Getting around Dubai: metro, taxis, nol cards and fares in 2026

What’s the best way to get around Dubai?

For most visitors, the best way to get around Dubai is the metro for long trips along Sheikh Zayed Road and to the airport, and a taxi or ride-hailing app for everything else. The metro is fast, air-conditioned and avoids the traffic; taxis are metered, plentiful and fill the gaps between stations. Add the tram for Dubai Marina and JBR, and an abra to cross Dubai Creek.

A quick guide by trip:

• Airport to Downtown or the Marina: metro if you’re travelling light, taxi if you’re not.
• Rush hour on Sheikh Zayed Road: metro. It doesn’t sit in traffic.
• Short hops, late nights, Palm Jumeirah hotels: taxi, Careem or Uber.
• Old Dubai: metro to the creek, then an abra across.
• The desert, or a full day out of town: a tour with hotel pickup.

How does the Dubai Metro work?

The Dubai Metro has two driverless lines, and you pay by tapping a nol card in and out. According to the RTA timetable, the Red Line runs from Centrepoint, near the airport, along Sheikh Zayed Road to Expo 2020 and Life Pharmacy stations, and the Green Line runs from e& station to Creek. You change lines at Union or BurJuman, and change for the tram at Sobha Realty or DMCC.

Checked 2 November 2026 (RTA). First and last trains vary by station, and hours can change on public holidays.

Visit Dubai says trains run about every four minutes at peak times and every seven minutes off-peak. Each train has general cabins, a Gold Class cabin with leather seats, and cabins reserved for women and children. Eating and drinking on board are banned, and Visit Dubai says fines for breaking metro rules typically range from AED 100 to AED 2,000.

Which nol card should you buy, and what do fares cost?

Buy a Silver nol card unless you’ll only make one or two trips. A nol card works on the metro, tram and buses, and fares depend on how many of Dubai’s seven zones you cross. The RTA’s figures:

Checked 2 November 2026. Card prices from the RTA’s Choose nol page, fares from nol fares. Children aged 5 and under travel free.

A few rules worth knowing before you tap in:

1. Keep at least AED 7.50 on the card. The RTA says that’s the minimum balance to start a journey.
2. Top up at least AED 20 at metro machines. Since 1 March 2025, metro ticket machines take a minimum top-up of AED 20; the RTA says smaller top-ups are possible in the nol Pay app or at tram station machines.
3. Change within 30 minutes. Switching between metro, tram and bus within 30 minutes of tapping out counts as one journey, priced by the total zones crossed.
4. Consider a pass if you’ll ride a lot. Visit Dubai lists a standard one-day pass at AED 20, and the RTA sells a 7-day Silver pass for all zones at AED 110.
5. The Red ticket has limits. It holds a maximum of 10 trips or five day passes and lasts 90 days.

How much do taxis cost in Dubai?

Dubai taxis are metered, with fares set by the RTA. For a sense of scale, Visit Dubai’s guide to everyday prices puts a short taxi ride at about AED 15.

Checked 2 November 2026. Starting fares from the RTA’s taxi fares page; per-kilometre, minimum and extra charges from its taxi service page, updated 29 September 2026. The RTA says fares can change at peak hours, event locations and on New Year’s Eve. Salik toll charges are added when you pass a toll gate.

App bookings cost AED 13 to start from 8am to 10am and 4pm to 8pm Monday to Thursday, from 8am to 10am and 4pm to midnight on Friday, and from 4pm to midnight at weekends. Taxis take cash, cards, nol cards and phone payments, according to Visit Dubai, but not US dollars. Women travelling alone or with children can ask for a pink-roofed taxi driven by a woman.

Can you use Careem or Uber?

Yes. Visit Dubai says both are widely used and considered safe, and you can tip the driver in the app. You can also book a regular Dubai Taxi through the DTC app or the RTA’s S’hail app, which is useful at busy times. Booking through an app means the higher e-hail starting fare in the table above.

Rush hour is when the metro wins. A taxi on Sheikh Zayed Road at 8am or 6pm can be slow and costs the busy-time starting fare if you book it by app; the metro runs every four minutes and costs the same whatever the traffic.

How do the tram and buses work?

The Dubai Tram runs along Al Sufouh Road and Jumeirah Beach Road, connecting Dubai Marina and JBR with the metro and the Palm Monorail, according to the RTA. It runs from 6am to 1am Monday to Saturday and from 9am to 1am on Sunday, takes the same nol card and has its own Gold Class and women-and-children sections.

