Getting around Dubai: metro, taxis, abras and car rental

Dubai is a city built around driving, but it has a more complete public transport network than many visitors expect. Knowing how each option works helps you plan your trips better and avoid overpaying.

The Dubai Metro

The Metro is probably the most practical way to cover the city’s tourist and business corridors, with its two main lines — Red and Green — connecting the airport, Downtown, Dubai Marina and the commercial and industrial areas to the east. The map of the whole transport network (Metro, tram and buses) is split into 7 zones, and the fare for each trip depends on how many zones you cross, not the exact distance. Trains have a Gold-class carriage with wider seats and a carriage reserved for women and children, besides the standard carriages.

The Nol card

To use the Metro, the tram or the buses you need a Nol card, and there are a few types:

• Nol Silver: the standard reusable card for general use. It costs roughly AED 3 per trip within one zone, AED 5 for two adjacent zones, and AED 7.5 for more than two.
• Nol Gold: gives access to the Gold-class carriage on the Metro and tram, with a surcharge on top of the standard fare (around AED 6, 10 and 15 depending on the number of zones).
• Nol Blue (Personal): a named personal card with the same fares as the Silver, which also unlocks discounts for students and other groups, and can be used to pay for RTA parking.
• Red ticket: a single-use paper ticket for occasional travelers; it costs a bit more than the Silver for the same trip (roughly AED 4 to 8.5, depending on zones).

One useful detail: if you combine the Metro with a tram or bus within 30 minutes, the system counts it as a single journey and doesn’t charge you again for a zone you’ve already paid for, within an overall limit of 180 minutes and up to 3 transfers. Children aged 5 and under travel free on any card.

Taxis

Dubai’s taxis are regulated by the city’s transport authority, run on a meter, and are identifiable by their colour (which varies by area and operator). You can hail one on the street, pick one up at designated stands at malls and hotels, or book one by phone. The fare includes a starting charge plus the metered distance, and there’s usually a night surcharge.

Ride-hailing apps

Careem and Uber operate in Dubai and are a widely used alternative to a traditional taxi, mainly because they show an estimated price before you confirm the trip and let you pay through the app. They work the same way as in other cities: you request a car from your phone, track the driver’s location, and pay by card or cash depending on what’s available.

Abras: crossing the Creek by boat

Between the Deira and Bur Dubai districts, separated by the Dubai Creek, traditional wooden boats called abras still cross the waterway in a few minutes. It’s one of the city’s oldest forms of transport and remains part of daily life for many residents, as well as a classic experience for visitors. The standard crossing costs a token amount — just a couple of dirhams — though longer tourist cruises along the Creek, booked separately, cost more.

Car rental

Renting a car requires a valid driving licence from your home country; if that licence isn’t on the list directly recognised by the UAE authorities (a list that covers mostly European, North American, Asian and Gulf countries), you’ll also need an International Driving Permit. For most Latin American passport holders, it’s worth getting the international permit in your home country before travelling, and confirming the exact requirement with the rental company you choose, since the rules can change. The minimum age is usually 21, a credit card is required for the security deposit, and third-party insurance is included by law.

On foot

Walking is a realistic option only during the cooler months (November to March); in summer, the heat and humidity make any outdoor stretch exhausting within minutes. That’s why much of the city is designed to connect by car, or through air-conditioned walkways and malls, and the distance between one point of interest and another is usually longer than it looks on a map.

In short

• Metro: two main lines, fares by zone (7 zones total), with a Gold carriage and a women-and-children carriage.
• Nol card: Silver (standard), Gold (premium class), Blue (personal, with discounts) and the red single-use ticket.
• Metro-bus-tram transfers within 30 minutes count as a single journey.
• Taxis run on a meter; Careem and Uber are an alternative that shows the price before you confirm.
• Abras: the traditional Creek crossing, for just a couple of dirhams.
• Car rental: a local licence plus an International Driving Permit for most Latin American passports.
• Walking only really makes sense from November to March.

To keep discovering the city beyond transport, you can browse the rest of the guides on PuroDubai.