Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has completed 72% of its project to migrate the nol transit payment system from card-based ticketing to account-based ticketing, the authority announced on Sunday. All phases are expected to wrap up by the end of the first quarter of 2027.
RTA Director General Mattar Al Tayer described the upgrade as a strategic step in the authority’s digital transformation, saying it will “enable RTA to develop a unified, more integrated payment ecosystem linking various modes of transport and services, while delivering the highest levels of operational efficiency and customer convenience.”
The project is structured across three phases. The first will introduce QR code ticketing through digital channels. The second will roll out a new generation of nol cards built to align with international standards and bank card compatibility, with cards automatically linked to customer accounts at the point of purchase. The third phase will extend payment acceptance to include bank cards and digital wallets across public transport fare gates.
Beyond transit, the upgraded nol card is intended to function as a broader payment tool. The new generation of cards will be accepted for retail purchases across the UAE, operating in the same way as a standard bank card, both in-store and through digital channels.
For account holders, the new system will allow users to link multiple nol cards, including those of family members, manage top-up allocations per card, set up automatic top-ups tied to a bank account, view daily transaction histories, and block and recover card balances remotely.
Al Tayer said the upgrade supports the Dubai Cashless Strategy and positions nol as a payment layer within the broader digital economy. The nol system was first launched on 9 September 2009, alongside the opening of Dubai Metro.
