Dubai Tram: timings, fares, Gold Class and rules

Dubai Tram runs every day of the week. From Monday to Saturday its stations open at 6am and close at 1am the next day; on Sunday they open later, at 9am, and also close at 1am. You pay with the same nol card you use on the Metro and buses, and a trip within one fare zone costs AED 3 on a Silver card. These are the figures the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) publishes on its own tram and timetable pages.

Where it goes

The tram runs along Al Sufouh Road and Jumeirah Beach Road, and links the Dubai Metro with the Palm Monorail. Two Metro stations on the Red Line are interchanges with the tram: Sobha Realty (R36) and DMCC (R37), so you can change from one to the other without leaving the network. RTA's tram page does not list every tram stop or give the length of the line; its journey planner and timetable pages show the stops and the trip for your own route.

The tram has no overhead cables. RTA says it was the first tramway outside Europe to take its power from a supply in the ground. Every station has platform screen doors that line up with the tram doors, so the platform stays closed until a tram is in.

Opening hours

Monday to Saturday: 6am to 1am (the next day).

Sunday: 9am to 1am (the next day).

RTA does not publish how often trams run on that page. Hours can change on public holidays and during Ramadan, when RTA usually announces its own timetable, so check before a late or early trip on those days.

Fares

Fares are the same zone fares as the rest of Dubai's public transport, charged on a nol card or ticket:

Children aged 5 and under travel free on every card. Students and senior citizens get 50% off with a Personal nol card, and people of determination travel free with a Personal card. If you travel every day, RTA also sells 7, 30, 90 and 365 day passes: a 7 day Silver pass for one zone is AED 50 and a 30 day one is AED 140.

Gold Class and the women and children cabin

Each tram has a Gold Class cabin, for Gold Class ticket holders only, with wide leather seats and large windows. Gold Class is charged as a supplement on the normal fare. If you change from the tram to the Metro inside the same zone, you do not pay the supplement again for that zone. Part of each tram is set aside for women and children only.

Bags, children and the rules

Each passenger may bring two suitcases: one large, up to 81cm x 58cm x 30cm, and one small, up to 55cm x 38cm x 20cm. Luggage goes in the space set aside for it in each cabin.

Children under 8 may not ride without an adult. Children aged 8 to 11 need a permit from a parent, and those aged 12 and over may travel alone.

RTA lists fines for breaking the rules. Among them: AED 200 for travelling without paying, smoking, spitting or littering, or using a card that belongs to someone else or has expired; AED 500 for carrying alcohol, using a fake card or throwing rubbish on the tracks; AED 1,000 for carrying anything dangerous, entering closed areas or crossing the tracks away from a marked crossing; AED 2,000 for interfering with the tram's running or safety; and AED 3,000 for stopping a tram on its track.

On board

There is free Wi-Fi and full mobile coverage, wheelchair spaces on every tram, guidance paths on the floor for blind and partially sighted passengers, sound and light alerts on the platforms, and emergency call boxes on each tram and at each station. A dedicated Tram Police unit patrols the line.

Common questions

Do I need a separate ticket for the tram? No. The same nol card works on the tram, the Metro and buses, at the same zone fares.

Does the tram run on Sunday morning? Yes, but it starts later, at 9am.

Can I take a suitcase to the tram from the Metro? Yes, up to two bags within the sizes above, kept in the luggage area.