NOL Card Dubai: How to Buy, Top Up, and Use

Which NOL Card Fits Your Trip

Tourists usually choose between the Silver NOL card for regular use and the Gold NOL card for first-class travel on the Metro. The Silver card costs 25 AED and works on every RTA service. The Gold card costs 70 AED and gives access to Gold cabins on the Metro and Gold seats on buses. Both cards are reusable and valid for five years from first use.

If you only need one or two rides, buy a single-journey ticket at any station machine instead of a card. These tickets cost 3 AED base fare plus any distance charge and expire after 90 days.

Where to Buy a NOL Card in Dubai

Pick up a NOL card at every Dubai Metro station ticket office and vending machine, at major bus stations such as Al Ghubaiba and Ibn Battuta, and at RTA customer service centres. Many Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates information desks also sell them. The process takes under two minutes: choose card type, pay, and receive the card already activated.

Drivers licences or passports are not required for tourists. You only need cash or a contactless card to pay the 25 AED or 70 AED fee.

How to Top Up Your NOL Card

Top up at any Metro or tram station machine, at RTA ticket offices, or inside many supermarkets and petrol stations that display the NOL logo. Amounts start at 10 AED and go up in 5 AED steps. Machines accept cash and international cards.

The RTA Nol Pay app lets you add credit from anywhere using a saved card or Apple Pay. The balance appears instantly on the card once you tap it on a reader. Cards hold a maximum of 1,000 AED credit at any time.

Using NOL on Metro, Bus, and Tram

Tap your card on the yellow reader when you enter a station or board a bus. Tap again when you exit the Metro or tram, or when you leave the bus if the vehicle has an exit reader. The correct fare is deducted automatically based on zones travelled.

Peak hours run 6 am to 10 am and 4 pm to 8 pm on weekdays. Fares stay the same, but trains and buses are busiest then. Gold card holders board the first two carriages on the Metro and sit in the front rows of buses marked Gold.

Children under five travel free. Children aged 5 to 18 can use a personalised Silver card with a student discount applied at RTA centres.

Common Mistakes Tourists Make

Do not tap out at the same station you tapped in; you will be charged the maximum fare. Keep at least 3 AED balance to avoid the 5 AED insufficient-funds penalty. If your card is lost, report it in the Nol Pay app within 24 hours to freeze the balance, then visit any RTA centre with ID to transfer remaining credit to a new card.

Always check the reader screen after tapping; a green tick and remaining balance mean the journey is recorded correctly.

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