How to buy a Dhaka Metro ticket: single journey, MRT Pass or Rapid Pass
There are three ways to pay for the Dhaka Metro: a single journey ticket from a machine or the counter at any station, an MRT Pass, or a Rapid Pass. Both cards take 10% off every trip and let you skip the ticket queue. You can’t buy a single ticket online yet, but you can recharge a card online with bKash, Nagad, Rocket or a bank card.
Single ticket, MRT Pass or Rapid Pass?
| Single journey ticket | MRT Pass | Rapid Pass | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Issued by | DMTCL | DMTCL | DTCA |
| Costs | The fare, ৳20–৳100 | ৳500, including ৳300 of travel credit | ৳400: ৳200 deposit + ৳200 credit |
| Where | Ticket machine or ticket office, any station | Excess Fare Office at any station, with a form | Station ticket counters and Dutch-Bangla Bank booths |
| Discount | None | 10% every trip | 10% every trip |
| Works on | One metro trip, on the day you buy it | Metro | Metro and some bus routes |
| Recharge | – | Machine, counter or online, up to ৳10,000 balance | Machine, counter or online |
| Lasts | The day you buy it | Up to 10 years | No fixed expiry |
| You need | Nothing | A registration form | A national ID card (NID) |
Our advice: if you ride more than a few times a month, get a card. On the metro the MRT Pass and the Rapid Pass give exactly the same discount; the Rapid Pass also works on some buses. New MRT Passes have often been in short supply since 2025, so if the counter has none, get a Rapid Pass.
How to buy a single journey ticket
- At the station, go to a ticket vending machine (TVM) or the ticket office.
- On the machine, choose your destination station and how many tickets you need (up to 5 at a time).
- Pay with cash. Keep small notes handy; at busy times the machine is faster than the counter. Not sure of the price? Check the fare chart.
- Tap the ticket on the marked spot on the entry gate and go up to the platform.
- At your destination, put the ticket into the slot on the exit gate. The gate keeps it and opens.
How to get an MRT Pass
- Go to the Excess Fare Office (EFO) at any metro station.
- Fill in the MRT Pass registration form (it is also on DMTCL’s website).
- Pay ৳500. ৳300 of that is on the card for travel.
- Tap the card on the entry and exit gates. The fare, less 10%, comes off your balance.
You can top up any amount, up to a ৳10,000 balance, at a ticket machine or the ticket office, or online (below). DMTCL says an MRT Pass can be used for up to 10 years.
How to get a Rapid Pass
The Rapid Pass is issued by the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA). Any Bangladeshi citizen with a national ID card can get one, for ৳400: a ৳200 deposit and ৳200 to travel with. You can buy it at the ticket counters of most metro stations and at Dutch-Bangla Bank (DBBL) booths in metro stations. Register the card on rapidpass.com.bd or the Rapid Pass app: only registered cards can be refunded or replaced if lost.
How to recharge an MRT Pass or Rapid Pass online
- Open rapidpass.com.bd or the official Rapid Pass app, and log in with your mobile number (or create an account and add your card).
- Pick your card and enter an amount from ৳100 to ৳5,000.
- Pay with bKash, Nagad, Rocket or a bank card. In the bKash app, the “Metro Rail” option opens the same page.
- At any metro station, tap your card on an Add Value Machine (AVM). Until you do, the recharge is only “pending” and the money is not on the card.
Rules that can cost you money
- The 60-minute limit. A single journey ticket works for 60 minutes after you tap in. If you take longer, you pay at the Excess Fare Office so that your total comes to ৳200, including the fare you already paid.
- Going further than you paid for. If you ride past the station on your ticket, pay the difference at the Excess Fare Office.
- Not enough balance on your card. If your card runs short at the exit, top it up at the counter next to the exit gates.
- Free and discounted tickets can’t be passed to someone else.
Who travels free or for less
- Children shorter than 3 feet: free, with a guardian.
- War-wounded freedom fighters: free ticket at the ticket office, with ID.
- Senior citizens (65+) and passengers with disabilities: 25% off, ticket office only. There is no student discount.
