Getting around Dubai

Metro, taxi or a combination?

For a first trip, a mix of public transport and occasional taxis is a useful starting point. Choose your hotel and main activities first, then compare the full journey: the ride, interchanges and the walk to the entrance. A station with the right area name is not necessarily beside your destination.

Group nearby visits into the same part of the day. Use our map to understand where places sit, then use RTA’s journey planner or S’hail for a route at your departure time. Our 3D map shows places; it does not provide live transport routing.

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Choose a nol card before loading travel

For repeated trips and connections between transport modes, consider the reusable Silver nol card. RTA lists it at AED 25, including AED 19 of travel balance. The purchase price and the amount available for fares are different: you are not paying AED 25 for each journey.

For a small number of journeys on one mode, compare the paper Red Ticket. RTA lists an AED 2 ticket price, with travel charged separately, and describes it as usable on only one mode of transport at a time. Its single-journey fares are higher than Silver fares. It is not interchangeable with Silver for a Metro-to-bus journey.

Buy through official ticket offices, machines, RTA customer centres or authorised sellers. RTA’s use instructions require at least AED 7.50 on a nol card before checking in. That is a minimum balance, not the price of every ride. Tap in and out, and wait for the beep or green light so the journey is recorded correctly.

How much do Metro and bus journeys cost?

RTA calculates standard nol travel fares by the number of zones crossed, rather than just distance or the number of stops. Dubai has seven fare zones. Use the RTA map or planner to establish the zones for your journey before estimating the fare.

The table compares ordinary Silver travel with a regular-class Red Ticket. Gold Class has different fares and cabin access rules. These are travel fares, excluding the cost of buying the card or ticket; they are not taxi, monorail or sightseeing-boat prices.

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A connection is not an unlimited stopover

With a suitable nol card, changing from Metro to bus can form one journey. RTA says you must check in on the next mode within 30 minutes after checking out of the first. The charge then follows the total zones crossed across the combined journey. Its fare page also lists a maximum journey duration of 180 minutes and up to three transfers.

For example, checking out of the Metro at 14:00 and checking in on a bus at 14:20 is within that transfer window. Boarding at 14:45 is outside it. A long lunch or museum visit between rides should therefore be budgeted as separate travel, rather than assumed to be a free connection.

Is a seven-day pass worth it for five days?

Count the trips you expect to take before buying a pass. RTA lists seven-day Silver passes at AED 50 for one zone, AED 80 for two zones and AED 110 for all zones. Choose the coverage as well as the duration; the lowest pass price may not cover your itinerary.

Here are two examples using only more-than-two-zone Silver journeys at AED 7.50 each. Both compare the same covered travel with the AED 110 all-zones pass. They are calculations, not suggested itineraries or a promise that your journeys will cost this amount.

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These examples exclude buying the card, any extra journeys and services outside the pass. The AED 19 balance included with a new Silver card is stored travel credit, not another fare to add to these totals. Do not assume a transport pass includes taxis, Palm Monorail or every marine service.

Metro and tram: plan the last connection

The operating Metro network described by RTA has Red and Green lines. Gold Class, women-and-children cabins and general cabins have different access rules; follow the signs rather than boarding whichever carriage is closest.

Dubai Tram runs along the Al Sufouh and Jumeirah Beach Road corridor and connects the Metro with Palm Monorail. These are separate services. For a Palm destination, compare all the legs, walking connections and operating times with a direct taxi instead of treating a Metro journey as a ride all the way to your final venue.

RTA lists lifts to Metro station levels and wheelchair spaces on trains. Those facilities are useful, but the onward pavement or attraction entrance still needs checking. If avoiding steps or long walks matters, plan the whole route and confirm the venue entrance before choosing the connection.

Arriving at DXB or DWC

Dubai Airports lists Metro Red Line stations at DXB Terminals 1 and 3. Do not assume every airport terminal has a station: check your airport code and terminal before choosing the journey. DWC requires an onward bus or taxi connection to the rail network.

If you arrive late at night or early on Sunday, check the timetable for that day rather than assuming the Metro runs continuously. Dubai Airports lists a later Sunday start and directs travellers to RTA for current service times. Work out the return journey too, especially before an early flight.

For a direct airport transfer, Dubai Airports says DTC taxis operate at designated terminal ranks 24 hours a day. Its published airport starting fare is AED 25, with distance charges added; AED 25 is not the total fare to your hotel. Ride-hailing pickups use their own signed meeting points.

For rail travel with luggage, RTA permits one large suitcase up to 81 × 58 × 30 cm and one small suitcase up to 55 × 38 × 20 cm, stowed in the luggage area. If your bags or group make transfers difficult, compare the direct taxi option before buying rail travel.

Crossing the Creek: name the service

An abra is both a useful crossing and a way to experience the working Creek. Choose the departure and arrival stations before boarding: similarly named services can have different fares and payment methods.

RTA lists the motorised traditional Bur Dubai Abra Station–Deira Old Souq crossing and the Dubai Old Souq–Al Sabkha crossing at AED 1 per passenger per trip, paid in cash. Its petrol heritage Creek routes are listed separately at AED 2. Carry small cash for the traditional crossing instead of assuming every boat accepts nol.

Ferries, water taxis, private charters and other abra routes are different products. The AED 1 fare is not a general price for sightseeing cruises or every Dubai boat ride. For current departures, use the marine timetable linked from RTA’s page.

Three checks before each journey

The easiest route on paper may not be the easiest route for your group. Before leaving, check these three practical details:

• The exact entrance: use your hotel or venue address, then check the station exit, stop or pickup point for the last part of the trip.
• The travel product: enough nol balance, the correct cabin, or the payment method for the particular boat. A card accepted as payment is not proof that a journey is included in your pass.
• The return: today’s service times, any connection you need, and whether a shorter walk or direct pickup would suit tired children, heavy bags or access needs.

Your questions, answered.