En route to Dubai for a holiday this year and worried about public transport in the emirate? Calm yourself because you are in good hands. Dubai is quite well-known for its sophisticated flair and impeccable vision for perfection and efficiency, and the same qualities permeate its public transport as well. There is no need to be anxious as Dubai has some of the most efficient, modern, clean, and punctual public transport systems in the world. Read on, and by the end of this post, you will feel confident about getting around Dubai public transport with ease.
Ways to get around in Dubai
There are four commonly used ways to get from one place to another within Dubai City. You can access the Dubai Metro, Dubai’s vast fleet of public buses, or opt for door-to-door travel with taxis and cabs. Additionally, Dubai Trams and the Monorail in Palm Jumeirah also help you reach from one place to another seamlessly.
Dubai Metro
Now that you have arrived in Dubai, the first thing to strike off from the many things to do in Dubai is to view the colossal Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall located nearby. But how do you reach them in the simplest way? Easy! Find the nearest metro station and take the Red Line to reach Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro Station. It is that simple! Dubai Mall even has a Metro Link Bridge that connects the metro station directly to the mall. From there, head to the ground level to access one of Burj Khalifa entrances that lets you explore this stellar work of modern architecture. Want to explore winter sports in the desert city? Take a metro and alight at the Mall of the Emirates station to enjoy skiing, snowboarding, and more at Ski Dubai. The Dubai Metro is highly efficient, frequent, and covers most of the major tourist areas and business districts in Dubai. Plus, the stations and cabins are fully air-conditioned, making it a very convenient option for most visitors. It is sleek, affordable, and super easy to use.
Did you know it is also the longest driverless metro network in the world? Stretching the length of Dubai in two routes: the Red Line and the Green Line, Dubai Metro covers 57 stations in total. If you want to see all the iconic landmarks of the city, take the Red Line, which has stations near them. Trains run frequently, so you won’t have to wait long.
While the Dubai Metro connects you to many tourist attractions in Dubai, some attractions lie a bit far from Dubai Metro stations. The Museum of the Future, for instance, is on Sheikh Zayed Road, and the nearest metro station is Emirates Towers Metro Station, which lies around 300 metres away. This distance is walkable. However, if you have booked Dubai Frame tickets, you need to know how to reach the attraction and which public transport in Dubai to use before you leave your accommodation. Unfortunately, you cannot reach Dubai Frame directly via the Dubai Metro. You will have to alight at Max Metro Station and then take a bus to reach the Dubai Frame. Similarly, if you have booked stays far away from metro stations, public transport Dubai buses come quite handy to bridge the gap, as they also operate a dedicated Metro link service. For visiting Palm Jumeirah, you would have to combine your Dubai Metro ride with a Dubai Tram ride.
Dubai Tram
Dubai Tram is an exclusive extension to Dubai Metro to reach the Dubai Marina and Palm Jumeirah’s Palm Monorail service. It connects seamlessly with the Dubai Metro’s Red Line at Sobha Realty, from where Dubai Marina Mall station is just a stone’s throw away. Likewise, you can alight at the DMCC station from where you can access Dubai Marina Station. The Dubai Tram allows you to alight at 11 stations in a loop from Al Sufouh, through Dubai Marina, Palm Jumeirah, and back to Al Sufouh. To reach Palm Jumeirah, you can get off at Sobha Realty Metro Station or DMCC Station, take the tram ride to Palm Jumeirah station, and then head to Palm Gateway Station to catch the Palm Monorail for a quick ride to Atlantis The Palm, home of Aquaventure Waterpark and the Lost Chambers Aquarium, or to explore the many other tourist attractions in Dubai housed on this iconic man-made island.
Dubai Taxis
For door-to-door convenience, taxis are the best option, as they pick you up directly from your location and drop you off at a particular location or attraction. Got Burj Khalifa tickets and want to get there quickly? A taxi ride is your best bet! If you are not staying near a metro station in Dubai and can afford to splurge a bit on transportation, then book a taxi or hail a cab through apps. You will not have to worry about walking in the heat or looking at timetables to find out which public transport system to take. Taxis are abundant throughout Dubai and can be easily hailed on the street, or found at hotels and malls. Dubai’s taxis are usually cars with cream-coloured roofs, but for female travellers and families, there are exclusive ladies-only taxis with pink-coloured roofs. You can also book via ride-hailing apps such as Careem or Uber. Or better still, if you can book Burj Khalifa admission with transfers from your tour operator, that solves the whole issue easily!
Dubai Bus
Dubai public buses offer a wallet-friendly and super-comfy way to explore the city. Around 88% of Dubai is connected smoothly with more than 1500 fully air-conditioned, spacious buses. Managed by RTA, Dubai Public Buses act as an additional support and an integral part of Dubai’s transportation system. Where the Dubai Metro can’t reach, Dubai’s sleek buses can. Dubai buses bridge the gap between any popular attraction and Dubai Metro station. The buses that ply along the routes of Dubai City have 4 different models: The standard red coloured buses, the Double-decker buses, the Articulated buses for more passenger capacity, and the blue-coloured Metro Link buses. If you wish to visit Abu Dhabi on a budget, Dubai has intercity route buses as well! You can also travel to Sharjah, Ajman, Hatta and Fujairah on Dubai public buses.
The public buses operate daily from 4 am to 1 am the following day. All the buses can be accessed with a NOL card. Just recharge and tap on the card reader and your fare will be deducted from the NOL card balance.
