Dubai Transport in 2025
Dubai is an ultramodern metropolis in the UAE with a developed but not always convenient transportation system. Although the metro, buses, and trams cover key areas, traveling around the city solely by public transport can be difficult. Many places are either poorly connected by routes or completely inaccessible without a private car or taxi. You should not rely on your feet, as there are practically no pedestrian zones here, and many places are literally impossible to reach on foot.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is responsible for managing and developing Dubai's transportation infrastructure, offering a variety of transportation options.Nevertheless, due to the long distances and the peculiarities of the urban layout, a taxi remains the most convenient format for traveling around the city.
Transportation areas and tickets
In Dubai, the public transport system is organized in such a way that the city is divided into 7 transport zones. This allows you to manage traffic more efficiently and calculate the cost of trips depending on how many zones the passenger has traveled through.
The Nol card
Nol maps in Dubai take into account the number of crossed zones, allowing you to choose the most profitable routes for trips around the city. Depending on the needs of passengers, there are various card options:
▪︎ Red card: designed for one-time trips, ideal for those who do not plan to use public transport frequently.
▪︎ Silver Card: a choice for tourists and residents, suitable for regular trips and provides favorable fares.
▪︎ Gold Card: an exclusive class in public transport, where passengers can enjoy increased comfort.
▪︎ Red card: designed for one-time trips, ideal for those who do not plan to use public transport frequently.
▪︎ Silver Card: a choice for tourists and residents, suitable for regular trips and provides favorable fares.
▪︎ Gold Card: an exclusive class in public transport, where passengers can enjoy increased comfort.
The card can be replenished and purchased at RTA kiosks — retail outlets located at metro stations and bus stops in Dubai, as well as at Carrefour stores, Al Ansari Exchange and other retail outlets around the city. You can use cash or a bank card to make a deposit. The cost of the Nol card is 25 dirhams (USD 6.8), of which 19 dirhams remain in the travel account.
Dubai Metro
The Dubai Metro includes two lines:
▪︎ The red line
This line is laid along the Sheikh Zayed Road highway and covers all the most important sites and attractions, including the Burj Khalifa skyscraper, the Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates shopping malls, as well as the Business Bay and Dubai Marina areas.
▪︎ Green line
This line crosses more traditional areas. You can also use it to reach the historic Al Fahidi district, the Deira district and the famous Dubai gold and spice bazaars.
▪︎ The red line
This line is laid along the Sheikh Zayed Road highway and covers all the most important sites and attractions, including the Burj Khalifa skyscraper, the Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates shopping malls, as well as the Business Bay and Dubai Marina areas.
▪︎ Green line
This line crosses more traditional areas. You can also use it to reach the historic Al Fahidi district, the Deira district and the famous Dubai gold and spice bazaars.
There are several types of carriages in the Dubai metro:
▪︎ Standard wagons — shared wagons available to all passengers
Women's carriages designed for women and children
▪︎ Gold Class — cars with increased comfort, where passengers can enjoy wider seats and improved conditions.
▪︎ Standard wagons — shared wagons available to all passengers
Women's carriages designed for women and children
▪︎ Gold Class — cars with increased comfort, where passengers can enjoy wider seats and improved conditions.
Dubai Metro Opening hours
The metro operates daily, trains run every 2-4 minutes during rush hours, and 5-10 minutes apart during non-working hours.
Work schedule:
▪︎ Monday to Thursday: from 05:00 to 00:00
▪︎ Friday: from 05:00 to 01:00
▪︎ Saturday: from 05:00 to 00:00
▪︎ Sunday: from 08:00 to 00:00
To pay for the Dubai metro, you need to use a Nol card.
Work schedule:
▪︎ Monday to Thursday: from 05:00 to 00:00
▪︎ Friday: from 05:00 to 01:00
▪︎ Saturday: from 05:00 to 00:00
▪︎ Sunday: from 08:00 to 00:00
To pay for the Dubai metro, you need to use a Nol card.
Dubai Buses and Trams
Dubai buses cover key areas of the city such as Deira, Al Barsha, Dubai Marina and Jumeirah. You need to use Nol cards to pay for your trip.
The Dubai Tram line runs along the coast, connecting the Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) areas. It connects to the Dubai Marina Metro station (red line), which makes it convenient to transfer between tram and metro for further travel around the city. Travel is also paid with a Nol card.
Monorail
The monorail in Dubai connects Palm Jumeirah Island with the mainland. The fare depends on the distance. Tickets can be purchased using Nol cards or at special vending machines at monorail stations.
The train passes through key Dubai stations, including Gateway Station in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) area. It connects the commercial and financial center of the city with other important areas. Another significant station is the Atlantis Aquaventure Station on Palm Jumeirah, which provides easy access to the famous Atlantis Hotel, one of Dubai's main attractions. The Atlantis The Palm Hotel is truly impressive, as is its architecture, which is best viewed from the water. To get to the hotel and enjoy the view of this architectural wonder, it is worth renting a yacht and sailing around Palm.
Dubai Water Transport
There are several types of water transport in Dubai: abras (traditional wooden boats), water buses and water taxis. Abras run along Dubai Creek, connecting the Deira and Bur Dubai areas. A ticket, which usually costs about 1 dirham ($0.27) per trip, can be purchased from the boat's captain. Water buses run along the coast, connecting the Dubai Marina and Palm Jumeirah areas. Tickets are sold at the berths, as well as through the RTA Dubai mobile app. Of course, you can use a Nol card.
Water taxi is a comfortable way to travel in Dubai. It can be rented at any station in the city and reached by boat to any other station. The fare depends on travel time and route, usually starting from 50 dirhams ($13.60).
