Using public transport confidently

Metros, buses and trams are often the cheapest, safest and fastest way to get around a city, and they give you freedom long before you can drive. Once you understand how cards, gates and fares work, every new city becomes easier.

How the nol card works in Dubai

• Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) runs a smart card called nol. It comes in four types: the Silver card, the Gold card, the Blue card and the Red ticket.
• The Red ticket is a paper ticket meant mainly for visitors and occasional trips. RTA says it must have at least one single trip remaining to use it.
• The Silver card is the standard top-up card that works on all modes of Dubai public transport. The Gold card gives access to the Gold Class cabin on the metro and tram.
• The Blue card is personalised with your name and photo. RTA says students of all nationalities get 50% off fares with it, and people of determination travel free on Dubai buses and metro.
• You can register Silver and Gold cards with RTA online so your balance is protected if the card is lost. If a Blue card is lost, report it straight away to RTA on 800 90 90.
• RTA offers passes and bundles for regular travellers; check the current options and prices on the RTA website or app before you buy.

Tapping in and out

• RTA says you need at least AED 7.50 on your nol card to check in.
• Tap your card on the reader at the metro gate or the bus entrance, wait for the beep or green light, then walk through.
• Tap again when you leave. Fares depend on the zones you travel through, and tapping out is how your trip is completed, so always check out.
• Hold only one card over the reader. If nothing happens, tap again steadily.
• Keep the card out of your back pocket: RTA warns that the chip can be damaged when you sit down.

Finding your place on the Dubai Metro

• Every Dubai Metro train has three types of cabin: Gold Class (first class), a section for women and children only, and Silver Class (regular).
• Check the floor markings and signs on the platform before the train arrives so you stand at the right door.
• The Red Line and Green Line are open now; a Blue Line is planned. Use the RTA Journey Planner to work out changes between lines and to buses or the tram.
• RTA reminds passengers to follow the bus and metro rules to avoid fines. Read the signs at stations about food, drink and behaviour, and give priority seats to those who need them.

Pay as you go in London

• Transport for London (TfL) accepts contactless bank cards, phones and watches, as well as Oyster cards. Contactless charges the adult fare.
• On the Tube and trains, touch in at the start and touch out at the end on the yellow reader, even if the gates are open. On buses and trams you only touch in.
• If you forget to touch out, TfL charges a maximum fare, which is much more than a normal journey and does not count towards capping.
• Use the same card or device to touch in and out. Touching in with your phone and out with your watch counts as two different payments.
• Avoid 'card clash': keep other contactless cards and your Oyster card away from the reader so the wrong one is not charged.
• Daily and weekly (Monday to Sunday) caps mean you never pay more than a set amount, as long as you use the same card or device every time.

Habits that make any system easy

• Before your first trip, download the official transport app or journey planner for that city and save your home and campus as favourites.
• Check your balance or bank card before you reach the gate, not at the gate with a queue behind you.
• Keep your phone charged. TfL warns that if your phone dies mid-journey you cannot touch out and may be charged the maximum fare.
• Stand clear of the doors, let people off before you get on, and keep your bag in front of you in crowded carriages.