Getting around Dubai: metro, taxis, trams and driving

Your options at a glance

Dubai Metro: lines, stations and hours

The driverless Dubai Metro has two lines. The Red Line runs along the length of the city, from Centrepoint near Al Rashidiya, through both airport terminals, Deira, Bur Dubai, Downtown, Business Bay, Al Barsha, Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Lakes Towers, to Life Pharmacy station at the western end, with a branch (Route 2020) to Expo City Dubai. The Green Line serves the older districts on both sides of the Creek, from the e& station in Al Qusais to Creek station. The two lines meet at Union and BurJuman.

Several stations have been renamed after sponsors in recent years, so older maps and blogs may use different names. Use the current map on the RTA website or plan your trip in the S’hail app.

Hours are sometimes changed for big events, such as the Dubai Marathon, so check RTA announcements around those dates. Trains have a Gold Class cabin, with wider leather seats, for passengers who pay the Gold fare, and cabins reserved for women and children.

Rules and fines on the metro and tram

• Eating or drinking where it is not allowed: AED 100 fine
• Not tapping your card in or out: AED 200
• Smoking: AED 200
• Carrying alcohol: AED 500
• Putting your feet on the seats, or using a seat or cabin reserved for others: AED 100
• Luggage: two suitcases per passenger, the larger up to 81 × 58 × 30 cm and the smaller up to 55 × 38 × 20 cm, stowed in the luggage area

A third line, the Blue Line, is under construction: the RTA describes a 30 km route with 14 stations, due to open in 2029.

Nol cards: types, prices and fares

The metro, tram, buses and some boats all use Nol, the RTA’s smart card. You tap in at the gate or on the bus and tap out at the end, and the fare depends on how many of Dubai’s seven fare zones you cross. Cards are sold at ticket offices and machines in every metro station, and you need a balance of at least AED 7.50 to start a journey.

• Children aged five and under travel free
• A journey can last up to 180 minutes with up to three transfers; change between metro and bus within 30 minutes
• A 7-day pass on a Silver card costs AED 50 for one zone, AED 80 for two zones or AED 110 for all zones; anonymous cards can only buy this pass
• Students and senior Emiratis and citizens get 50% off with a Personal card
• You can top up at ticket machines and offices in stations, or with the nol Pay app on an NFC phone
• Paying directly with a bank card at the gates is planned but not available yet, so you still need a Nol card

Dubai Tram and Palm Monorail

The Dubai Tram has 11 stops, from Al Sufouh through Dubai Media City and Dubai Marina to JBR. It costs the same as the metro with a Nol card and runs from 6 am to 1 am, Monday to Saturday, and from 9 am to 1 am on Sundays. You can change to the metro at the Jumeirah Lakes Towers stop (for DMCC station) and the Dubai Marina stop (for Sobha Realty station), and to the Palm Monorail at the Palm Jumeirah stop.

The Palm Monorail runs up the trunk of Palm Jumeirah from Gateway, past Al Ittihad Park and Palm Jumeirah Mall, to Atlantis Aquaventure. It is run privately and does not use Nol: Gateway to Atlantis costs AED 20 one way or AED 30 return, shorter hops AED 10 (AED 15 return), and a family pass AED 99. Children under five or under 110 cm ride free. Trains run every 15 minutes from about 9 am to 10 pm, and the line reopened in July 2026 after a six-month maintenance closure.

Buses

RTA buses cover the areas the metro does not reach, with the same zone fares, paid by Nol card only: cash is not accepted. Newer buses have low floors and many stops have air-conditioned shelters. Buses are good value but slower than the metro, so use the S’hail app to plan routes and see live times. The RTA also runs intercity buses, including to Abu Dhabi; check S’hail for current services.

Taxis

Taxis are metered, regulated by the RTA and easy to find at malls, hotels and stations. You can hail one on the street, queue at a rank, call 04 208 0808 or book through an app. The fare is a starting fare plus a charge per kilometre and per minute of waiting, plus any Salik tolls on the route, which are added to the fare.

Besides regular taxis, the RTA licenses family taxis, taxis driven by women for women and families (the pink-roofed Families and Ladies taxis), wheelchair-accessible taxis for People of Determination and Safe Hands taxis. You can pay by cash, bank card, Nol card, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and several other methods.

Ride-hailing apps: Careem, Uber and S’hail

Ride-hailing works well in Dubai. Careem, a regional app, books RTA taxis under the name Hala as well as private cars, and Uber operates in the city too. The RTA lists S’hail, Careem, Bolt, Zed and Yango as apps for booking its taxis. S’hail is the RTA’s own app: it books taxis and plans journeys across the metro, tram, buses and boats, so it is worth installing even if you never book a car with it.

