Dubai Metro Gold Class is a premium cabin at one end of each train, with wide leather seats and a front-facing view. To use it you need a Gold nol card or a Gold Red Ticket, and every trip costs double the Silver fare: AED 6, AED 10 or AED 15 depending on zones.
Next to it is a cabin for women and children only. Men who sit there, and anyone in Gold Class without a Gold fare, face an AED 100 fine.
Quick answer: Gold Class fares are AED 6 (1 zone), AED 10 (2 zones) and AED 15 (3+ zones) on a Gold card. A Gold card costs AED 25 with AED 19 credit. The women and children cabin is free for women and children on any card. The wrong-cabin fine is AED 100.
Gold Class vs women’s cabin vs general cabins
Every Dubai Metro train has three kinds of space, as RTA describes on its metro page.
Cabin | Who can use it | Fare | Where on the train |
Gold Class | Gold card or Gold ticket holders | Double the Silver fare | One end of the train |
Women and children | Women and children only, on any card | Normal fare | Next to Gold Class |
General | Everyone | Normal fare | Rest of the train |
On the tram, RTA uses the same three-way split, and the Dubai Tram also has a Gold section and a women and children section.
How much does Gold Class cost?
Gold Class fares are exactly double the Silver card fare, according to the RTA nol fares page.
Journey | Silver card | Gold card | Gold Red Ticket |
Within 1 zone | AED 3 | AED 6 | AED 8 |
2 adjacent zones | AED 5 | AED 10 | AED 12 |
3 or more zones | AED 7.50 | AED 15 | AED 17 |
The Gold nol card itself costs AED 25, of which AED 19 is credit. So it costs the same as a Silver card to buy. The difference is only in what each trip costs.
Two details matter here. First, a Gold card pays the double fare on every metro and tram trip, even when Gold Class is full and you end up standing in a general cabin. Second, on buses, which have no Gold Class, a Gold card pays the normal fare.
If you are not sure which card suits you, our nol card types guide compares Red, Silver, Gold and Blue side by side.
What do you get in Gold Class?
RTA describes Gold Class as private cabins with wide leather seats and panoramic views. In practice that means:
- more space between seats than in the general cabins
- far fewer people, especially at rush hour
- a view out of the front or back window of the driverless train
There is no food or drink service, and the no-eating rule still applies. Wi-Fi and phone coverage are the same as in the rest of the train.
The view is the bit most visitors remember. Sitting in the front cabin on the elevated section of Sheikh Zayed Road, with the Burj Khalifa coming up ahead, is a good ride for the money.
Is Dubai Metro Gold Class worth it?
It depends on how often you ride.
For a one-off trip, often yes. A three-zone ride across town costs AED 15 instead of AED 7.50. That extra AED 7.50 buys you a seat and space at 8 am, when the general cabins between Union and Business Bay are packed.
For a daily commute, usually no. Take someone crossing two zones, twice a day, five days a week. On Silver that is AED 50 a week. On Gold it is AED 100. Over a year that gap reaches roughly AED 2,500.
For visitors with luggage, maybe. Gold Class is calmer and easier with suitcases on the way to or from the airport. Check the luggage rules first: RTA allows one large case (up to 81 × 58 × 30 cm) and one small case per passenger.
Our position: keep a Silver card for everyday travel, and buy a single-trip Gold Red Ticket on the days you want comfort. That way you don’t pay double on every ride.
Women and children cabin: who can use it?
RTA describes it as a cabin “designated for only women and children”. In plain terms:
- Women can use it, and can also use any other cabin.
- Children can use it, travelling with women.
- Men cannot use it, including husbands and fathers travelling with their families.
Some guides say a man may sit with his wife or family in this cabin. RTA’s own description does not say that, and a man found there can be fined AED 100. If you are a couple or a family, ride together in a general cabin.
RTA does not publish an age limit for boys. Young boys with their mother are clearly fine. For a teenage son, ask station staff, or use a general cabin to avoid an argument.
The women’s cabin costs nothing extra. It is part of the standard fare on any nol card.
