Which Tickets to Buy for the Dubai Metro?
The Dubai Metro passengers often ask which ticket a particular user should buy for their journeys.
We are trying to guide customers to buy the best metro tickets to travel in the Dubai Metro. You have to be careful about which zones you travel through and whether you have access to a registered NOL card so that you can buy longer length season tickets.
What you need to do if you are looking which Dubai Metro ticket you should buy (or indeed which ticket for all public transport in Dubai – Metro, Tram and Bus), is to work out how many trips you do each day, or each week, or for the duration of your trip and how much they will cost.
You can check how many zones you will be travelling through on the map page (just count the zones and ignore the zone numbers). Then find the journey price on the tickets page.
Add up the cost of the tickets that you will be purchasing separately and see if that cost comes to more or less than the price of the season ticket you are looking at (whether that is daily, weekly, or monthly, etc). If you are going to pay more for single journey tickets, then you should buy the appropriate season ticket. You can also find season ticket prices on the tickets page.
If you want anything longer than a weekly ticket, then you either need a blue NOL card or a registered silver or gold NOL card to be able to purchase one.
Each traveller needs their ticket, you cannot share tickets (NOL cards). Children 5 years old and below can travel free. Otherwise, they pay the normal fares.
Best Ticket Options for Visitors
Keep in mind that if you are a visitor and you are looking to buy a season ticket, then you will only be able to buy the daily or the weekly season tickets and not ones that last any longer. You can buy a daily ticket for 20 dirhams on a red ticket. You can buy weekly tickets on a silver (or gold) NOL card.
If you are wondering whether to buy a red ticket or a silver ticket (without buying a season ticket) then you also need to work out how many journeys you will make and at what cost.
If you’re trying to decide between getting a Red Ticket or a Silver NOL Card, consider how often you’ll be using public transport.
Here’s a quick comparison to help you choose:
- Red NOL Card:
- Cost: AED 2 (initial purchase)
- Per Journey Fare: Typically AED 1 more per trip compared to the Silver Card
- Validity: 90 days from the date of purchase
- Best For: Short visits or very limited travel
- Silver NOL Card:
- Cost: AED 6 (plus top-up value)
- Per Journey Fare: Lower fares make it more cost-effective for frequent use
- Validity: 5 years
- Best For: Visitors planning multiple trips or future visits to Dubai
If you plan to take more than 4 rides, the Silver Card can be more economical in the long run.
It can be quite confusing, but we have tried to provide all of the information that you might need to work out your best option for you.