• App-booked taxis use the RTA’s booked fares (from AED 9 to start), while private-car categories are priced by the app
• Fares can rise at very busy times, such as New Year’s Eve and big events
• Check the fare estimate before you confirm, and the plate number before you get in

Water transport: abras, ferries and water taxis

Crossing Dubai Creek by abra, the traditional wooden boat, is one of the cheapest and most memorable rides in the city. The two traditional crossings, Bur Dubai to Deira Old Souq and Dubai Old Souq to Al Sabkha, cost AED 1, paid in cash; Nol and cards are not accepted there. Other abra routes cost AED 2 per stop.

Children under five travel free on most ferry routes; on the Marina round trip, children aged 2 to 10 pay a reduced fare. The canal routes run only a couple of times a day, so check the timetable. In Dubai Marina, the water taxi links the marina stops and Bluewaters for AED 7 per stop, payable by cash, Nol or card.

From the airport to the city

Dubai International (DXB) is close to the centre. Al Maktoum International (DWC) is in Dubai South, at the far south-western edge of the city.

The metro is the cheapest way from DXB to Downtown, Business Bay, Al Barsha and Dubai Marina, but remember the limit of two suitcases per passenger and that trains start at 8 am on Sundays. With more luggage, children or a late arrival, a taxi or a car delivered to the terminal is easier. Taxi starting fares from the airport are AED 20 for a standard taxi and AED 25 for a van in the RTA fare table; Dubai Airports quotes AED 25.

Getting around by the area you are staying in

How you get around depends mostly on where you sleep. Areas on the Red or Green Line work well without a car; the newer villa communities do not. Drive times are typical times by road from DubaiCrypt’s area pages and vary with traffic.

In short: Downtown, Business Bay, Dubai Marina and Bur Dubai are the easiest bases without a car. Palm Jumeirah works with taxis and the monorail. In JVC, Dubai Hills, Dubailand and Town Square, a hire car will save you time and money compared with daily taxis.

Driving and car hire

Driving in Dubai is straightforward: roads are wide and signs are in English and Arabic. Visitors can drive with a licence from a GCC country or one of the RTA’s 20 exception countries, or with an International Driving Permit; our guide to driving in Dubai as a tourist covers licences, speed limits, fines and parking. Two costs to plan for:

• Salik tolls: AED 6.30 per gate at weekday peak times, AED 4.20 off-peak and on Sundays, free from 1 to 6 am (VAT included)
• Parking: paid from 8 am to 10 pm, Monday to Saturday, in most public areas, and free on Sundays and public holidays unless signs say otherwise

DubaiCrypt lists 1,220 cars for rent from licensed Dubai rental companies, from $17 a day, with insurance and VAT included, no deposit on any car and free delivery anywhere in Dubai, including the airport. The minimum age is 21, often 25 for luxury and sports cars. Staying a month or more? Monthly rentals are far cheaper per day. Salik tolls and any fines are charged after the rental, at cost.

Walking and the heat

Dubai was built around the car, but several districts are pleasant on foot: the Dubai Marina promenade, The Walk at JBR, Downtown’s boulevard around Dubai Mall, and the old quarters along the Creek in Bur Dubai and Deira. Some metro stations connect to malls by covered walkways, including Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates. The city is investing in walking: the RTA’s Dubai Walk master plan targets 6,000 km of walkways in 160 areas and 110 pedestrian bridges and underpasses by 2040, starting with a 12 km walkway in historic Al Ras.

The heat is the real limit. From June to October, every day at the airport weather station reaches 30 °C or more, and July and August average 42 °C. In those months, walk early in the morning or after sunset, and use the metro, taxis or a car for anything longer than a few minutes. From November to March, walking is a pleasure.

Accessibility

Dubai’s public transport is well equipped for travellers with reduced mobility. Metro stations have lifts to every level and tactile guidance paths, and every train has dedicated wheelchair spaces. People of Determination travel free on the metro and public buses with a Personal Nol card, which visitors can also apply for with proof of their status.

• Wheelchair-accessible taxis with a lift: starting fare AED 8 by day and AED 9 at night; book on 04 208 0808 or in S’hail
• Low-floor buses and air-conditioned bus shelters on many routes
• Free travel for People of Determination on the abra crossings and the water taxi; ferries have dedicated wheelchair spaces
• Need step-free access or a particular car? Tell our 24/7 concierge what you need and we will check what is possible for your home or car

Frequently asked questions