How to maximise your Dubai public transport trip: Know the rules for what counts as a single trip

Dubai: Want to save money the next time you use public transport? Here’s a little hack – if you transfer from the Dubai Metro to a bus within 30 minutes, it will be counted as part of the same trip.

In fact, commuters don’t get charged based on how many modes of transport they take. Whether it is the bus, Metro, tram or abra. Instead, you will be charged based on the number of zones you travel through.

So, what are the zones and what are the rules you need to remember so that you can get the most out of the public transport options in Dubai? Here’s all you need to know.

How are public transport fares calculated?

The Dubai public transportation network is divided into seven zones. Each zone contains Metro stations, bus stations, tram stations, and marine transport stations.

So, you can choose different modes of transport located across different zones for your journey and at the end, you will be charged according to the total number of zones you have passed.

Remember the 30-minute rule

But, if you are using different modes of transport for your journey, you must make sure to switch between them within 30 minutes, for it to be counted as one continuous trip.

For example, you can travel on the Metro and then take a bus to reach your destination. But after you check-out from the Metro station, you will have to make sure that you check in on the bus within the next 30 minutes.

If you do this on time, your Metro and bus trips will be counted as a single journey.

What are the transfer rules?

The maximum number of transfers that are allowed is three, so you can choose to switch between three different modes of transport. Also, there is an upper limit for the total trip duration, which should not be more than 180 minutes.

How much will it cost to travel between different zones?

If your journey is within one zone, the trip will cost you Dh3, if it’s within two zones, the fare is Dh5 and if it’s multiple zones, it is Dh7.50. This is the standard fare, but it can change depending on which type of nol card you have.

Fares for travelling between zones:

Within one zone
Red ticket - Dh4
Personal (Blue) - Dh3
Silver: Dh3
Gold - Dh6

Within two adjacent zones
Red ticket - Dh6
Personal (Blue) - Dh5
Silver - Dh5
Gold - Dh10

More than two zones
Red ticket - Dh8.5
Personal (Blue) - Dh7.50
Silver - Dh7.50
Gold - Dh15

Dubai Metro Station Zones

Red Line:

R11 - Centrepoint (formerly Rashidiya) (Zone 5)

R12 – Emirates (Zone 5)

R14 - Airport Terminal 1 (Zone 5)

R15 – GGICO (Zone 5)

R16 - Deira City Centre (Zone 5)

R17 - Al Rigga (Zone 5)

R18 – Union (Zone 5)

R19 – Burjuman (Zone 6)

R20 – ADCB (Zone 6)0

R21 – max (Zone 6)

R22 - World Trade Center (Zone 6)

R23 - Emirates Towers (Zone 6)

R24 - Financial Centre (Zone 6)14

R25 - Burj Khalifa -Dubai Mall (Zone 6)

R26 - Business Bay (Zone 6)

R29 – Onpassive (Zone 2)

R31 - Equiti (formerly Umm Al Sheif) (Zone 2)8

R32 - Mall of the Emirates (Zone 2)

R33 – mashreq (Zone 2)

R34 - Dubai Internet City (Zone 2)

R35 - Al Khail (Zone 2)

R36 - Sobha Realty (Zone 2)

R37 – DMCC (Zone 2)4

R38 - Jabal Ali (Zone 2)25

R39 - Ibn Battuta (Zone 2)6

R40 – Energy (Zone 2)7

R41 – Danube (Zone 1)8

R42 - UAE Exchange (Zone 1)

R70 - The Gardens (Zone 2)

R71 - Discovery Gardens (Zone 2)

R72 - Al Furjan (Zone 2)

R73 - Jumeirah Golf Estates (Zone 3)

R74 - Dubai Investment Park (Zone 1)

R76 - EXPO 2020 (Zone 1)

Green Line:

G11 – Etisalat (Zone 5)1

G12 - Al Qusais (Zone 5)3

G13 - Dubai Airport Free Zone (Zone 5)4

G14 - Al Nahda (Zone 5)

G15 – Stadium (Zone 5)

G16 - Al Qiyadah (Zone 5)

G17 - Abu Hail (Zone 5)

G18 - Abu Baker Al Siddique (Zone 5)

G19 - Salah Al Din (Zone 5)10

G20 – Union (Zone 5)

G21 - Baniyas Square (Zone 5)

G22 - Gold Souq (Zone 5)

G23 - Al Ras (Zone 5)

G24 - Al Gubaiba (Zone 6)5

G25 - Sharaf DG (Zone 6)

G26 – Burjuman (Zone 6)

G27 - Oud Metha (Zone 6)

G28 - Dubai Healthcare City (Zone 6)

G29 - Al Jadaf (Zone 6)

G30 – Creek (Zone 6)