Revealed: Minimum Nol card balance to access Dubai Metro, tram or bus

With the implementation of a new tariff system on the public transportation network, commuters are faced with a new minimum fare requirement, prohibiting entry on the metro, tram or bus when these requirements are not met.

It was not long ago that a passenger was able to embark the metro with a little more than Dh2 on their Nol cards. When the available balance was exceeded, it would be debited resulting in a balance below zero. Next time the Nol card was topped up, the debited amount was automatically deducted.

The system was revised earlier this year with an increased minimum fare, no longer allowing the Nol card user to hit the below-zero balance, and this minimum fare was again amended with the introduction of the new tariff system last month.

To avoid confusion and ensure that no train or bus is missed, ‘Emirates24|7’ has summed up the essentials of the current minimum fare requirements.

Silver Nol card

The minimum fare on the Silver Nol card is now Dh7.50. This amount corresponds to the maximum fare that can be charged for any trip on the Silver Class. Previously, this amount was Dh5.80.

When a Silver Nol Card does not maintain this balance, metro gate will not open, and entry on any other public transportation mode is not permitted.

“It is not possible that a person is denied a checkout because the Nol card balance was exceeded, because that person would not have been able to check in,” pointed out Khalid Al Awadhi, Director of Automated Fare Collection, Corporate Technical Support Services Sector at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

Gold Nol card

For the Gold Nol card the rules are different. The minimum balance for Gold Nol card is the same as on the Silver Nol Card - Dh7.50. This does not correspond to the maximum fare that can be charged for any trip on the Gold Class, as this amount adds up to Dh15.

“Gold Nol card users are able to exceed their available balance,” said Al Awadhi. “If a person has a balance of Dh7.50 and is charged Dh15 for the trip, Nol card balance will be negative Dh7.50, and this amount will be deducted when the card is topped up.”

In line with this rule, a person cannot be fined when traveling with a Nol card balance below zero. “A person who has a minus balance on the Gold Nol card while travelling cannot be fined, because the rules allow this,” said Al Awadhi.

Previously, the minimum fare of the Gold Nol card corresponded to the maximum fare on the Gold class, which used to be Dh11.60.

Expiring Nol card

The rules change again when the Nol card is expiring. Since August 1 this year, it is possible that a Nol card expires, as the cards are valid for five years and the first batch was issued on August 1, 2009.

On the day that the Nol card expires, it cannot be topped up. However, a trip can still be made, provided a minimum balance is available.

In this case, both the Silver and Gold Nol card minimum balance correspond to the maximum fare that can be charged on the respective trips. On the Silver Class, this is Dh7.50, while the maximum fare on the Gold Class is Dh15.

Thus, on the day of expiry, the Silver Nol card must have a minimum fare of Dh7.50, and a Gold Nol card a minimum fare of Dh15, or entry is not permitted.

On the Metro, a passenger with insufficient balance on the Nol card is actually barred from entering, as the check-in gates will not open. This is different on the Tram and Bus, where there are no gates but only Nol card readers.

However, travelling with insufficient balance is a violation and can be fined.

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