Dubai Bus Fares 2026: Minimum Fare, Zones, Passes and Recent Changes
The minimum Dubai bus fare, how zone fares work, passes and discounts, and the recent fare changes: E308 to Sharjah and Bus On Demand in Business Bay.
Dubai's buses, Metro and Tram share one fare system run by the RTA: you pay by how many fare zones your trip crosses, with a nol card or a paper Red ticket.
Correction, October 2026: an earlier version of this article described some changes as new in 2026, said cash is accepted on the E100 and mentioned an AED 14 daily cap. The changes below are dated correctly, the E100 takes nol cards only, and we've removed the daily cap, which isn't on RTA's fare table.
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What is the minimum bus fare in Dubai?
AED 3 on a Silver or Personal nol card, for a trip within one zone, or AED 4 on a paper Red ticket. Children aged 5 and under travel free.
Zone fares
| Ticket | 1 zone | 2 adjacent zones | More than 2 zones |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver or Personal nol card | AED 3 | AED 5 | AED 7.50 |
| Gold nol card (Gold Class on Metro and Tram) | AED 6 | AED 10 | AED 15 |
| Red ticket | AED 4 | AED 6 | AED 8.50 |
Source: RTA nol fares. Changing between bus, Metro and Tram within 30 minutes counts as one journey. Work out your trip with the Dubai fare calculator.
Passes
| Silver pass | 1 zone | 2 zones | All zones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 days | AED 50 | AED 80 | AED 110 |
| 30 days | AED 140 | AED 230 | AED 350 |
Two trips a day across more than two zones cost AED 15 a day, so the AED 350 all-zones pass pays off at about 24 days of travel a month. 30-day passes need a registered card.
Discounts
- Free: children aged 5 and under, and People of Determination (registered Personal card).
- 50% off: students, Senior Emiratis/Citizens and Social Affairs cardholders, on a registered Personal card.
Recent fare changes
- E308 Dubai to Sharjah (May 2025): RTA launched the E308 from Stadium Bus Station to Al Jubail Bus Station in Sharjah on 2 May 2025, for AED 12 one way (Dubai Media Office). See the Sharjah to Dubai bus guide.
- Bus On Demand in Business Bay (December 2024): RTA cut the fare for trips within Business Bay from AED 5 to AED 2 (Dubai Media Office). Check the price in the app, as on-demand fares can change.
Intercity buses
Intercity buses have their own fares, for example AED 25 on the E100 and E101 to Abu Dhabi and AED 12 on the E303, E307 and E308 to Sharjah. You pay with a nol card. See the Abu Dhabi to Dubai bus guide.
Other transport
The Dubai Creek abra costs AED 1. Dubai Ferry and other marine services have their own fares; check RTA before you go.