Why Do Dubai Taxi Roofs Have Different Colours & What Do The 6 Colours Mean?

You’re standing on a street in Dubai. The sun’s blazing, your coffee’s lukewarm, and suddenly—bam! A sand-coloured car with a red roof zips by. Should you wave it down? Is that the right one? Or should you wait for the green one? Or was it yellow? Ugh. Relax. The colours aren’t random, and no, it’s not a citywide game of Taxi Pokémon. Each Taxi roof colour denotes a different franchise under Dubai’s RTA (Roads and Transport Authority). And we’re here to decode this rainbow once and for all.

Why The Taxi Roof Colour Difference In Dubai Exist

Let’s rewind a bit. Once upon a pre-2000s time, Dubai’s taxis looked wildly different from one another. Think chaos, but on four wheels. Then the RTA swooped in and said, “Let’s make things… not confusing.”

So, all taxis have a uniform sand-coloured body. Chic. Minimalist. But the roof? That’s where they let the companies flex their colours. The result: every colour roof tells you who’s driving the show while still keeping fares and service levels the same. The price stays fixed, no matter the colour. Phew.

The Colour Code You Didn’t Know You Needed

1. Red Roof – Dubai Taxi Corporation
The OG and the biggest. If you’ve ever taken a cab in Dubai, chances are it had a red top. Backed by RTA, they’re everywhere.

Call: 800 88088
Book via: DTC or Careem app

2. Blue Roof – Cars Taxi
Dubai’s first franchised taxi company. Been around since 2000, running both fuel and hybrid cars.

Call: 04 269 3344
Book via: Careem app

3. Green Roof – Arabia Taxi
Eco-warriors on wheels. Arabia Taxi flaunts hybrids and aims for smooth, clean rides

Call: 04 285 1111
Book via: Careem app

4. Yellow Roof – National Taxi
Started with just 50 cabs. Now they’ve grown into a fleet of over 1700. You’ll spot them in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Call: 04 339 0002
Book via: Careem app

5.Orange Roof – Metro Taxi
Smaller but mighty. You won’t see as many of these, but they’re just as reliable.

Call: 04 267 3222
Book via: Careem app

6. Pink Roof – Ladies’ Taxi (Dubai Taxi Corporation)
Pink Roof taxis are specially curated for women and are driven by women. Comforting, respectful, and designed with safety in mind.

Call: 800 88088
Book via: DTC app

The Final Stop: Why You Should Care

So, does the roof colour change your fare? Nope. Does it tell you something important? Absolutely. Knowing what each roof colour means helps you book smarter, feel safer, and sound cooler when you explain it to your confused cousin visiting from abroad.

So, next time someone asks why Dubai taxis look like a colour-coded filing system on wheels, you can just wink and say, “It’s all part of the plan, mate.”

Cover Image Courtesy: Zara Nilli/Flickr