NOL Card at Dubai Airport
A NOL card at Dubai Airport is sold inside the metro stations at Terminals 1 and 3, from AED 2 for a Red Ticket or AED 25 for a Silver card that arrives with AED 19 of credit already on it. Terminal 2 has no station of its own and links by bus from Stadium or Abu Hail, and Al Maktoum International connects by bus from Ibn Battuta. One trap catches early Sunday arrivals: trains do not run until 08:00.
Which Dubai Airport terminals have a metro station
Terminals 1 and 3 sit on the Red Line, each with a station named after it, both inside Zone 5. Arrivals at either walk from baggage reclaim to the platform without leaving the building, which makes the metro genuinely competitive with a taxi for anyone travelling light.
Terminal 2 is the odd one out. It is on the opposite side of the runways, has no station, and is reached by bus from Stadium or Abu Hail on the Green Line. Flights on that side are mostly regional, so the passengers affected are usually the ones least likely to have planned for it.
Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central sits far to the south west. The nearest rail is the Red Line at Ibn Battuta, and a bus covers the gap. Treat it as a bus trip with a metro leg rather than a metro trip.
| Terminal | Metro | How to reach it |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal 3 | Airport Terminal 3, Red Line | Station inside the terminal, Zone 5 |
| Terminal 1 | Airport Terminal 1, Red Line | Station inside the terminal, Zone 5 |
| Terminal 2 | None | Bus from Stadium or Abu Hail on the Green Line |
| Al Maktoum, DWC | None | Bus from Ibn Battuta on the Red Line |
Station and zone data read from the RTA rail network map published December 2025.
Where to buy a NOL card at Dubai Airport
The ticket office and the vending machines at the Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 stations sell every card RTA issues. For most arrivals the choice is between a Red Ticket at AED 2 for a handful of trips and a Silver card at AED 25, of which AED 19 is travel credit and AED 6 is the card itself.
A Silver card pays back quickly. Every trip on it is cheaper than the Red Ticket equivalent, so the AED 6 fee is recovered inside a few journeys, and the card stays valid for 5 years if you come back. Card prices are compared here across all five products.
Cards need a working balance before a gate will open, and the minimum is AED 7.50. A vending machine tops up from AED 20 and credits the chip immediately; the ticket office starts at AED 50. Do not top up online while standing at the gate, because that credit sits pending for up to four hours before it activates.
| Card | Price | Credit included | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Ticket | AED 2 | None | A few trips over a short stay |
| Silver NOL card | AED 25 | AED 19 | Most visitors and all residents |
| NOL Travel card | AED 100 | AED 19 | Visitors who want the bundled extras |
Based on RTA Choose nol and service 649. Prices are the same at the airport as anywhere else on the network.
What a trip from the airport costs
Fares are worked out from zones, and both airport stations are in Zone 5. A run into Bur Dubai or Downtown crosses into Zone 6, which is two adjacent zones and AED 5 on a Silver card. Carry on to the Marina or Ibn Battuta and the trip touches three zones at AED 7.50.
A Red Ticket costs AED 6 and AED 8.50 for those same two journeys, which is where the case for a Silver card comes from. Gold Class doubles the Silver figures to AED 10 and AED 15, and at the airport that buys something real: the front cabin has the space for suitcases that the regular cars do not at 18:00.
The fare calculator prices any pair of stations, including both airport stops, and applies the transfer rules if your trip involves a change.
Luggage rules on the metro
RTA allows one large bag of up to 81 × 58 × 30 cm and one small bag of up to 55 × 38 × 20 cm per passenger. A normal check in suitcase and a cabin bag fit inside that. A family with four large cases does not, and the rule is enforced at the airport stations more than anywhere else on the network.
Peak hours make the difference between a comfortable ride and a bad one. The Red Line through the airport carries commuters as well as travellers, and between 07:00 and 09:00 or 17:00 and 20:00 there is very little floor space for bags in the standard cars.
Gold Class is the practical answer for a heavy arrival, at double the standard fare. Women travelling with children have a second option at the standard fare, the Women and Children cabin, which is usually emptier than the middle of the train.
The Sunday morning problem
Dubai Metro opens at 05:00 Monday to Saturday but not until 08:00 on Sunday. Land at Terminal 3 at 06:30 on a Sunday and the station is shut for another hour and a half, which is exactly the situation where people who planned a AED 5 trip end up in a taxi.
The other end of the same problem is closing time. Stations shut at 00:00 most nights and 01:00 on Friday, and the last train through the airport leaves before that. First and last train times go station by station and direction by direction, which is what a late landing actually needs.
Buses run longer than the trains, 04:00 to 01:00, and route C01 runs 24 hours. A NOL card covers those too, so a card bought at the airport is still useful when the metro is closed.
When not to take the metro from the airport
Two people with four cases arriving at midnight should take a taxi. The metro is excellent value at AED 5 a head, and it is a poor experience with luggage at peak, at the far end of a long haul flight, or when the walk at the other end runs 15 minutes in August heat. Work out the total journey, not the fare.
The metro wins clearly for a solo traveller with a cabin bag heading to Downtown, Deira or Business Bay, and it wins on a working day when the road into the city is slow. It also wins for anyone staying a week, because the AED 25 card then covers every trip of the visit rather than one ride from the terminal.
Keep reading
NOL Card Balance Check Online 2026: RTA Dubai
Check your NOL card balance with the 10 digit tag ID, then open the official RTA page. Minimum balance AED 7.50, every method, updated August 2026.
NOL Fare Calculator 2026: Dubai Metro, Bus, Tram
Work out any Dubai Metro, bus or tram fare by zone and card type: Silver AED 3 to 7.50, Gold double, Red Ticket, concessions. Updated August 2026.
NOL Card and Dubai Metro Questions and Answers
Straight answers on NOL balance checks, tag IDs, fares, zones, passes, refunds, lost cards, expiry and how our calculators are tested against RTA.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I buy a NOL card at Dubai Airport?
At the metro station ticket office or the vending machines inside Terminals 1 and 3. A Red Ticket is AED 2 and a Silver card is AED 25 including AED 19 of travel credit.
Is there a metro station at Dubai Airport Terminal 2?
No. Terminal 2 has no metro station. Take the Green Line to Stadium or Abu Hail and finish the trip by bus.
How do I get to Al Maktoum airport by metro?
There is no station at Al Maktoum International. The nearest is Ibn Battuta on the Red Line, with a bus link from there. Allow well over an hour from the city centre.
How much is the metro from Dubai Airport to Downtown?
AED 5 on a Silver or Blue card, since the airport is in Zone 5 and Downtown in Zone 6. A Red Ticket costs AED 6 for the same trip and Gold Class AED 10.
Can I take luggage on the Dubai Metro?
Yes, one large bag up to 81 × 58 × 30 cm and one small bag up to 55 × 38 × 20 cm per passenger. Larger loads are refused at the gate, and peak hours leave little room even for allowed bags.
What time does the metro start at Dubai Airport on a Sunday?
08:00, three hours later than the rest of the week. Any arrival before that needs a taxi or a bus.
Do I need a NOL card, or can I pay by bank card?
You need a NOL card or Red Ticket today. RTA's payment upgrade is due to add bank card tap to ride by the first quarter of 2027, and the programme is tracked here.