Coloured floor markings show where each cabin stops. Look down before you queue.
How to find the right cabin on the platform
Gold Class and the women and children cabin are at the same end of the train. The platform floor shows where they stop, with signs above the doors.
- Check the floor markings as you walk onto the platform.
- Queue behind the marking for the cabin you want.
- Look at the sign on the train door before you step in.
- If you board the wrong cabin by mistake, move through to a general cabin at the next station.
At Union and BurJuman, where crowds push you towards the nearest door, this takes a moment of attention. That is where most wrong-cabin fines start.
Fines for using the wrong cabin
Both cabins fall under the same RTA rule: “accessing or sitting in areas designated for specific categories”. The fine is AED 100.
That covers:
- sitting in Gold Class on a Silver card or regular Red Ticket
- a man sitting in the women and children cabin
If you hold a Silver card and want to sit in Gold Class, you can’t simply pay the difference on board. You need a Gold card or a Gold ticket before you tap in. The full penalty list, from AED 100 to AED 2,000, is in our Dubai Metro rules and fines guide.
How to get a Gold card or Gold ticket
- Gold nol card: AED 25 (AED 19 credit), from ticket offices and ticket machines at metro stations. Valid 5 years.
- Gold Red Ticket: a paper ticket for single Gold trips at AED 8, AED 12 or AED 17, plus the ticket cost.
- Virtual card: RTA lets some Android phones store a Gold card in the nol Pay app.
Be careful at the ticket machine. Silver and Gold cards cost the same AED 25, so it is easy to buy Gold by mistake. If you meant Silver, you would pay double on every trip until you noticed.
Topping up works the same as any other card; our nol card recharge guide shows each option.
Mistakes people make with Gold Class
Buying a Gold card as a “better” card. It isn’t better for everyday use. It is the same card at double the price per trip.
Assuming Gold means a guaranteed seat. At peak times Gold Class can fill up too, and you still pay double.
Men joining the family in the women’s cabin. RTA’s rules don’t allow it, whatever older guides say.
Forgetting kids still pay. Children aged 5 and under ride free. From age 6 they need a card, and in Gold Class, a Gold one.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Gold Class on the Dubai Metro?
On a Gold nol card, Gold Class costs AED 6 within one zone, AED 10 across two zones and AED 15 for three or more. That is double the Silver fare. On a Gold Red Ticket it is AED 8, AED 12 or AED 17. The Gold card costs AED 25, including AED 19 credit.
Can I sit in Gold Class with a Silver nol card?
No. Gold Class is only for Gold card or Gold ticket holders. Sitting there on a Silver card or a regular Red Ticket can lead to an AED 100 fine. You can’t upgrade on board, so buy a Gold ticket at the station machine before you tap in.
Can men sit in the women’s cabin on the Dubai Metro?
No. RTA describes the cabin as for women and children only, and men found there can be fined AED 100. This includes husbands travelling with their wives. Couples and families should sit together in a general cabin, which everyone can use on the normal fare.
Is the women and children cabin free?
There is no extra charge. Women and children pay the normal fare for their nol card, whether Silver, Blue or a Red Ticket, and can choose the women’s cabin or any general cabin. Only Gold Class costs more, because it needs a Gold card or ticket at double fare.
Is Gold Class on the Dubai Metro worth it?
For an occasional long trip at rush hour, yes: you pay an extra AED 7.50 at most for a seat and space. For daily commuting it rarely makes sense, because every trip costs double. Many residents keep a Silver card and buy a Gold ticket only on days they want comfort.
Choosing Dubai Metro Gold Class or a standard cabin
Gold Class is worth it for the odd long, crowded trip, and not for daily travel. The women and children cabin costs nothing extra, but it is for women and children only. Check the floor markings, carry the right card, and the AED 100 fine never comes up.
For hours and holiday changes, see our Dubai Metro timings hub. For the whole network, read the Dubai public transport guide, or browse more on the Live In Gulf homepage.
Disclaimer: fares and fines come from RTA pages checked in October 2026. RTA can change fares and rules, so confirm on rta.ae or the RTA Dubai app before you travel.
