The Dubai Metro fare depends on how many of the city’s seven zones a journey crosses. With a nol Silver or personal card it costs AED 3 within one zone, AED 5 across two adjacent zones and AED 7.50 across more, according to RTA. A Gold card doubles those fares to AED 6, AED 10 and AED 15.
Most ranking pages agree on those prices. We read RTA’s fare and top-up pages on 14 October 2026, and this is general information, not official advice.
| Journey | Silver or personal card | Gold card | Red ticket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Within 1 zone | AED 3 | AED 6 | AED 4 |
| 2 adjacent zones | AED 5 | AED 10 | AED 6 |
| More than 2 zones | AED 7.50 | AED 15 | AED 8.50 |
Dubai metro fare: what each journey costs
RTA’s nol fares page says the fare is worked out from the total number of zones you pass, and the amount comes off your card balance automatically. The same card works on the metro, tram, buses and water bus.
The red ticket is meant for single trips, and it costs more per journey than a Silver card. The page does not give a card price for it.
Transfers and journey limits
Changing between modes is allowed, but the gap matters. After you check out of the metro, you have 30 minutes to check in on a bus, and RTA then charges the two trips as one journey by total zones passed.
- A single journey can last up to 180 minutes.
- Up to three transfers are allowed within it.
- The same limits apply to journeys of one zone, two adjacent zones and more than two zones.
Miss the window and the second leg is a new journey.
Free and discounted riders, and the Gold surcharge
Children aged five and under ride free on every card type, and people of determination travel free on a personal card, while students, Social Affairs riders and senior Emiratis and citizens pay half fare on that same card.
Gold class passengers pay a surcharge on top of the regular fare on the metro and tram only. If a Gold rider is charged it on the tram and then transfers to the metro in the same zone, the surcharge is not taken twice.
Travel passes and when they beat single trips
RTA sells passes by zone coverage and length, and only registered Silver and Gold cards can hold the 30, 90 and 365 day passes. Anonymous cards can buy a 7-day pass only. Silver pass prices are below, in AED for one zone, two zones and all zones.
- 7 days: 50, 80 and 110.
- 30 days: 140, 230 and 350.
- 90 days: 330, 550 and 830.
- 365 days: 1,060, 1,770 and 2,670.
Gold passes cost exactly double. Student and senior passes cost exactly half. By our arithmetic a 30-day Silver pass pays off at about 47 single trips a month, which is roughly 24 days of two trips a day. RTA does not print that comparison.
Buying and topping up a nol card
A nol Silver card costs AED 25 at any ticket office, and AED 19 of that is e-purse value. Once registered, it can hold up to AED 1,000. It is valid for five years.
RTA’s top-up service page lists the website, the Mahboub chatbot, RTA apps, ticket vending machines, ticket office machines and micropayment locations. Online top-ups need a UAE Pass login, and the balance can take 45 minutes to 4 hours to activate. Tap the card at a metro gate or in the nol Pay app to finish the activation.
RTA also says a Silver, Gold or Blue card can pay at RTA parking meters. Our Dubai parking timings guide covers the hours and fees. For trips the metro does not cover, our Dubai taxi fare guide lists the starting fares RTA publishes.
What riders report on Reddit
The fares are fixed. Riders still disagree about whether Gold is worth it, and in September 2026 a commuter between Burjuman and Internet City wrote about two weeks on a Silver card:
“I tried using Silver NOL card for 2 weeks to commute and it was an absolute pain! The rush hour crowd is extremely bad in the morning and evening.”
– r/dubai, September 2026 (164 upvotes)
The same poster tried Gold next and said it barely made a difference at rush hour. A November 2025 thread on the same question drew a different answer:
“Gold is definitely worth it if you plan to use the metro often.”
– reply in r/dubai, November 2025 (13 upvotes)
On daily caps, a September 2026 reply said there is none:
“Doesn’t exist. You pay for each and every journey you make. No maximum.”
– reply in r/dubai, September 2026 (4 upvotes)
These are single accounts, and none comes from RTA. RTA’s fares page lists no daily cap, which fits the reply.
What we could not confirm
Several practical points are left open by RTA’s pages, and we found no official answer to any of the five below.
- The minimum balance needed to pass a gate. One guide says AED 7.50, but it is not on the RTA pages we read.
- Fines for riding without a valid fare. Guides list AED 100 and AED 200 figures that we did not check.
- The price and top-up limit of Gold and Blue cards, which we did not open.
- Any bank-app top-up fee. Time Out reported Dhs1 for some banks.
- When the fares page was last changed, because it shows no update date. The top-up page is dated 29 September 2026.
For a case outside these tables, check the fare on RTA’s page before you travel.
Quick answers on Dubai metro fare
How much is the Dubai Metro?
AED 3 within one zone, AED 5 across two adjacent zones and AED 7.50 across more, on a Silver or personal nol card, per RTA.
What does a Gold card cost per trip?
AED 6, AED 10 and AED 15 for the same three journey types, because Gold fares are double.
Do children pay?
Children aged five and under travel free on all card types, per RTA.
Is a monthly pass worth it?
By our arithmetic, a 30-day Silver pass pays off at about 47 single trips a month.
Last checked on 14 October 2026. Fares and rules change, so confirm with RTA before relying on any figure.
