Get a Nol card · Dubai

First week

Time

5 min

Cost

AED 25 (incl. AED 19 credit)

Difficulty

Easy

What to bring

✓

Cash or card

Not needed: Any ID. Nol Silver is anonymous

Not needed: Emirates ID (only the personalised Blue card wants it)

Your options

Nol Silver

The default. Buy it at any station

We recommend

AED 25 incl. AED 19 credit

Sold at every Metro station machine and counter. Tap in/out on Metro, tram, and buses; fares deduct by zones travelled.

Nol Blue (personalised)

Photo card with balance protection

Fine

AED 70

Registered to you, refundable if lost, and required for student/senior discounts. Order online; takes a few days.

Monthly passes

For daily commuters

Fine

AED 140–350/mo

Zone-based unlimited passes loaded onto your Nol. Worth it only if you ride the Metro twice a day, every day.

Prices checked June 2026

Do it

1
Buy a Silver card at any Metro station
Machines and staffed counters both sell them. AED 25 gets you the card plus AED 19 of credit.
2
Top up
Machines, the RTA app, or auto top-up online. Keep AED 7.5+ on it or the gates refuse entry.
3
Tap in and out every ride
Fares are zone-based (AED 3–7.5). Forgetting to tap out charges the maximum fare.
4
Use it beyond transit
Nol pays for RTA parking meters, water buses, and tap-payments at some shops and pharmacies.

Words you'll hear

Nol cardnole

The transit card. Metro, tram, buses, even some taxis. AED 25 at any station, with credit included.

Saliksah-LIK

The automatic road toll. AED 4–6 per gate, billed to the car. Why your taxi fare jumps on Sheikh Zayed Road.

Common questions

Which Nol card do I get?

The silver card (AED 25 with AED 19 credit) covers almost everyone. Gold class costs double per trip for a quieter cabin — a luxury, not a necessity.

Can I actually live car-free?

In Marina/JBR, Downtown, Deira — yes, metro plus Careem covers it. JVC, Mirdif, and villa land assume a car; check the neighbourhoods comparison before signing a lease.

What's Salik?

The road toll — AED 4–6 per gate, charged automatically to the car. It's the driver's cost (and shows up in some taxi fares), not something pedestrians touch.