold-class seating: get a Gold or Personal Gold card. Want fare concessions and balance protection: get a Personal card.
Do I need my Emirates ID or passport to buy a nol card?
No — you can buy a Red, Silver, Gold, or Customised card with no ID at all. You only need documents if you’re applying for a Personal card (some categories like Students need a school letter) or registering a card afterward via the nol Pay app and UAE Pass.
What is nol Plus and how do I join?
nol Plus is RTA’s loyalty program — you earn points automatically just by using a registered nol card, redeemable for top-ups or at partner merchants. Personalize your card via the nol Pay app to earn at the faster rate.
Can I use my Dubai nol card in Sharjah or other emirates?
It’s used on Dubai–Sharjah intercity bus routes. If you’re relying on it for a specific route, confirm with that route’s operator first, since coverage isn’t guaranteed on every service.
