The Dubai Metro is the backbone of getting around Dubai, with 53 distinct stations on the Red and Green Lines, but it does not go everywhere. This page covers everything else: Etihad Rail to Abu Dhabi, Fujairah and Sharjah, the Dubai Tram along the Marina and JBR, RTA buses and feeder buses, the abra and ferry on the Creek and the coast, and taxis and ride hailing. For each mode, the Metro connection comes first, so you can plan the whole trip from a Metro station.
Use this page as a hub: verified essentials for each mode, with links onward to the Metro tools and guides. Fares and times were checked 2026-11-10. Timetables and fares change, so check the live schedule on etihadrail.ae or rta.ae before you travel.
Metro connections at a glance: Etihad Rail meets the Metro at Jumeirah Golf Estates (Red Line, Route 2020). The Tram meets the Metro at DMCC and Sobha Realty. Intercity buses leave from Al Ghubaiba, Ibn Battuta and Union Square. Abra and ferry routes leave from Al Ghubaiba on the Green Line. Taxis wait at Metro stations and at all three DXB terminals.
Etihad Rail: Dubai to Abu Dhabi, Fujairah and Sharjah by train
Etihad Rail runs from Al Yalayis Station in Dubai to Abu Dhabi in 64 minutes, 5 trains a day each way, from AED 39 in Comfort and from AED 109 in Premium. The Dubai station links to the Metro by a footbridge to Jumeirah Golf Estates Metro Station (Red Line, Route 2020), about 375 m, about a 5 minute walk. See our Jumeirah Golf Estates Metro Station guide.
Four stations are open now, two from 30 Jun 2026 and two from 30 Sep 2026, when passenger service launched. Stations are open from 05:00 to 23:00. Timetables are published only about one week ahead and change, so check the live schedule on etihadrail.ae before you travel.
| Station | City or emirate | Opened |
|---|---|---|
| Mohamed Bin Zayed City | Abu Dhabi | 30 Jun 2026 |
| Al Hilal City | Fujairah | 30 Jun 2026 |
| Al Yalayis | Dubai, next to Jumeirah Golf Estates | 30 Sep 2026 |
| Al Dhaid | Sharjah | 30 Sep 2026 |
Dubai departures on weekdays are 06:14, 07:14, 13:14, 17:14 and 18:14. On weekends the Dubai departures are 07:14, 08:14, 13:14, 17:14 and 18:14. Abu Dhabi departures on weekdays are 06:43, 07:43, 12:43, 16:43 and 17:43. On weekends the Abu Dhabi departures are 07:43, 08:43, 12:43, 17:43 and 18:43. Fares are dynamic from prices, so the price varies by train and date. Dubai to Fujairah runs once a day, departing Dubai at 13:57 and arriving at 15:07, a 70 minute trip. Abu Dhabi to Fujairah runs 3 times a day.
| Route (one way) | Comfort from | Premium from | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai to Abu Dhabi | AED 39 | AED 109 | 64 minutes |
| Dubai to Fujairah | AED 29 | AED 89 | 70 minutes |
| Abu Dhabi to Fujairah | AED 55 | AED 120 | 1 hour 51 minutes |
| Abu Dhabi to Al Dhaid | AED 59 | AED 149 | 1 hour 24 minutes |
Fares have three tiers in each class: Saver, Value and Flex. Saver is cheapest, with an auto assigned seat, no changes and no refund, and it is not sold at machines; seat selection costs AED 10. Value costs about AED 10 more, with free seat choice and a free change up to 72 hours before departure. Flex costs about AED 20 more, with a free change until 30 minutes after departure and a full refund more than 24 hours before. Under 17s get 50 percent off, over 60s get 20 percent off, infants 2 and under travel free on a lap, and under 14s must travel with an adult.
