Metro and Public Transport in the UAE

Dubai Metro and Tram

The driverless Dubai Metro opened in 2009. Its network is about 90 km long: 52 km on the Red Line, 23 km on the Green Line and 15 km on Route 2020. With the 11 km Dubai Tram, the metro and tram network has 64 stations.^3,2

In 2025 the metro carried 294.7 million riders, 7% more than in 2024. Its busiest station was BurJuman, the interchange of the Red and Green Lines, with 17.8 million riders, followed by Al Rigga and Union. Buses carried 197.2 million riders, the tram 9.9 million, and abras, ferries and water taxis 18.4 million. The metro accounted for 37% of all riders on public transport, taxis and shared mobility.¹

Fares and the nol card

Metro, tram and buses in Dubai are paid with a nol card; cash is not accepted. Dubai is divided into seven fare zones, transfers between modes must be made within 30 minutes, and a journey can last up to 180 minutes.^5,6

Source: RTA: nol fares⁵

• Silver and Gold cards cost AED 25, including AED 19 of credit, and are valid for five years. The Gold card gives access to the Gold Class cabins on the metro and tram.
• The paper Red ticket, for visitors, costs AED 2 to issue and can hold up to 10 trips or five day passes. A day pass costs AED 20, or AED 40 in Gold Class.
• Children aged five and under travel free. The nol card also pays for RTA parking meters.

Source: RTA: Dubai Metro and Tram fares, fines and etiquette; RTA: nol fares^7,5

The Blue Line

The Dubai Metro Blue Line, contracted in December 2024 for AED 20.5 billion, will add 30 km and 14 stations, 15.5 km of it underground. It links the Green Line at Creek Station with the Red Line at Centrepoint and serves Dubai Festival City, Dubai Creek Harbour, International City, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Academic City, Mirdif and Al Warqa. Construction started in June 2025, was 10% complete by November 2025, and the line is due to open on 9 September 2029.^8,4

The RTA expects about 200,000 passengers a day on the Blue Line by 2030 and 320,000 by 2040, with travel times of 10 to 25 minutes from Dubai International Airport to the nine districts on the line.^3,8

Offices and homes near future Blue Line stations, such as Dubai Silicon Oasis and International City, will gain a direct metro link to the airport.

Abu Dhabi and intercity buses

In Abu Dhabi, the public bus network run by the Integrated Transport Centre had 146 routes and 796 buses and carried more than 95 million trips in 2024. Fares are paid with the Hafilat smart card, and the Abu Dhabi Express service, with 47 buses from seven operators, offers faster trips between key areas.^9,10

Dubai's 1,390 buses run on 187 routes, 13 of them to other emirates. Between Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujairah, Etihad Rail passenger trains have also run since September 2026.^11,12