Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced that the pilot phase of the new Nol–Jaywan cards will begin in November 2026. By combining Dubai’s public transport services with the UAE’s national payment system, the cards will allow users to pay transport fares as well as make digital payments for everyday purchases.

Dubai’s RTA has signed an agreement with Al Etihad Payments, a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE, to gradually introduce the new generation of Nol cards.

Under the agreement, the pilot phase of the joint Nol–Jaywan cards will begin in November and cover public transport services managed by the RTA, including taxis and public parking.

The initiative aims to create an integrated payment solution that allows users to pay for urban travel and some everyday purchases and services with a single card.

What features will the new Nol–Jaywan card offer?

By integrating the capabilities of the Nol system and the Jaywan national payment network, the new cards will connect transport services with banking and digital payment features.

According to published details, the cards will support Jaywan payment services in addition to public transport fare payments.

Jaywan is the UAE’s first national payment card system. It was launched to provide domestic payment services and supports debit and prepaid cards.

Jaywan cardholders can make purchases at participating retailers, pay online and access other financial services supported by the network.

The new Nol–Jaywan cards are also designed for digital activation and use on smartphones running Android and iOS.

The cards are also expected to support public and private transport services and online transport booking platforms across the UAE.

In addition, holders of the new cards will have access to more than 120 promotional offers and exclusive discounts.

What is a Jaywan card, and how does it differ from Nol?

Jaywan is the UAE’s national payment card system, operated by Al Etihad Payments, a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE.

The nationwide rollout of Jaywan cards began in July 2026, with licensed banks and financial institutions starting to issue them gradually to customers.

The network was developed in partnership with NPCI International and uses technology from India’s RuPay payment system. However, Jaywan is an independent payment system owned by the UAE.

Jaywan cards can currently be used at a range of retailers, online services and other participating merchants. Etihad Airways and Emirates also began accepting the cards for ticket payments in August and September 2026, respectively.

By contrast, the Nol card is mainly used to pay fares on the Dubai Metro, buses and trams, as well as for certain other services in the emirate.

Under the new initiative, Nol’s transport features and Jaywan’s payment services will be combined in a single card.

Expanding digital payments across Dubai’s transport network

Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Dubai’s RTA, said the new generation of Nol–Jaywan cards represents an important step in developing financial and technological solutions for public transport and connecting these services with users’ everyday needs.

He said cooperation with national entities and the private sector to expand payment options could help improve service efficiency, make public transport more attractive and advance digital payments in Dubai.

Saif Humaid Al Dhaheri, Assistant Governor for Banking Operations and Support Services at the Central Bank of the UAE and Chairman of Al Etihad Payments, said integrating Jaywan with Nol cards would help connect different parts of the financial services and transport sectors.

He added that the partnership goes beyond introducing a new payment method and seeks to establish an integrated, flexible and secure financial infrastructure to support the growth of the UAE’s digital economy.

Al Dhaheri also said acceptance of Jaywan cards would gradually expand within the UAE and in international markets.

When will the new cards become publicly available?

Although the Nol–Jaywan pilot is scheduled to begin in November 2026, Dubai’s RTA has not yet announced an exact date for the cards’ public rollout.

It also remains unclear whether existing Nol cardholders will need to replace their cards. A full list of retailers and outlets that will accept the new joint cards has yet to be published.

The initiative is part of a broader project to modernise the Nol system by moving it from a card-based platform to an account-based payment system.

Dubai’s RTA previously said that about 72 per cent of the project had been completed by July 2026, with all stages of the system upgrade expected to be finished by the end of the first quarter of 2027.

Once fully implemented, the project will allow passengers to use a range of payment methods across Dubai’s public transport network, including bank cards, digital wallets and new-generation Nol cards.