How to check your card balance
Any ticket vending machine or Add Value Machine at a station shows your balance when you place the card on it. If you have an Android phone with NFC, the MetroPath app from Google Play shows the balance and recent trips in its Card tab when you hold the card to the back of the phone. The card is read on your phone and nothing is sent anywhere.
Lost or damaged card
Rapid Pass: report a lost card to the Rapid Pass helpline straight away, so nobody else can use it. Only a registered card can be replaced: apply at the Rapid Pass counter of a metro station (or on rapidpass.com.bd) with your card number, name and mobile number, and keep the voucher you get. A replacement for a lost card costs a ৳200 deposit plus a ৳200 reissue fee; a damaged card costs ৳200. Your old balance moves to the new card. Collect it from the same counter within 15 days.
MRT Pass: go to the Excess Fare Office at any station. DMTCL has a separate refund and reissue form for the MRT Pass.
Don’t need your Rapid Pass any more? Return a registered card: a ৳20 refund fee is deducted and the deposit plus the remaining balance are paid back the same day.
Can you buy metro tickets online or with a QR code?
Not yet. DMTCL has talked about QR-code tickets paid by mobile banking since 2024, and in August 2026 it said it was starting the tender for the system. Until it launches, single tickets are sold only at stations, and a card with online recharge is the closest thing to buying online.
Next: the metro schedule, including Friday timings.
Sources
- DMTCL: MRT Pass and single journey ticket rules (leaflet)
- DMTCL: MRT Pass forms and information
- Rapid Pass (DTCA): where to get, usage and recharge guidelines
- Rapid Pass (DTCA): important guidelines (registration, refund, reissue)
- DMTCL: Fare table for senior citizens and passengers with disabilities (25 May 2026)
- The Business Standard: MRT, Rapid Pass users can now recharge cards online (25 Nov 2025)
- Prothom Alo: How to recharge a metro rail card using bKash (Dec 2025)
- bdnews24: Metro rail to introduce QR code system (Aug 2026)
- Wikipedia: MRT Pass (price and credit)
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy a Dhaka Metro ticket online?
Not a single journey ticket. You buy those at the station, from a ticket vending machine or the ticket office. DMTCL said in August 2026 it was starting the tender for QR-code tickets. You can recharge an MRT Pass or Rapid Pass online.
How do I recharge my Rapid Pass or MRT Pass online?
Log in at rapidpass.com.bd or the Rapid Pass app, choose your card and an amount from ৳100 to ৳5,000, and pay with bKash, Nagad, Rocket or a bank card. Then tap the card on an Add Value Machine (AVM) at any metro station. The money is not on the card until you tap.
MRT Pass or Rapid Pass: which is better?
On the metro they are the same: 10% off every trip and no ticket queue. The Rapid Pass also works on some buses and other transport, and you register it with your NID. The MRT Pass works on the metro only.
What happens if I stay inside the station for more than 60 minutes?
A single journey ticket works for 60 minutes after you enter. If you take longer, you pay at the Excess Fare Office so that your total comes to ৳200, including the fare you already paid.
What should I do if I lose my Rapid Pass or MRT Pass?
Report a lost Rapid Pass to the Rapid Pass helpline straight away. If the card was registered, apply at a station’s Rapid Pass counter: a new card costs a ৳200 deposit plus a ৳200 reissue fee, and your balance moves to it. Collect it within 15 days. For an MRT Pass, ask at a station’s Excess Fare Office, which handles DMTCL’s reissue form.
How many tickets can I buy at once?
A ticket vending machine sells up to 5 single journey tickets at a time. Each ticket works only on the day you buy it.
How do I check my metro card balance?
At any ticket vending machine or Add Value Machine in a station. On an Android phone with NFC, the MetroPath app from Google Play shows the balance and recent trips in its Card tab when you hold the card to the back of the phone.
Gazi Masud makes MetroPath, a free Dhaka Metro app. Every fare, time and rule in these guides comes from DMTCL, DTCA or Rapid Pass sources. Spotted something out of date? Email gazi@gazimasud.com