Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has rolled out a new digital ticketing option that lets commuters buy Metro, Tram and bus tickets straight from their smartphones and travel using a QR code instead of a physical Nol card.
The feature is available through the RTA's own nol Pay app and the S'hail app. Once a rider completes payment, a QR code is generated instantly and can be used right away, with no need to collect or top up a plastic card beforehand.
Using the ticket is straightforward: Metro riders scan their phone's QR code at the blue entry gates, while bus passengers hold their phone over the red Nol readers positioned near the vehicle's doors. The same digital ticket works for both single-trip fares and day passes.
One detail commuters should note is timing: a day pass purchased digitally remains valid only until midnight on the day of purchase, rather than for a full 24 hours from the moment of payment. On the other hand, unused single-trip digital tickets stay valid for up to 90 days, giving travellers flexibility to buy in advance and ride whenever they choose within that window.
The RTA has also stressed that passengers must scan their QR code at every stage of a journey — when entering, exiting, and when transferring between lines or vehicles — so that the trip is correctly logged in the fare system.
The move fits into Dubai's broader push to digitise public transport payments, following earlier steps such as contactless bank-card tap-in options and app-based top-ups. For the millions of people who use Dubai's Metro, Tram and bus network each day, it removes the need to always carry a physical Nol card or visit a top-up machine, shifting the entire ticket-buying process onto a smartphone.