How To Check Your Nol Card Balance In 3 Simple Steps

For many people living in Dubai, the Nol card is as essential as their government ID, allowing them to easily use all modes of public transport. If you’re a new user of the Nol card, then this article is just for you because it explains the card’s features and provides detailed instructions on how to check your Nol card balance online.

What Is A Nol Card?

The Nol card (the word Nol is an Arabic word نول for fare) is a stored-value smartcard that’s used for all types of public transport in Dubai. The card holds prepaid funds that must be added to it before you check in at a contactless terminal. When you complete your travel and check out at the gates of your metro station or bus entrance, the terminal automatically calculates the cost of your trip and deducts the appropriate amount of funds.

The Nol card was launched in August 2009, and it’s currently used for around 1.5 million transactions every day. Besides the main modes of public transport in Dubai (metro, tram, buses, and water taxis), the card can also be used to pay for taxi fares and to make small purchases at restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations, and other places.

Types Of Nol Cards

There are actually four different types of cards available:

• Red Ticket: Intended for tourists and visitors, the Red ticket is a disposable paper card that’s valid for 90 days from the of purchase. It can be used only for up to 10 bus, metro, or tram journeys.
• Silver: Dubbed as “the perfect starter card,” the Nol Silver card is great for all frequent travelers who would like to use all modes of transport in Dubai. The card is valid for 5 years from the date of purchase, and it can be loaded with up to AED 1000.
• Gold: The Nol Gold card is basically a premium version of the Silver card, allowing you to use Gold Class cabins on the metro and tram. Interestingly, this card can be loaded up with only AED 500.
• Blue: Finally, the Nol Blue card is required for concession fares, and it provides the ability to recover your balance if your card gets lost or stolen. You can top up your Nol Blue card with up to AED 5000, and there are great discounts for students, senior citizens, and people with disabilities to enjoy.

Regardless of which Nol card you choose, your fares will always be cheaper than the paper ticketed option, not to mention that Nol cards are far more convenient in just about every way.

How To Use A Nol Card

Using your Nol card to get around the city is easy.

To Check-In:

1. Approach the terminal near your metro gate or bus entrance.
2. Place your Nol card near the card reader.
3. Wait for a confirmation beep and green light telling you that your check-in has been successful.
4. Pass through the gate or entrance.

To Check-Out:

1. Approach the terminal near your metro gate or bus entrance.
2. Place your Nol card near the card reader.
3. Wait for a confirmation beep and green light telling you that the check-out process has been successfully completed.
4. Pass through the gate or entrance.
5. Check your Nol card balance (optional).

As explained, the Nol card can also be used to pay for small purchases, such as breakfast or groceries, at over 2,000 outlets around metro stations and beyond. When used for this purpose, the card works basically just like a contactless debit card: you simply place it near the terminal and wait for the appropriate amount of money to be deducted from your balance.

How To Check Nol Card Balance

You should check your Nol card balance every time you check-in at a terminal, but what if you’re not near one? In that case, you can quickly and easily check it online:

1. Go to the RTA website.
2. Click the “Check Nol Balance” button.
3. Enter the Nol card ID found on the backside of your card and click the “Search” button.

As you can see, learning how to check Nol card balance online is a matter of three simple steps, and all you need is a web browser and internet connection.

If you like to check your Nol card balance regularly, you should consider downloading the RTA Dubai app, which is available for Android, iOS, Windows Phone, and Huawei devices. After signing in with your RTA user ID and password, you can click the “Check Your Nol Balance” button and enter your card ID to view your balance.