Dubai’s vision of safe and smooth transport for all people is evident in its modern amenities, accessibility features, and commitment to sustainability. Dubai’s buses are built for all travellers; its low floor and ramps for wheelchairs and strollers make it easier for wheelchair users and families with babies and toddlers to board and disembark. Not just the buses, the bus stops are also air-conditioned and designed keeping the traveller’s needs in mind. All bus stops are spacious and equipped with route maps and information screens. Some of the main stops are installed with cafeterias, vending machines and NOL top-up kiosks.
How to get to Dubai City from Dubai Airport
Landing at Dubai International Airport? If you haven’t booked an airport pick-up for your holiday, Dubai public transport has you covered.
Dubai Metro: Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 have Red Line stations right at the airport. Grab a NOL Card at the airport and follow the signs to the metro stations. Tap the card at the gate, hop on, and you can be in Downtown Dubai (Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Station) in less than 30 minutes for just AED 5 on a Silver Card. A taxi ride is also an option, but compare AED 40-50 taxi fare with an AED 5 metro ride – it’s a steal! This is ideal for budget-conscious travellers, solo adventurers, or anyone wanting a quick, hassle-free ride to the city.
Dubai Taxi: If you don’t want to wait around, have a lot of luggage, and would prefer a stress-free, private ride straight to your hotel, opt for a Dubai taxi or cab-hailing app. The fare structure starts with a base rate of AED 25. This differs depending on whether you book the ride via an app or just hailed a taxi on the street. Additional charges are added as per the kilometre you cover. The charges vary according to the distance covered.
Make Travelling in Dubai Easy with NOL Card
When you arrive in Dubai, the first task to complete as soon as you clear immigration is to buy NOL card. In Dubai, you will compulsorily have to get NOL card if you plan to use Dubai’s public transport services since you cannot pay for the fare using cash. A NOL card is much more convenient as you can just recharge this digital card and use it as many times as you want for your journey across Dubai’s public transportation. It is far better than having to carry the exact fare and purchase a ticket for each leg of your journey on different modes of transport. With one NOL card, you can travel smoothly and seamlessly on Dubai Metro, trams, and buses just by tapping the card at a card reader that automatically deducts the fare from your balance. You can also grab one at any metro station ticket counter, ticket machine, or shops like Carrefour. There are three types of NOL cards: Gold, Silver, and Red. For a tourist, the Silver Card is the ideal choice, which costs AED 25 with AED 19 credit and can be loaded up at any top-up outlets.
How to use it: Load credits in the NOL card with cash or international bank card at ticket machines or via the RTA Dubai app. Tap in and out at card readers to pay the right fare. For a first-timer, the Silver Card is your best bet – affordable and flexible.
Where to top up NOL card: Low balance on your card? No worries! There are multiple recharge outlets at Dubai Metro stations and other locations from where you can top up your card. You can even recharge your card via the RTA website and app.
Essential Tips for First-Time Dubai Travellers
These tips for first-time visitors to Dubai will help make travel within Dubai a lot easier.
- Â Dubai Metro and Dubai public buses are the best modes of transport to use to move around this dazzling city without getting lost or making a hole in your wallet.
- Â Check zone maps at stations to plan your trips. The RTA also runs an efficient website and app that lets you plan your journey from start to finish. Take advantage of these!
- Â Avoid 7 AM to 10 AM and 4 PM to 7 PM rush hours for less crowded trains and buses.
- Â For women travellers or visitors travelling with kids, the women-and-children cabins and pink-roofed cabs are cosy and safe travel options.
- Â Follow the rules in Dubai Metro. This means no eating, drinking, chewing gum, or smoking once you enter the Dubai Metro station, the metro cabin, and inside public buses.
- Â Keep in mind that there are luggage policies that visitors should be aware of while travelling on public transport. For instance, only two suitcases per person of specific dimensions are allowed inside Dubai Metro and Dubai Tram. Bulky luggage or animals are not allowed inside Dubai buses.
- Â Choose hotels which are near Dubai Metro stations for quicker access, such as:
- Â The JW Marriott Marquis (near Business Bay Metro Station)
- Â Dubai International Airport (Near Terminal 3 Airport station)
- Â Address Sky View and Armani Hotel (near Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Station))
- Â Taj Jumeirah Lakes Towers (near DMCC Station)
- Â Sheraton Mall of the Emirates (near Mall of the Emirates Station)
Conclusion
For any Dubai newbie, travelling within the city can feel overwhelming. However, with a bit of research and knowledge about Dubai’s layout, routes, and public transport, it becomes quite smooth and comfortable. So, when it comes to getting around in Dubai, don’t sweat it. Dubai’s public transport system is designed to make a commuter’s life easy and is quite user-friendly for foreigners. Once you master this transport game, you’ll be zipping around like a local in no time!
FAQs
1. Do I need an NOL card to pay the Dubai Taxi fare?
You can pay with an NOL card, but it is not absolutely necessary. Taxi fares can also be paid via cash, credit cards, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, or with QR Code payments linked to international banks.
2. What’s the cheapest and most convenient way to get from Dubai Airport to Downtown Dubai?
It is undoubtedly the Dubai Metro.
3. Can Dubai buses and Metro be reliable during off-peak seasons?
Yes, the frequency and timings do not change. Additionally, the buses, Metro cabins, bus stops, and stations are all fully air-conditioned to offer respite from the Dubai summer heat.
4. Can an NOL card offer unlimited rides?
An NOL card (Silver and Gold) can be used any number of times during your visit until it hits the minimum balance of AED 7.50. Then you need to top up your card to use it further. The card stays valid for 5 years.