Book on etihadrail.ae, in the Etihad Rail app, at station machines and counters, or on 800 RAIL (800 7245). There is no boarding without a reservation, and ID matching the booking is checked. Arrive at least 20 minutes early: sales close 5 minutes before departure and gates close 2 minutes before. Comfort has food and drink to buy, Premium adds wider seats and complimentary snacks and drinks, and Wi-Fi and power are at every seat. Luggage is 2 free items per passenger aged 3 and over, including one carry on up to 55 x 40 x 23 cm, with no checked baggage.
Your NOL card does not pay for the train: Etihad Rail and RTA NOL are separate ticketing systems. Since October 2026, a combined journey can be booked as one QR code on etihadrail.ae, in the app or at machines: add a NOL One-Day Pass, AED 22 Regular or AED 42 Gold, covering Metro, tram and bus in Dubai. For Metro fares on the Dubai side, use our Dubai Metro Fare Calculator and the Metro Fares and NOL Card Hub.
Al Yalayis Station is in Me’aisem First, next to Jumeirah Golf Estates, on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311). Parking has 265 spaces at AED 30, with a bus stop, taxi rank and car rental at the station. The Abu Dhabi station is in Mohamed Bin Zayed City, on the mainland, not the island. Its shuttle costs AED 10, bookable only in the app or web with the train ticket, and stops at ADNOC HQ, ADNEC Centre, Reem Mall and Yas Mall north entrance. Fujairah has no shuttle, so take a taxi from Al Hilal City station.
More stations are planned, but treat the dates as published targets only: dates have already moved once. Madinat Zayed and Liwa are targeted for 30 Nov 2026, Al Mirfa, Al Dhannah and Al Sila for 30 Dec 2026, and Sharjah University City for 30 Mar 2027.
Dubai Tram: 11 stops from JBR to Al Sufouh
The Dubai Tram runs 10.6 km along Al Sufouh Road from JBR to Al Sufouh, with 11 stops in about 40 minutes end to end. It meets the Metro in two places: Jumeirah Lakes Towers tram stop connects to DMCC Metro Station, and Dubai Marina tram stop connects to Sobha Realty Metro Station. Ride the Red Line to either station, change to the Tram, and you are in the Marina and JBR without a taxi. See our Sobha Realty Metro Station guide for the Marina side of the change.
All 11 Tram stops are in Zone 2, so a Tram only trip is a 1 zone trip: AED 3 on Silver, AED 6 on Gold, and AED 4 on a Red Ticket. The Tram uses the same zone system and the same NOL fares as the Metro. Tap in and tap out, as there are no gates on the Tram. The Tram runs Monday to Saturday from 6:00 am to 1:00 am, and on Sunday from 9:00 am to 1:00 am, every 8 to 10 minutes in peak hours. It does not reach the airport, Downtown or Burj Khalifa, so for those trips stay on the Metro. See the Metro Fares and NOL Card Hub for the zone rules behind the Tram fare.
- Jumeirah Beach Residence 1
- Jumeirah Beach Residence 2
- Jumeirah Lakes Towers (change to DMCC Metro)
- Dubai Marina Mall
- Dubai Marina (change to Sobha Realty Metro)
- Marina Towers
- Mina Seyahi
- Media City
- Palm Jumeirah (about a 10 minute walk to Palm Gateway)
- Knowledge Village
- Al Sufouh
Buses: RTA buses, feeder buses and intercity buses to Abu Dhabi and Sharjah
RTA runs 1,518 buses covering 87 percent of the urban area, using the same zone fares as the Metro: AED 3, AED 5 and AED 7.50 on Silver. There is no cash on buses, so you pay with NOL only. Feeder buses run from Metro stations into neighbourhoods, malls and business parks the trains do not reach.
The 30 minute transfer rule: tap out of the Metro, tram or bus and tap into another mode within 30 minutes on the same NOL card, and it counts as one continuous journey, charged on the total zones crossed. You can make up to 3 transfers within a 180 minute window. Feeder (F-series) buses are free when you transfer from the Metro within 30 minutes, otherwise AED 3 to 5.