Buses cover most of the city and run from 4am to 1am, with route C01 running 24 hours. You need a nol card, because buses don’t take cash. Visit Dubai says front seats are reserved for women. For a day trip, the RTA’s Hatta Express (H02) runs from 7am to 7pm every two hours; the Hatta day trip guide covers the rest.

How do you get around by boat?

By abra, the traditional wooden boat across Dubai Creek. The RTA’s marine page lists these options:

• Traditional abra: AED 1 per person, cash, between Bur Dubai and Deira Old Souq, and between Dubai Old Souq and Al Sabkha.
• Heritage petrol abra on the creek: AED 2 on four routes linking Al Fahidi, Al Seef, Baniyas, Al Sabkha and the old souqs.
• Air-conditioned abra: AED 2 between Al Jaddaf and Dubai Festival City.
• Dubai Water Taxi in the Marina: AED 7 a stop, up to AED 21 for the full route between Marina Terrace, Marina Walk, Dubai Marina Mall and Marina Promenade.
• Dubai Ferry: six routes, including one between cities, on boats seating up to 98.

Children under 12 must wear a life jacket on RTA boats and can’t travel without an adult. The Dubai on the water hub covers dhow cruises, yachts and other ways to see the city from the sea.

Is there a train from Dubai to Abu Dhabi?

Yes. Etihad Rail passenger trains have run between Dubai and Abu Dhabi since 30 September 2026, from Al Yalayis station, which a footbridge links to the Jumeirah Golf Estates metro station, to Mohammed Bin Zayed City station. Visit Abu Dhabi puts the trip at 57 minutes, with fares from AED 39. For a day out in the capital, see our Abu Dhabi day trip guide.

Should you drive in Dubai?

Only if you’re comfortable with fast multi-lane roads and want to explore beyond the city. The RTA says a licence issued abroad can be used on a visit visa for a light vehicle or a motorcycle, and Visit Dubai says visitors from GCC countries and many approved nations can drive on their home licence, while others may need an International Driving Permit. Most rental companies want drivers aged 21 or over.

Public parking is run by Parkin. In its premium zones, in high-demand areas such as Downtown, Business Bay, Deira and Jumeirah, parking costs AED 6 for the first hour at peak times (8am to 10am and 4pm to 8pm), and it’s free from 10pm to 8am and all day on Sundays and public holidays. Salik toll gates charge you as you pass, so ask your rental company how it bills them. Don’t drive on the dunes: Visit Dubai says desert driving needs special skills and equipment and that you should never attempt it yourself.

How do you get from Dubai Airport to your hotel?

From Dubai International (DXB), you have three options:

1. Metro. The Red Line stops at Terminals 1 and 3, and Dubai Airports says tickets are sold at the stations in both terminals. Travel light: the limit is two pieces of luggage.
2. Taxi. Take an official taxi from the rank at arrivals. Airport taxis start at AED 20 for a car and AED 25 for a van, then run on the meter.
3. Bus. Buses leave from stands at arrivals in Terminals 1, 2 and 3, and Dubai Airports says you need a nol card, because cash isn’t accepted.

With a family and several suitcases, a taxi or a pre-booked transfer is simpler than the metro.

When does a private tour with pickup make more sense?

Public transport covers the city well, but not everywhere you’ll want to go. A tour that collects you from your hotel is the better choice in four situations:

• The desert. No metro or tram reaches the dunes, and you shouldn’t drive them yourself. Our morning desert safari and evening safaris collect you from any hotel, apartment or cruise terminal in Dubai in a Land Cruiser that seats up to six.
• Early starts. The metro opens at 8am on Sundays. A morning safari picks up at 7:30 to 8 AM, before the city’s trains are running that day.
• A day in Abu Dhabi. The full-day Abu Dhabi city tour picks up at 9 AM from Dubai and covers the Grand Mosque and the Corniche without you working out intercity buses. The Abu Dhabi day trip guide compares the ways to do it.
• Small children. On our desert safaris, baby seats and boosters are available on request, so you don’t have to bring your own.

For Old Dubai, the metro and an abra work well on your own; the half-day city tour is worth it mainly if you’d like a guide to explain what you’re seeing. The Dubai travel tips hub has the rest of the essentials.