A Guide on Public Transportation in Dubai

No matter in which part of the country you reside, transportation plays a major role in connecting livelihoods. With its technological advancements, Dubai has incorporated multiple public transport options which are not easily available but are economical, well-equipped, and properly connected.

This blog will take you through the public transportation in Dubai along with its rules and regulations, fares and stops to commune around in the city.

Different Modes of Public Transportation in Dubai

Dubai has come up with different modes of transport for tourists. This helps them to connect individuals in different sites of the country with full security.

Listed below is the list of different modes of transport in Dubai for tourists:

• Dubai Tram

Dubai Tram is a new mode of transportation that helps in covering all the posh areas of Dubai like Al Sufouh, Jumeriah Beach Residence and Dubai Marina.

It also helps in linking the Palm Monorail & Dubai Metro, thereby reducing the traffic and securing the easy way to commute through Dubai Marina, JBR, Dubai Media and Dubai Internet.

At present, there are a total of 11 tram stations along with Jumeirah Lake Towers and Dubai Marina, that link to the metro of the city. A tourist can make the payment for their ride through an NOL card.

• Taxis

Another popular mode of public transportation in Dubai is to travel through taxis which can be easily found by tourists in the city. This mode of transportation is very convenient, comfortable and quickest. This form of transportation is not as economical as compared to others but is safe and secure.

A taxi is not only available for the airport for a tourist, but you can also book many other cabs that are meant for women & family members with a female driver. You can make payments for your ride through cash, debit, a credit card or even an NOL card.

• Public Buses

Public buses are an affordable mode of public transportation in Dubai. The buses tend to cover about 82% part of urban areas along with 119 lines that also include the metro, express and intercity lines. There are more than 1500 buses that help tourists to travel to their destination.

This mode of transportation is super convenient because of its network lines, air conditions, separate sitting for women and family groups.

You can make the payment for this transportation through an NOL card.

• Ride-Hailing Applications

Another convenient way for booking your cab is through Uber & Careem which have gained a lot of popularity in the country and are used by tourists residing in Dubai. This ride-hailing app has made the lives of tourists easy. They can also choose the kind of car they want. The tourist can also estimate the cost of their journey. They can make the payment for their ride by cash, debit card, credit card and reward points (if any).

• Marine

Tourists can make their way for public transportation in Dubai through marine or over water in order to reach its perfect destination. This mode of transport includes Dubai Ferry, Abras, Dubai Water Bus and Dubai water taxi to provide the scenic journey. You can make the payment through NOL card, credit card, debit card and cash.

Different Type of Dubai Public Transport Apps

• Public Transport

This is the tool that has been initiated by the RTA that helps the customers to top up the value of their NOL card. This also helps you to check timings for buses, trains, metro, etc.

• S’hail App

The tourists and the residents can find this app to be really helpful for themselves. This app helps them to roam about in the city. This S’hail app curates all the necessary information regarding all the different kinds of public transport under one app. Customers can easily find details like timings of Dubai Metro, Dubai Tram, fare details of taxi and options that are available on Uber & Careem and also information regarding car-sharing such as UDrive & Ekar.

Rules of Public Transportation in Dubai by RTA

1. There is a fine of AED 200 for passengers who smoke while travelling on any of the public transportation services. 
2. There is a fine of AED 100 for passengers who put their feet on the seat of any public transport while travelling. 
3. For causing any kind of disturbance and distractions the RTA files a fine of AED 100.
4. The passengers are not allowed to get any animal along while travelling except for guide dogs for blind passengers. If a passenger fails to do so, then a fine of AED 100 is imposed. 
5. When you are travelling by Dubai Tram or a Dubai metro it is important for you to note that you are only allowed to carry one large and a small suitcase with you.
6. The passengers are requested to note that they are not supposed to carry any expired date or any sort of invalid or counterfeit card while travelling in public transportation in Dubai. Doing so will charge a fine of AED 200 and AED 500 respectively. 

Please Note: These are not all the rules allocated by RTA.

Public Transportation in Dubai Fares

The fare of public transportation in Dubai is generally dependent on the zones a passenger covers in a day. This is because the emirate is divided amongst 7 zones that consist of the metro, bus, tram, metro stations.

Passengers can travel between different transportation modes like Dubai Tram to public buses to Dubai metro etc.But this needs to happen between the time span of 30 mins for it be considered as a single trip for the day.

Passengers can make the payment for their public transportation in Dubai by using the NOL card. It is a smart card that can be used by users to check-in and out from their public mode of transport without making any contacts. You can find variant kinds of these NOL cards that help travelers to enter different cabin classes.

Below is the list of Public Transportation in Dubai Fares that are dependent on NOL cards that have been used for the time span of their journey.

According to different zones:

Length of the Journey : Within Zone 1.

• • Silver Card : AED 3
  • Gold Card : AED 6
  • Personal Card : AED 3
  • Red Ticket : AED 4

 Length of the Journey : Between Two Adjacent Zones.

• • Silver Card: AED 5
  • Gold Card: AED 10
  • Personal Card: AED 5
  • Red Ticket: AED 6

 Length of the Journey : More than two Zones.

• • Silver Card : AED 7.5
  • Gold Card : AED 15
  • Personal Card : AED 7.5
  • Red Ticket : AED 8.5

Additionally, if you are a regular passenger of public transportation in Dubai, then you can also apply for a personal NOL smart card. It has a lot of benefits attached to itself such as a 50% discount on fares for students, residents, and senior citizens.

Also, note that all the prices that have been mentioned are liable for Dubai Tram, Public bus and Dubai metro. Do not confuse the prices with taxis or ride-hailing apps. As the prices for such trips are dependent on the length or duration of the trip.

The fare for the Dubai Ferry is also different, such as with 1-way journey or trip in the silver class is priced around AED 25 and the same for a gold class trip is priced around AED 35.  There is a separate fare from Dubai to Sharjah Ferry which is priced at AED 15 for your journey in the silver class and for the gold class it is priced at AED 25. This price is mentioned for only 1-way journey.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)