Buses to Abu Dhabi cost AED 25 one way, NOL only, and take 1.5 to 2.5 hours. The E100 runs from Al Ghubaiba to Abu Dhabi Central, the E101 from Ibn Battuta to Abu Dhabi Central, and the E102 from Ibn Battuta to Mussafah, every 20 to 30 minutes except the E102, about hourly. The bus takes about 2 hours; the train costs from AED 39 and takes 64 minutes.
| Route | From and to | Fare (one way, NOL only) | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| E100 | Al Ghubaiba to Abu Dhabi Central | AED 25 | 1.5 to 2.5 hours |
| E101 | Ibn Battuta to Abu Dhabi Central | AED 25 | 1.5 to 2.5 hours |
| E102 | Ibn Battuta to Mussafah | AED 25 | 1.5 to 2.5 hours |
| E303 | Union Square to Al Jubail, Sharjah | AED 12 | About 50 to 58 minutes |
| E306 | Al Ghubaiba to Al Jubail, Sharjah | AED 10 to 12 | See live schedule |
| E307 | Deira City Centre to Al Jubail, Sharjah | AED 12 | See live schedule |
Buses to Sharjah arrive at Al Jubail Bus Station, leaving from Union Square, Al Ghubaiba and Deira City Centre. The E303 fare is AED 12 per a dated check in October 2026, although one source lists AED 10, so check at the NOL reader before you board. The E307 first bus is 06:10 and the last is 00:20. Feeder buses run from Metro hubs including Mall of the Emirates, Centrepoint, Ibn Battuta, Abu Hail and Jebel Ali.
Abra and ferry: crossing the Creek and sailing the coast
The traditional abra across Dubai Creek costs AED 1, cash only, and takes about 5 minutes. That cash rule is the trap: a NOL card will not pay for it, so carry a coin. The abra leaves from the Creek waterfront at Al Ghubaiba on the Green Line. The air conditioned heritage abra costs AED 2 per stop and does accept NOL.
| Route | From and to | Fare | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| CR1 | Bur Dubai to Deira Old Souq | AED 1, cash only | 06:00 to 24:00, about 5 minutes |
| CR2 | Dubai Old Souq to Al Sabkha | AED 1, cash only | 24 hours |
| CR3 to CR6 | Air conditioned heritage abras | AED 2 per stop, NOL accepted | About 08:00 to 24:00 |
The water bus is being retired and RTA publishes no current routes or fares for it, so do not rely on old water bus fares in older guides. The Dubai Ferry is a separate, larger boat for longer sailings, with fares per the September 2026 RTA flyer, checked 8 Nov 2026. The FR3 Creek round trip is paused, and under 5s travel free on the FR5.
| Route | From and to | Fare Silver / Gold |
|---|---|---|
| FR1 | Al Ghubaiba to Dubai Canal | AED 25 / 35 |
| FR2 | Marina Mall South, Bluewaters and Dubai Canal (per stop) | AED 25 / 35 |
| FR4 | Marina Mall South to Palm Jumeirah to Atlantis (round trip) | AED 50 / 75, family AED 140 / 210 (2 adults plus 2 children) |
| FR5 | Al Ghubaiba to Sharjah Aquarium | AED 15 / 25, under 5 free |
Warning on ferry fares: RTA own ferry web page and a legacy brochure still show AED 50 and AED 70 for FR1 and FR2. Those figures are stale, double the current flyer price, so use the September 2026 flyer fares above (AED 25 Silver and AED 35 Gold) and re check on rta.ae. The FR1 sails at 13:00 and 18:00, and the FR4 at 11:30 and 16:30.
Water taxi Marina hops cost AED 7 per stop, NOL accepted. For an Old Dubai day trip, start at Al Ghubaiba on the Green Line for the ferry and the abra, then cross to the Deira side for the Gold Souq.
