Your Dubai Metro card is a NOL card and checking its balance is straightforward once you know the right method. Whether you are rushing to catch a train and want a quick number, or you want a full breakdown of your recent trips, RTA gives you several ways to get that information. This guide covers every method to check your metro card balance: online, on your phone, via NFC, and directly at the station.
What Is the Dubai Metro Card?
The Dubai Metro card is officially called the NOL card, issued by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). “Metro card” is just the everyday name used by residents and tourists it is the exact same card you use on RTA buses, the Dubai Tram, and for RTA paid parking. There is no separate metro-only card.
When you tap in to enter the metro, the system calculates your fare based on the zones you travel through and deducts it when you tap out at your destination. A typical single metro journey costs between AED 3 and AED 8.50 depending on the number of zones crossed. This is why keeping enough balance on the card matters if you tap in but do not have enough to cover the exit fare, the exit gate will not open.
The NOL card comes in different types: Silver (standard), Gold (premium cabin access), Blue (tourist/short-stay), and Personal (registered to Emirates ID). All types work the same way on metro gates, and the balance check methods covered in this guide work for all of them. For a full breakdown of card types and pricing, see the
NOL Card Balance Check – Main Guide
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How Metro Fares Are Deducted
Understanding how the fare system works helps you make sense of your balance. The Dubai Metro uses a zone-based fare structure. There are three fare zones (Zone 1, Zone 2, and Zone 3), and the fare depends on how many zones your journey covers.
As a general guide, a short one-zone trip costs around AED 3 to AED 6, a two-zone trip costs around AED 5 to AED 8.50, and longer cross-city journeys can go up to AED 8.50 for the maximum fare. These amounts are deducted at exit, not entry so when you tap in, the gate opens even if your balance is relatively low, but you need enough to cover the fare when you tap out.
This is also why the “minimum balance” rule exists. RTA requires you to have at least AED 7.50 on your card to board, which is enough to cover most standard journeys. If your balance is below this threshold, the entry gate will not open.
5 Ways to Check Dubai Metro Card Balance
1. Metro Station Ticket Machine (TVM)
The Ticket Vending Machine at every metro station is the most reliable and universal way to check your metro card balance. It works for all card types registered or unregistered, Silver, Gold, Blue, or Red and requires no internet, no app, and no login.
Walk to any Dubai Metro station and find the blue Ticket Vending Machine on the concourse level. On the main screen, tap Card Services or Check Balance. Place your NOL card flat on the card reader pad. Within a couple of seconds, your current balance, last transaction, and card expiry date all appear on screen.
This is the best option if your card is unregistered, if you do not have the NOL Pay app installed, or if you simply want a reliable offline confirmation of your balance before boarding.
2. Online on nol.ae
The nol.ae website is the official RTA portal for NOL card management. If your card is registered to an nol.ae account, you can check your metro card balance from any browser in seconds.
Go to
and click Sign In at the top right. Enter your registered email and password. After logging in, click My Cards in the left menu. Your current balance, card number, and expiry date appear on your card dashboard. You can also click Statement to view your full trip history and see exactly when and where each fare was deducted.
This method only works for registered Personal NOL cards. If your card has never been linked to an nol.ae account, you will not have a dashboard to log into. In that case, use the TVM or the guest card number check described later in this guide.
For the full step-by-step online guide:
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3. NOL Pay App with NFC
The NOL Pay app is RTA’s official card management app, available on Android and iOS. It is the fastest way to check your metro card balance on your phone, and it has two modes: account-based balance (for registered cards) and NFC tap reading (for any card, registered or not).
For the account method, download NOL Pay from the Play Store or App Store, sign in with your Emirates ID and phone number, link your 16-digit card number, and your balance shows on the home screen every time you open the app.
For the NFC method, you do not even need to log in. Enable NFC on your Android phone through Settings, open the NOL Pay app, tap Read Card, and hold your physical NOL card flat against the back of your phone. Your balance appears within a couple of seconds, read directly from the card chip. This is particularly useful for unregistered Blue cards, tourist cards, or any situation where you just want a fast reading without any account setup.
iPhone NFC support for NOL cards is inconsistent. Android phones give the most reliable result with this method.
4. Metro Entry Gate
Every time you tap your NOL card on the yellow reader at a metro entry gate, the gate screen briefly shows your current balance before the barrier opens. It stays on screen for about two to three seconds.
