Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has rolled out a major upgrade to its nol Pay app, strengthening its role as a central digital payment platform across the emirate’s public transport network.
The enhanced version comes at a time of strong digital adoption, with sales of digital nol cards rising by more than 460 per cent and app downloads surpassing 1.5 million year-on-year.
RTA said the update delivers a redesigned interface, improved performance and a range of new features aimed at increasing convenience, speed and ease of use for all public transport users in Dubai.
The launch marks the first phase of RTA’s wider initiative to modernise the nol system through Account Based Ticketing technologies. The project supports the Dubai Government’s Services 360 policy, which focuses on simplifying procedures, removing unnecessary steps and reducing processing times. It also aligns with the Government’s Zero Bureaucracy Programme by unifying services within a seamless digital framework.
The upgraded app introduces a variety of new functions intended to give users more flexibility and control. These include the ability to manage family members’ nol cards, apply for children’s cards, link or deactivate cards and top up balances. Users can also schedule automatic recharges at set intervals, receive alerts for low balances or expiring cards and benefit from instant top-ups, real-time balance checks and immediate travel pass purchases. Additional services such as mobile phone credit top-ups are also available. RTA noted that these improvements enhance usability and efficiency, while visually aligning the app with its expanding digital ecosystem.
The nol Pay app now supports fully digital nol cards on Samsung and Huawei devices, enabling users to make payments across Dubai’s public transport network and various retail outlets with a simple tap, without needing to open the app.
By the end of 2024, more than 33,000 digital nol cards had been sold, representing growth of over 460 per cent compared with the previous year. The app also recorded 1.5 million downloads, an increase of more than 150 per cent year-on-year. According to RTA, these figures reflect strong and growing demand for mobile-first transport payment solutions among Dubai’s population.
