Guide on Checking NOL Card Balance & Recharge in Dubai

Here are the public transport and spaces you can easily access using the NOL card —

• Dubai Metro
• Dubai Tram
• Ferries, Water Buses, and Abras
• Car Parking
• Buses
• RTA Taxi

In the upcoming section, we will discover more about this smart card and how to check and recharge NOL card balance. 

Types of NOL Cards in Dubai

Here are the types of NOL cards in Dubai —

 

Red Ticket or NOL Red Card —

This NOL card is suitable for occasional travellers who don’t use the Dubai metro that often. This paper-based ticket is valid for 90 days from the purchase date — you can use the red ticket for 10 single journeys or 5 daily passes. The ticket costs AED 2 and can be used for only one mode of public transport at a time. 

 

Silver Ticket or NOL Silver Card —

Suitable for regular users, this card is generally valid for 5 years from the purchase date. It can be used in any public transportation mode covered under the NOL card scheme. The card costs AED 25 which includes an e-wallet balance of AED 19. You can recharge your NOL card for a balance of up to AED 1,000. 

 

Golden Ticket or NOL Golden Card —

This card type is ideal for those travelling for leisure. The features offered are the same as the Silver NOL card but, here, you can access Dubai Metro’s gold coach. This compartment has luxurious leather seats and offers a panoramic view of the city. The cost of the NOL Golden Card is AED 25 including a balance of AED 19. This card is valid for 5 years with a top-up limit of AED 5,000. 

 

Blue Ticket or NOL Blue Card —

This is a highly popular NOL card. It is mostly used by daily commuters, senior citizens, and students. It can be used in all kinds of public transport and is valid for 5 years. The best part about this card is that even if it gets stolen, the balance remains secure. Furthermore, specially-abled people and toddlers below the age of 5 years can travel for free with the Blue NOL card. The card costs AED 70 which includes AED 20 as the balance. The maximum balance you can add is AED 5,000. 

Important: This card is only valid for residents. 

Where to Use Your NOL Card in Dubai?

The following are the places where you can use the NOL card balance —

• Parking — If you do not have cash or e-wallet, you can pay for car parking using your NOL card. At the car parking terminal, enter your vehicle plate details, including where the car is registered, as you insert the card into the given slot. Select the parking duration — the money will be debited accordingly.
• Public Transportation — You can access most public transports including metro, buses, trams, and water taxis using the NOL card. 
• Dining — You can use your NOL card balance to pay for meals at several restaurants and cafes including outlets like 
  • Burger King
  • Cravia
  • Eat & Drink Restaurant
  • Paavo’s Pizza Restaurant 
• Supermarkets — You can use your card at supermarkets including 
  • All Day
  • Aswaaq
  • Carrefour
  • Zoom
  • Al Maya supermarkets
  • Lulu supermarkets
  • K Circle 
• Tourist Attractions — You can use these cards at tourist attractions like 
  • Mushrif Park
  • The Creek Park
  • Mamzar Park
  • Zabeel Park
  • IMG Worlds of Adventure
  • Etihad Museum

How to Check NOL Card Balance Online?

Discussed below are the ways to check your NOL card balance online from the comfort of your home, office, or anywhere else in the UAE —

 

Checking Balance on RTA Website

Here’s how to go for an RTA NOL card balance check online —

• Step1- Visit RTA’s official website and log into your account. 
• Step2- Go to the ‘NOL How’ section.
• Step3- Click on the ‘Check NOL Balance’ button on the top-left side of the page.
• Step4- Provide your NOL Tag ID and hit the search button to complete your NOL card balance check. 

 

Checking NOL Card Balance on RTA Mobile Application

To check NOL card balance using the RTA mobile application, you need to do the following —

• Step1- Download the RTA mobile application from the Google Play Store or App Store. 
• Step2- Log into the account. 
• Step3- To view the current balance, click on ‘Check NOL Card Balance’ on your home screen. 
• Step4- Enter your NOL Tag ID to check the NOL card balance. 

Note —  You will not be able to access transactions done in the last 2 days. 

Alternative Ways to Check NOL Card Balance in Dubai

Here are some other ways to check your NOL card balance —

 

Check NOL Card Balance Via Ticket Vending Machines

You can visit the ticket vending machines at the metro stations to check your NOL card balance offline. For this —

• Insert the NOL card in the vending machine. 
• Follow the instructions on the screen to be taken to a page where you need to select the ‘Balance Enquiry’ tab. This way, you can confirm the NOL card balance.

 

NOL Card Balance Check Via SMS

For an NOL card balance check with number, you can send a text using SMS. 

• Draft a message stating the NOL card tag ID and send it to 511 to register your mobile number. 
• Use this mobile number and send the code BAL to 511 to get the current balance information. 

 

 

Check NOL Card Balance At Merchant Shops

You can visit an NOL card merchant store to check your NOL card balance. Once you reach the store, your card will be scanned by the cashier. The balance will be displayed on the small screen on the counter. Here’s a thing: you can use the balance to make payments or recharge your NOL card balance, whichever seems feasible. 

How to Recharge Your NOL Card Balance?

You can recharge your NOL card in any of the following ways —

• RTA Customer Happiness Centres — To easily recharge your NOL card, you can visit any RTA Customer Happiness Centre that functions as a ticket office across Dubai. There, you can use Smart Teller Devices to quickly check the NOL card balance and recharge.
• Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) Machines — You can recharge your NOL card balance via AFC machines that are present in retail establishments across Dubai and work like ticket offices. 
• Ticket Vending Machines — These are located at every metro station and bus stop. You can find solar-powered machines at some bus stops to recharge your NOL card balance easily.
• Banks — You can recharge your NOL card balance at Emirates NBD and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank locations conveniently. 

Frequently Asked Questions