This is not a dedicated balance check feature, but most regular commuters use it as a daily habit. You get a quick number every time you board, which is usually enough to know whether you need to top up soon. The balance shown is your balance before the current journey fare is deducted, so keep that in mind when reading it.
If the gate shows an error instead of opening, your balance is likely below AED 7.50 and you will need to top up at the nearby TVM before you can board.
5. S’hail App
The S’hail app is RTA’s official journey planning app. If your NOL card is linked to the same RTA account you use on S’hail, the app displays your card balance alongside your trip planning information. This is a convenient option for people who already use S’hail for navigation and do not want to switch between apps.
To see your balance on S’hail, open the app, go to your account section, and look for the NOL card tile. Your linked card balance shows there. S’hail is available free on Android and iOS.
What Happens When Your Metro Card Balance Is Low
Knowing the balance thresholds helps you avoid being stuck at a metro gate. Here is what happens at different balance levels:
If your balance drops below AED 7.50, the metro entry gate will not open. You will need to top up at a TVM or online before you can board.
If you tap in with enough balance but run low during a long journey, the exit gate may hold until the fare is settled. RTA’s system allows a small negative balance in some cases, but this is flagged on your account and the card will be restricted until the negative amount is cleared on the next top-up.
If your card has expired, the balance is frozen and the card stops working for travel entirely. The stored value does not disappear you have two years from the expiry date to transfer it to a new card. You can check whether your card has expired using any of the methods above; the expiry date is displayed alongside the balance on both the TVM and the nol.ae dashboard.
If you need to top up after checking your balance, the quickest methods are the TVM at the station (cash or card), the NOL Pay app (online), or the nol.ae portal. For a full top-up guide:
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Checking Metro Card Balance Without Registration
Many people in Dubai use an unregistered NOL card a Silver or Blue card bought at a metro station that was never linked to an nol.ae account. You can still check the balance on an unregistered card using these options:
The TVM at any metro station works for all cards regardless of registration. The metro entry gate tap also works balance shows briefly when you tap. The NFC tap in the NOL Pay app works for unregistered cards on Android. And the guest balance check on nol.ae lets you enter your 16-digit card number without logging in to see the current balance and last transaction.
The one thing you cannot do with an unregistered card is view your full trip history or manage the card online. For that, you need to register your card at nol.ae using your Emirates ID.
Dubai Metro Card vs Dubai Bus Card Balance
The NOL card works identically for metro and bus travel the same card, the same balance, the same check methods. When people search for “Dubai bus card balance check,” they are looking for exactly the same thing as a metro card balance check. There is no separate bus card or separate bus card balance it all comes from the same NOL card stored value.
The only difference is how the fare is deducted. Metro fares are deducted at exit based on zones travelled. Bus fares are deducted at entry as a flat fare per route. Either way, both come off the same card balance.
For the bus-specific balance guide:
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check my Dubai Metro card balance?
The quickest way is to tap your card at any metro entry gate your balance flashes on the screen before the barrier opens. For a more detailed check with last transaction and expiry date, use the Ticket Vending Machine at any metro station. If your card is registered, log in to nol.ae or the NOL Pay app for full balance and history.
Can I check my metro card balance without going to a station?
Yes. If your card is registered, log in to nol.ae or the NOL Pay app from any device. If your card is unregistered, use the guest balance check on nol.ae with your 16-digit card number, or use NFC on an Android phone with the NOL Pay app.
What is the minimum balance needed for Dubai Metro?
You need at least AED 7.50 on your NOL card to pass through a metro entry gate. If your balance is below this amount, the gate will not open and you will need to top up before boarding.
Why does my metro card show a different balance on the app vs at the gate?
This usually happens after an online top-up. When you recharge via nol.ae or NOL Pay, the credit is held as pending until you tap your physical card on any metro gate, bus reader, or TVM. The app may show the pending top-up added to your balance, while the gate reads the actual balance stored on the card chip. After your next tap, both will match.
Can I check my metro card balance from outside Dubai?
Yes. Log in to nol.ae or the NOL Pay app from any internet connection, anywhere in the world. Your account balance is accessible globally. Just remember that any online top-up will only load onto the physical card after your first tap on an RTA reader in Dubai.
My metro card shows AED 0 but I recently topped up what happened?
Check whether your card has expired. An expired card freezes the stored balance and blocks travel even if credit was added. Check the expiry date on the front of the card. If expired, visit an RTA Customer Happiness Centre or call 800-9090 to transfer your balance to a new card.
