As part of its standing commitment to enhancing the quality of public transport services, ensuring customer happiness, and improving overall user satisfaction, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has implemented a series of initiatives and improvements related to nol card top-up services. These included the introduction of digital ticket vending and top-up machines, awareness campaigns to educate public transport users and encourage them to utilise various digital channels, such as smart ticket machines, the RTA website, and other digital payment applications, as well as increasing the minimum top-up amount for nol cards via ticket vending machines and sales offices at metro stations.
As a result of these enhancements, the use of digital channels for topping up nol card balances recorded a noticeable increase during the first half of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024. This shift has further strengthened public transport users’ engagement with all forms of digital payment channels, which RTA consistently works to enhance to ensure the happiness of all segments of society and raise satisfaction with the public transport services it provides.
The public’s growing shift towards using digital channels to top up nol cards has significantly contributed to a 28% reduction in the total number of top-up transactions via ticket vending machines in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. At the same time, the number of digital top-up transactions through ticket vending machines increased by 20% in H1 2025 compared with H1 2024.
As for ticket sales offices, the number of cash transactions for nol card top-ups declined by 37% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. This decline is attributed to the increase in the minimum top-up amount. Similarly, digital top-up transactions through ticket sales offices dropped by 6% during the same period, as more passengers opted to use smart ticket vending machines and other digital and mobile payment channels.
Overall, the total number of nol card top-up transactions through ticket sales offices decreased by 26% in H1 2025 compared to H1 2024.
The public’s shift to digital channels for nol card top-ups has also contributed to easing congestion and reducing operational costs associated with cash handling, given the resources and effort required for cash collection processes. The reduction in transaction volume also led to fewer technical issues, with breakdowns in ticket vending machines declining by 80%.
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