Dubai Metro rides are paid for with a Nol card, and the price is calculated by zone: the more fare zones you cross, the more expensive the trip. Let’s break down how much the Dubai Metro costs in 2026, how the zones and fares work, what’s better value — single tickets or a pass — and how much cheaper the metro is than a taxi. All figures are the official RTA fares for 2026; they can change, so it’s worth checking them before you travel.
This is a companion piece to our Dubai Metro — the complete guide; that one also covers lines, timetables and transfers.
How the price is calculated: the zone system
The Dubai Metro network is divided into 7 fare zones. The principle is simple: you pay not for the number of stations or kilometres, but for the number of zone borders crossed. A ride within a single zone is the cheapest; a route across two zones costs more, and across three or more — more still.
The fare is fixed at exit: you tap your Nol card on entry (check-in) and on exit (check-out), the system counts the zones and deducts the right amount. If you forget to tap out, the maximum fare is charged — which is why checking out matters.
For exactly how the zone borders run and which stations belong where, see the metro map and zones piece, and station locations are easy to check on the interactive metro on the map.
Fares by zone
The base fares for a single ride on a silver (Silver) Nol card and the doubled Gold-class fares:
| Ride | Silver (standard class) | Gold (×2) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 zone (≤ 3 km) | 3 AED | 6 AED |
| 2 zones | 5 AED | 10 AED |
| 3+ zones | 7.5 AED | 15 AED |
Converted at the floating exchange rate (≈ 25 ₽ per 1 AED) that is roughly 75 ₽, 125 ₽ and 190 ₽ per ride in standard class. The dirham-to-rouble rate fluctuates, so the rouble figures are approximate.
The takeaway from the table: most tourist routes in the centre fall within 1–2 zones, meaning 3–5 AED per ride. Longer hauls (for example, from the airport to the Marina) cross 3+ zones and cost 7.5 AED.
Daily cap
So that frequent trips don’t break the bank, a daily cap applies. For Silver and Blue cards, the total charged per day never exceeds 14 AED — no matter how many rides across all zones you make. That’s roughly 350 ₽ a day for unlimited metro travel.
In practice: if you’re planning 3–4 long trips in a day, the cap works in your favour — beyond that, the metro is effectively free for you until the end of the day.
30-day passes
For those staying longer or travelling every day, it’s better value to load a 30-day pass (Pass) onto a silver card:
| Coverage | Silver | Gold |
|---|---|---|
| 1 zone | 140 AED | — |
| 2 adjacent zones | 230 AED | — |
| All zones | 350 AED | 700 AED |
The all-zones pass (350 AED ≈ 8,750 ₽) pays off if you make more than ~25 long trips a month. For a tourist on a week-long trip it’s almost never worth it — it’s easier to pay as you go or rely on the daily cap. For a detailed look at which card type to choose, see the Nol card: types and top-up guide.
Red Ticket for one-off rides
If you’re in Dubai for a day or two and only need the metro a couple of times, a paper Red Ticket will do. The card itself costs 2 AED and can hold up to 10 rides. On top of that, the zone fare is charged (3 / 5 / 7.5 AED) plus a small surcharge compared to a silver card.
The Red Ticket is handy as a “bare-minimum ticket”, but for regular trips a silver card works out cheaper by the second or third day.
Gold class (×2)
The front carriage of the train is Gold class: fewer people, soft seats, panoramic windows and a forward view. The price is exactly double the standard one: 6 / 10 / 15 AED per ride, and the all-zones pass is 700 AED.
To ride in Gold you need a gold Nol card (or a balance with the Gold fare). For most tourists this is an optional extra — the standard carriage is comfortable and noticeably cheaper.
Cost comparison with taxis
The metro is noticeably cheaper than a taxi on the same routes:
| Route | Metro (Silver) | Taxi (approximate) |
|---|---|---|
| Short, within a district | 3 AED | 12–20 AED |
| Through the centre, 2 zones | 5 AED | 30–50 AED |
| Airport → Marina (3+ zones) | 7.5 AED | 80–110 AED |
The difference is several times over. A taxi wins at night, with luggage, or when the station is far away, but on cost the metro is unbeatable. For the full breakdown of expenses, see the Dubai transport guide.
How to save
A few simple rules cut your travel costs:
- Take a silver card instead of Gold — the same route costs half as much.
- Count the zones when planning — choose your hotel and stations so that frequent trips fall within 1–2 zones.
- Use the daily cap — on busy sightseeing days, 14 AED covers any number of rides.
- A pass is only for long visits — it almost never pays off over a week, but for a month with daily travel it’s worth it.
A silver card costs 25 AED to buy: of that, 19 AED is credited to your balance straight away, and 6 AED is the cost of the card itself. That balance is enough for several rides to get you started.
For how the metro cost fits into your overall holiday expenses, see the Dubai trip budget piece.