Popular water transport routes include trips along Dubai Creek, which become even more exciting as part of the Dubai Creek voyage: you can use the water to get to Burj Khalifa, and then go to Dubai Marina. It is also worth paying attention to the routes from Dubai Marina to luxury hotels on Palm Jumeirah.
Popular water transport routes include trips along Dubai Creek, which become even more exciting as part of the Dubai Creek voyage: you can use the water to get to Burj Khalifa, and then go to Dubai Marina. It is also worth paying attention to the routes from Dubai Marina to luxury hotels on Palm Jumeirah.
Dubai taxi and carsharing
There are three types of taxis in Dubai:
▪︎ Standard taxi: the most affordable option for traveling around the city.
▪︎ Women's taxi: stands out in pink coloring and is designed for women and children, with female drivers.
▪︎ Business class: taxi with increased comfort, cost and service.
▪︎ Standard taxi: the most affordable option for traveling around the city.
▪︎ Women's taxi: stands out in pink coloring and is designed for women and children, with female drivers.
▪︎ Business class: taxi with increased comfort, cost and service.
To order a taxi in Dubai, you can use the popular Careem and Uber apps. There are also "taxi peak points" in the city, for example, at the airport and Dubai Mall, where cars wait for passengers without first calling. A Dubai taxi caught on the street usually has a lower initial cost: boarding will cost about 5 dirhams ($1.36), while when ordering through the app it is 8 dirhams ($ 2.18), and during rush hour — 12 dirhams ($ 3.27). During the trip, any taxi must have a meter that determines the final cost of the trip.
If you want to rent a car in Dubai, you can use the Ekar and Udrive applications. You must be over 21 years old and have a valid international driver's license or a local resident license. Some companies may require minimum driving experience, usually at least 1 year. The cost of carsharing in Dubai starts from 80 dirhams (approximately $ 21.77) per hour. A bank card is linked for payment.
If you want to rent a car in Dubai, you can use the Ekar and Udrive applications. You must be over 21 years old and have a valid international driver's license or a local resident license. Some companies may require minimum driving experience, usually at least 1 year. The cost of carsharing in Dubai starts from 80 dirhams (approximately $ 21.77) per hour. A bank card is linked for payment.
Shuttles and intercity buses
Many hotels and shopping malls in Dubai, such as Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates, offer free shuttles from different areas for their guests and customers. Travel schedules can be found on the official websites of shopping malls and hotels.
Intercity buses connect Dubai with other emirates, including Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ajman, departing from the main bus stations: Al Ghubaiba Bus Station and Union Square Bus Station. The fare depends on the distance, for example, a ticket to Abu Dhabi from Al Ghubaiba Bus Station will cost about 25 dirhams ($6.80).
You can get from Dubai to Abu Dhabi not only by land, but also by water, by renting a yacht. This option significantly reduces travel time, turning the trip into a sea adventure with the opportunity to enjoy the sun, fresh air and panoramic views of iconic landmarks directly from the ship.
You can get from Dubai to Abu Dhabi not only by land, but also by water, by renting a yacht. This option significantly reduces travel time, turning the trip into a sea adventure with the opportunity to enjoy the sun, fresh air and panoramic views of iconic landmarks directly from the ship.
Parking and car rental
Thanks to Dubai's well—developed road network and affordable parking spaces, a car is the most convenient means of transportation in the metropolis.
You can rent a car in Dubai if you have an international driver's license (for tourists), passport and credit card. The minimum age for renting is 21 years, and for premium cars — 25 years. Traffic is characterized by high quality roads, but at the same time by very strict fines for violating the rules. Dubai's roads feature the Salik toll road system, where payments are debited automatically.
You can rent a car in Dubai if you have an international driver's license (for tourists), passport and credit card. The minimum age for renting is 21 years, and for premium cars — 25 years. Traffic is characterized by high quality roads, but at the same time by very strict fines for violating the rules. Dubai's roads feature the Salik toll road system, where payments are debited automatically.
You can pay for any parking in Dubai through the mParking system by sending an SMS with the car number and parking time, or through the RTA Dubai app.
Electric scooter and bicycle rental
There are many electric scooter and bicycle rental services available in Dubai. Thanks to the developed infrastructure and specially designated zones, movement becomes safe. Access to this type of transport in Dubai can be obtained using a mobile application: Careem Bike — for cycling, LIME, TIER, SKURTT, ARNAB and FENIX — for renting scooters.
The rental price for electric scooters in Dubai, such as LIME, the standard fare is usually 3 dirhams ($0.82) per unlock and 1.1 dirhams ($0.30) per minute of travel. There are also packages, for example, 60 ($8.40) minutes for three days for 31 dirhams.
For bicycles in Dubai, prices depend on the type and duration of the rental. For example, city bikes can be rented for a price starting from 40 dirhams in 2 hours.
For bicycles in Dubai, prices depend on the type and duration of the rental. For example, city bikes can be rented for a price starting from 40 dirhams in 2 hours.
Features of movement in summer
In summer, the temperature in Dubai reaches +40 °, and on particularly hot days it can rise to +50 °. Due to the high humidity, it is even more difficult to move outdoors. The best choice of public transport during this period is metro and buses equipped with a powerful air conditioning system. Air-conditioned pavilions are also installed at bus stops.
Dubai's transport system may not seem so difficult to access if you take into account the specifics of the city's routes. Thanks to modern services such as car sharing, water taxis, electric scooters and bicycles, getting around Dubai is becoming easier. For comfortable daytime trips, it is better to use the metro, buses and taxis with air conditioning. If you are a tourist and plan to use public transport frequently, it is worth purchasing a Nol card, which can be used to pay for almost all types of transport in Dubai.