Taxis and ride hailing: RTA taxi, Careem Hala and airport trips
A street hailed RTA taxi flags at AED 5 in the day (06:00 to 22:00) and AED 5.50 at night (22:00 to 06:00), then charges about AED 2.19 per km, with a minimum of AED 12 for a street hail and AED 13 for an app booked taxi. Taxis wait at Metro stations and at all three DXB terminals, so they are the fallback when the Metro has stopped: around midnight, and 1:00 am on Friday, so late arrivals are taxi only.
| Taxi type | Flag fare | Minimum fare |
|---|---|---|
| Street hail, day (06:00 to 22:00) | AED 5, about AED 2.19 per km | AED 12 |
| Street hail, night (22:00 to 06:00) | AED 5.50, about AED 2.19 per km | AED 12 |
| App booked (Careem Hala, Bolt, Yango, Zed) | AED 9, AED 13 peak, AED 10 night | AED 13 |
| Airport flag (DXB) | AED 20 (van AED 25) per RTA 2026 fares | See meter |
| Inter emirate surcharge | AED 20 | Added to the meter |
App booked taxis add a peak surcharge of about AED 7.50 on weekdays 08:00 to 10:00 and 16:00 to 20:00, or AED 4 off peak. Careem Hala books a metered RTA taxi, so it charges the meter with no surge, and it is the cheapest app option; other apps can surge at peak times, in bad weather and at events. The airport flag is AED 20 per RTA 2026 fares (vans AED 25), but Dubai Airports pages still say AED 25, so check the flag when you board. DXB to Downtown costs AED 50 to 80, DXB to Marina AED 80 to 100, and Dubai to Abu Dhabi AED 250 to 300 by taxi, against AED 25 by bus and from AED 39 by train. For the cheapest airport trip, take the Metro from Terminal 1 or Terminal 3 (see our Airport Terminal 1 and Airport Terminal 3 guides). Terminal 2 has no Metro, so take a bus or a taxi.
Palm Monorail and the Palm: what to check before you go
Sources conflict on whether the Palm Monorail is running and on its fares, so check palmmonorail.com on the day of travel before you plan around it. One guide reports the operator stating a temporary suspension for maintenance, with no reopening date. The operator site shows no suspension notice, and other sources report a reopening in July 2026 after about 6 months of maintenance. This page does not state that the Monorail is running or closed, does not state a fare, and does not state that NOL works on it, because none of those points is settled.
The route to the Palm that does not depend on the Monorail is simple. Take the Metro to Sobha Realty or DMCC, change to the Tram, ride to Palm Jumeirah tram stop, then walk about 10 minutes over a footbridge to Palm Gateway. If the Monorail is running when you check, Palm Gateway is its first station. If it is not, the Tram stop still leaves you on the Palm.
NOL card across all modes: what it pays for and what it does not
One NOL card pays for the Metro, Tram, bus, ferry, water taxi, air conditioned abra and RTA parking. It does not pay for the traditional AED 1 abra, a taxi, or Etihad Rail, so carry cash for the abra and a second payment method for taxis and the train. The Palm Monorail is unresolved: do not assume NOL works on it.
| NOL pays for | NOL does not pay for |
|---|---|
| Metro (Red and Green Lines) | Traditional AED 1 abra (cash only) |
| Dubai Tram | Taxi (meter, card or cash in the taxi) |
| RTA bus, including feeder buses | Etihad Rail (separate ticket; combined QR add on only) |
| Dubai Ferry (FR1, FR2, FR4, FR5) | Palm Monorail (unresolved, do not assume NOL works) |
| Water taxi (AED 7 per stop) | Electric abras (separate ticket) |
| Air conditioned heritage abra, CR3 to CR6 (AED 2 per stop) | Car rental (separate) |
QR tickets launched 9 Oct 2026 and work on Metro, tram and bus only, not on parking, taxis, ferries or Etihad Rail. Fares below are reported via Emirates 247 reproducing the RTA schedule, with a re check note: a QR single trip costs AED 6, AED 8 and AED 10.50 Regular and AED 10, AED 14 and AED 19 Gold, for one zone, two zones and all zones. A one day QR pass costs AED 22 Regular and AED 42 Gold, including the AED 2 service fee. Unused QR tickets are valid for 90 days, and a day pass ends at midnight on the day it is first used. Buy QR tickets in the nol Pay or S’hail app.
