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United Arab Emirates

Dubai

A city of skyscrapers on a desert coast. The metro runs driverless; the boat across the creek costs one dirham.

Dubai International (DXB) and Al Maktoum International (DWC)

Terminals 1 and 3 have their own metro stations, and the gates take no bank cards, so buy a nol card at the station first. Taxis from the airport start on a separate flag fall, the same all day.

Updated on September 1, 2026

How to ride

  1. 1
    Buy a nol card at the airport station
    Ticket offices and vending machines in the Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 stations sell them, and they take cash or a card.
  2. 2
    Tap in at the gate
    City-bound trains show Expo 2020 or Life Pharmacy on the front; centrepoint is the other direction.
  3. 3
    Tap out with the same card
    The fare is worked out as you leave, from the number of zones you crossed; skip it and you are overcharged.
  4. 4
    Take bus C01 outside metro hours
    Route C01 links Terminal 3 with Al Satwa around the clock; tap the nol card getting on and getting off.
  5. 5
    Head for the taxi rank or the ride-hailing pickup point
    Taxis queue at the ranks by each terminal around the clock; app rides are picked up in the car park, not at Arrivals.
  6. 6
    Change to bus F55 or N55 for DWC
    F55 runs from Expo 2020 station and N55 from Ibn Battuta, every 30 minutes; check in S'hail which hours each one runs.

Fares

Single fares1

Single metro or bus ride on a nol Silver card
Set by how many zones you cross; nothing from the airport goes above 7.5.
3〜7.5 AED ≈ $0.8–2

Passes & multi-ride1

Seven-day travel pass (all zones)
AED 50 for one zone and 80 for two; the only pass an anonymous nol holds - a 1-day pass needs a Red Ticket.
110 AED ≈ $30

Card itself1

Price of a nol Silver card
19 of the 25 is starting credit; the airport station ticket offices and machines sell them.
25 AED ≈ $7

How the meter adds up3

Starting fare for a taxi from the airport
AED 20 for a saloon and 25 for a van, the same all day; 2.62 per km, and DTC warns of peak-time changes.
20〜25 AED ≈ $5–7
Starting fare for a taxi to the airport
The ordinary street flag fall - AED 5 from 06:00 to 22:00 and 5.5 overnight.
5〜5.5 AED ≈ $1
Waiting charge (per minute)
50 fils for every vehicle type, the airport rank included.
0.5 AED ≈ $0.1

Estimates use exchange rates as of November 4, 2026

Payment

Tap to ride
No tap-to-ride with a bank card; it is phase three of the ABT upgrade
Card payment at machines
The operator does not name the brands it accepts
Machines and ticket offices take cards, though no brand is named
Card payment on board
The operator does not name the brands it accepts
Airport taxis have a card terminal inside the car
IC card
On board: The nol card also works on the card terminal in an airport taxi At the gates: The nol card - tap it both when boarding and when getting off
App tickets
It cannot be added to an iPhone
Careemnol Pay
In the wallet: A virtual nol card only goes onto compatible Samsung and Huawei devices
Cash Taxis only; there is no on-board payment on the bus or the metro
At machines: Cash works at the ticket offices and machines in the airport stations On board: Airport taxis take cash in the car At the gates: The airport buses take no cash either; a nol card is required

Quick facts

Hours
05:00-24:00; Sun from 08:00
Fares from
3 AED+

Heads-up

  • Duty-free alcohol on public transport is fined

    Carrying alcohol bought at duty free or on the plane onto public transport counts as bringing alcoholic beverages aboard, and draws a AED 500 fine. With a duty-free bag in hand, take a taxi rather than the metro or a bus.

  • Bulky luggage is not allowed on the bus

    The rules of conduct for the bus do not allow bulky luggage, and no official page carves out an exception for the airport routes or says whether there is a luggage rack. With a large suitcase, the metro - which states a two-piece allowance - or a taxi is the safer choice.

  • Do not go with anyone who approaches you at the airport

    Do not go with anyone who approaches you inside the terminal or at the pickup point. Request rides only in the app, and queue at an official taxi rank. Dubai law fines carrying passengers for money in an unlicensed car AED 5,000, and touting or advertising rides in such cars the same again.

  • A top-up keyed in by card number is not instant

    A top-up made on the RTA website, or in RTA Dubai or S'hail by keying in the card (tag ID) number, takes 45 minutes to 4 hours to land and only activates once you tap the card on a gate or another reader. The same apps credit instantly when you hold the card to the phone instead. To ride straight after landing, buy at the airport station machine or ticket office.

Timetable

Operating hours 05:00-24:00; Sun from 08:00
Typical duration Terminals 1 and 3 have metro stations; DWC lies about 60 km from DXB
Check the official site for the latest times and service status
Editor Naotaka