RTA: Dubai commuters will soon pay for rides using phones, bank cards instead of Nol cards
Soon, commuters in Dubai will no longer need to rely solely on Nol cards when making their commute.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced that public transport rides can soon be paid for using smartphones, digital wallets, or bank cards, making travel easier and more secure.
His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, explained that the AED 550 million project will be carried out in three main phases.
'The first phase will see the central system upgraded to create customer accounts that will be digitally linked to all Nol cards currently in use,' Al Tayer stated in a news release. 'The second phase will see the issuance of the new generation of Nol cards using new technologies and in accordance with international standards, so they are compatible with bank card technologies,' he added.
And of course, the best feature: The ability to add Nol cards to digital wallets on smartphones. This allows users to pay fares by simply tapping their phone, reducing the risk of losing physical cards and avoiding penalties for traveling without a Nol card. Travelers will also be able to stop lost cards and recover remaining balances quickly.
'The third phase will see the completion of the system upgrade to accept other payment methods such as bank cards and digital wallets for paying public transport fares in Dubai,' Al Tayer said.
Other features include purchasing tickets through QR codes via apps, managing multiple Nol cards under one account for family members, and linking accounts to banks for automatic reloading and balance monitoring.
The RTA has completed 40% of this major upgrade, which is scheduled to be fully finished by the end of the third quarter of 2026. The project will shift the system from physical cards to digital payment technology, making commuting more convenient for all.
Since 2009, Nol cards have been helping commuters move around Dubai. With this upgrade, the system will soon allow customers to shop and pay in stores using their Nol cards, offering more flexibility beyond public transport.
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