Card prices are corroborated, not directly read on RTA: Silver and Gold cost AED 25 (AED 19 credit), Blue costs AED 70 (AED 20 credit), and a Red Ticket costs AED 2. Keep AED 7.50 on Silver or Gold and AED 3.50 on Blue, or the gates will not open. Under 5s travel free on Metro, tram and bus. See our Dubai NOL Card Types and Benefits page, the Silver NOL Card guide, and NOL Card Balance Check Online.
Park and Ride: free parking at 3 Metro stations
Park and Ride is free at 3 Metro stations only: Centrepoint, National Paints and e&, if you tap in with the same NOL card, ride the Metro, and exit within 60 minutes of your last trip. Otherwise it costs AED 10 per hour, up to AED 50 per day. Do not rely on a 4th free lot: one guide adds Life Pharmacy, but that is not verified. See our Centrepoint Metro Station guide for the largest of the three lots.
Frequently asked questions
The answers below use the same verified facts as the sections above, checked 2026-11-10. The live timetable and fare pages are final.
How do I get from Dubai to Abu Dhabi by train?
Take Etihad Rail from Al Yalayis Station in Dubai to Abu Dhabi in 64 minutes, 5 trains a day each way, from AED 39 in Comfort and from AED 109 in Premium. Reach it by Metro: Red Line to Jumeirah Golf Estates, then a 5 minute walk over the footbridge (about 375 m). Book on etihadrail.ae, in the app, at station machines, or on 800 RAIL, arrive at least 20 minutes early, and carry ID matching your booking. Weekday departures from Dubai are 06:14, 07:14, 13:14, 17:14 and 18:14.
Does my NOL card work on Etihad Rail?
No, a NOL card alone does not pay for Etihad Rail, because Etihad Rail and RTA NOL are separate ticketing systems, so you must book a separate train ticket. The only exception is the combined journey booked as one QR code on etihadrail.ae, in the app or at station machines: add a NOL One-Day Pass, AED 22 Regular or AED 42 Gold, which covers Metro, tram and bus in Dubai.
How do I get to Palm Jumeirah by public transport?
Take the Metro to Sobha Realty or DMCC, change to the Tram, ride to Palm Jumeirah tram stop, then walk about 10 minutes over a footbridge to Palm Gateway. That route works whether or not the Palm Monorail is running. Sources conflict on Monorail status and fares, so check palmmonorail.com on the day of travel, and do not assume your NOL card works on it.
How much is the abra across Dubai Creek?
The traditional abra across Dubai Creek costs AED 1, cash only, and takes about 5 minutes. The CR1 runs from Bur Dubai to Deira Old Souq from 06:00 to 24:00, and the CR2 from Dubai Old Souq to Al Sabkha 24 hours a day. Bring a coin, because a NOL card will not pay for either route. Air conditioned heritage abras (CR3 to CR6) cost AED 2 per stop and do accept NOL.
What is the cheapest way from Dubai to Abu Dhabi?
The cheapest way from Dubai to Abu Dhabi is the intercity bus at AED 25 one way, NOL only, which takes 1.5 to 2.5 hours. The E100 leaves from Al Ghubaiba, and the E101 and E102 leave from Ibn Battuta. The train is faster but costs more: Etihad Rail takes 64 minutes from AED 39 in Comfort. A taxi costs AED 250 to 300, so take the bus for price and the train for time.
When does the Tram run?
The Dubai Tram runs Monday to Saturday from 6:00 am to 1:00 am, and on Sunday from 9:00 am to 1:00 am, every 8 to 10 minutes in peak hours. Note the Sunday start: 9:00 am, three hours later than other days. It meets the Metro at DMCC and Sobha Realty.
Fares, times and station facts on this page were checked 2026-11-10. Verify on rta.ae and etihadrail.ae before you travel. See also our Dubai Metro Map, Dubai Metro Timings, Dubai Metro Fare Calculator and All Stations pages.
