Hamdan bin Mohammed endorses Unified Fare of Mass Transport in Dubai

Al Tayer: RTA  Opted to Offer Affordable Fare to Encourage the Use of Public Transport Modes

Dubai Divided into 5 Zones, fares range from 80 fils to 5.8AED, and special fares offered to students & elderly

A Unified card, called “Nol” is introduced in 4 types: Silver, Gold, Blue and Red

Metro Park-and-Ride Facilities offered free of charge for public transport users, non-public transport users to be charged 10AED per hour or 50AED per day

Roads & Transport Authority – Mohammed Al Munji: HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of the Executive Council, endorsed Order No. 3/2009 governing the Unified Fare of Mass Transport in the Emirate of Dubai by means of a Unified Electronic Fare Card known as “NOL CARD”; an electronic Pay-As-You-Go system introduced by Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) as a means of easing the mobility of all public transport users.

While breaking the news in a press conference held yesterday in the Conference Room of RTA HQ, H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board & Executive Director of RTA, said: “The Unified Nol Card, which will be unleashed with the start of passenger service of Dubai Metro, offers smooth & comfortable service to users of Dubai Metro, Public Buses, Water Bus and Paid Parking Zones. The name “Nol” was branded to the card as it is an authentic Arabic word meaning “Fare” or “Cost of using transport”. The logo of the Unified Nol Card was designed to replicate the unified identity of transport systems, with a symbolic reference to the seamless flow of various transport modes in Dubai. It illustrates the continuous mobility of commuters between various transport modes without stopovers; where the flowing lines depict the smooth mobility of transport, and the thin lines enrich the card, providing added value and protection to the card against counterfeiting”.

Al Tayer went further to say: “While assessing the fare of mass transit systems, RTA was keen to have in place fares affordable to all, as we were seeking to encourage citizens, residents and visitors to use to use mass transit modes in an effort to make public transport the ideal choice of population. Under the Project, it was decided to divide the emirate of Dubai into five mobility zones, and offer Metro Park-and-Ride facilities free of charge to public transport users, while for non-public transport users a fee of 10 dirham per hour or 50AED per day will be charged.

“Nol Cards comprise four types: Nol Silver Card, Nol Blue Card, Nol Gold Card, and Nol Red Ticket. RTA was keen to have Nol Cards offered at diverse sale outlets such that they can be purchased and topped-up at Ticket Booths and Ticketing Vending Machines in all Dubai Metro stations, different bus stations, RTA Customer Service Centers, and at RTA authorized sales agents. Nol Cards are easily obtained and used as the user has just got to top-up the card in order to use it for boarding various transport modes. The fare will automatically be deducted depending on the use. The Card, which is modeled after international standards, is manufactured by more than one supplier, rendering it safe and difficult to counterfeit. Moreover, the Card has been designed with a view to addressing future requirements of e-payment systems i.e. to allow for the possibility of adding several and diverse uses.

“There are two categories of Nol Cards: Unified Paper Ticket issued at a two-dirham cost, and Unified E-Card issued at a 6-dirham cost. The fare of a single short journey not exceeding 3 km using the paper ticket is 2 dirham. The fare of travel within a single zone is 2.50AED, whereas it is 4.50AED in two neighboring zones and 6.50AED in 3 zones or more. The fare in the Gold Class for a short distance journey not exceeding 3 km is 4AED; whereas it is 5AED for a single zone, 9AED for 2 zones and 13AED for 3 zones or more. The cost of 10 journeys for short distances not exceeding 3 km is 20AED, whereas it 25AED in a single zone, 45AED in two zones and 65AED in three zones or more. A one-day travel pass is 14AED.

“The fare of travel using Unified e-Card in a short journey not exceeding 3 km is 1.80 dirham, whereas it is 2.30AED for a journey in a single zone, 4.10AED for a journey in two neighboring zones, and 5.80AED for a journey in three or more zones. The fare of travel in a single journey using Gold Card is 3.60AED for a short journey not exceeding 3km, whereas it is 4.60AED for a journey in a single zone, 8.20AED for a journey in two neighboring zones, and 11.60AED for a journey in 3 or more zones. The travel fare using a 30-day pass in short journeys within a single zone is 100AED, whereas it is 180AED in two zones and 270AED in three zones or more” continued Al Tayer.

RTA  Chairman of the Board and Executive Director further added: “RTA was keen on fixing discounted fares for elderly as well as schools and college students. Here it was decided to fix the fare of travel using the Unified e-Card as 90 fils in short trips not exceeding 3 km, whereas it will be 1.15AED in a single zone, 2.05AED in two zones and 2.90AED in three zones or more. As for elderly, a 30-day pass is 200AED; whereas it will be 170AED for students”.

For his part Ramadan Abdullah, Director of the Unified Card Department elaborated on the types of various cards and said: “Nol Silver Card has an e-purse rechargeable up to 500AED, and the journey fare is calculated automatically based on the fare table. This card can be purchased from any ticket booth and some ticket vending machines at a price of 6 dirham for the card and an initial balance of 14 dirham rechargeable. This Card can be used immediately upon purchase, rechargeable at any ticket booth and valid for five years.

Nol Blue Card is a personalized card (with user photo inserted on the card) and no other user can use it should it be lost or stolen, therefore the credit is secure, so it will be stopped and now alternative card will be issued after reporting of losing the card and it can hold up to 500AED worth of credit. This card has an e-purse and the journey fare is calculated automatically based on the fare table. It enables the user to obtain secure online services such as balance recharging, inquiry about transactions, lodging complaints and receiving SMS & email notifications to verify or identify the required instructions. In future a discounted package will be made available for kids, students, elderly and special needs, and the Card valid for five years.

Nol Gold Card is rechargeable and can hold up to 500AED worth of credit. This card has an e-purse and the journey fare is calculated automatically based on the fare table. This card can be purchased from any ticket booth and some ticket vending machines at a price not exceeding 20AED – some of 6 AED for the card and 14AED as credit in the card and can be used immediately upon purchase. This card enables the user the privilege of using the Gold Class in Dubai Metro, and in case this card is used on other modes of transport with no Gold Class cabins, the user will be charged the normal fare, and the Card is valid for 5 years.

Nol Red Tickets is a 2-dirham paper ticket rechargeable that can be recharged for one or two journeys and up to 10 journeys maximum, or a travel pass for one day up to 5 days. This ticket can only be used for one mode of transport at a time (e.g. on Dubai Metro only or on Dubai Bus only), and is considered ideal for occasional or casual users of public transport. This ticket doesn’t have an e-purse account, and has to be pre-paid with the correct journey type. This ticket is valid for 90 days only and can be purchased from any ticket booth and ticket vending machines.

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