Home

Thursday 12 September 2024 (UAE)

Public transport in Dubai, UAE

Coronavirus in the UAE: Some information on this website is out of date as a result of measures taken in the UAE to deal with the coronavirus crisis. Confirm with official or authoritative sources.

Public Transport in Dubai and the UAE

This page under development.

Public transport in Dubai - information about RTA and other government operated transportation services available to the general public in Dubai and the UAE. Marine and road services include abras and other ferry services on Dubai Creek, intercity and local buses, the Dubai Metro, Dubai Waterbus, Dubai Taxi.

Public transport services available by emirate, and Al Ain city

Planned start date included if available.

Emirate or area	Abu Dhabi	Ajman	Al Ain	Dubai	Fujairah	RAK	Sharjah	UAQ	W Region¹	Notes
Transport mode
Abra				Yes
Bus, local	Good		Good	Good			Some
Bus, intercity	Good	Poor	Poor	Good	Poor	Poor	Good	Poor	Some
Careem	Yes			Yes
Ferry				Tourists						See waterbus or abra
Metro	Planned			Yes
Monorail				Limited
Taxi	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Train	Planned			Planned						Intercity only planned
Tram				2014
Uber²	Yes			Yes						Taxis cheaper²
Water Bus				Yes
Water Taxi				Yes

Western Region of Abu Dhabi emirate, also called Al Gharbia (Al Gharbiya), includes Liwa area, towns of Ruwais, Al Ghayathi.
UberBlack launched in Dubai in Sep 2013, UberX and Uber for Business launched in Sep 2014. Uber Middle East office in Dubai Internet City (DIC). Uber rates more expensive than RTA taxis, the RTA imposed a 30% surcharge on normal taxi rates for Uber fares. In the UAE Uber "partners with limousine companies and their drivers licensed by the RTA" (Al Arabiya 24 Jun 2014) to provide taxi services. So no, private car owners can't just sign up to Uber and start offering rides in the UAE, they'll need to get a job as a driver for a company already providing that sort of service.

Al Sufouh Tram - construction Jan 2008 to Sep 2009 for first phase.

Information overlap with transport in Dubai and taxis in Dubai.

RAK buses starting Monday 25 May 2009

Move to intercity buses page.

Bus services from Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) to Ajman (AED 15), Dubai (AED 20), Sharjah (AED 20), Umm Al Quwain (AED 10).
Buses start from RAK taxi station at entrance to RAK on the coast road.
Operated by RAK Transport Authority.
Bus services to other emirates and cities expected to be launched at a later date.
A new bus station will be established in the Al Nakheel area of Ras Al Khaimah. One day.

Women only buses

Move to bus services page.

Gulf News 07 April 2009, starting 10 April 2009? Male drivers but maybe female drivers eventually.

2008 Feb or Mar press release double decker buses between Dubai and Sharjah

Move to Dubai Sharjah bus services page.

Double decker buses for Dubai-Sharjah route - Double decker bus service will be launched between Dubai and Sharjah in August of this year to improve transport between the emirates, according to senior officials of the Public Transport Department in Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority. Seventy state-of-the-art buses will be used as part of the service, each of which will have 90 seats.

Buses

Bus services in Dubai - main page.

Dubai city buses - route map n/a from rta.ae. See DM site (References) for individual pdf timetables and route maps. Overall map is poor quality and illegible. See rta.ae site map (clumsy URLs) for info on night bus services. 401 & 402 are airport buses. 34 goes to the Youth Hostel. 8 & 8A along JB Road.
Buses - inter-emirate
Airconditioned bus stops - 500 to have air-conditioned shelters by April 2008 in phase I, another 156 by October 2008 in phase II, another 75 in the Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority (JAFZA) in phase III.
The AC bus stations will have ATMs, vending machines and garbage recycling containers.
Buses on many routes are congested and traffic congestion causes delays with many commuters reporting long waits - not pleasant in the summer heat.
Director of the RTA Public Buses Department is Abdullah Yousif Al Ali.

Bus routes announced 10 January 2008, start date unknown

Move to bus routes page.

C0, Deira City Centre to Dubai Zoo in Jumeirah
X23, Academic City to Al Nahda
X35, Al Warqaa to the Green Community
53, International City to Mall of the Emirates

Other transport options

Move to transport in Dubai page. Or link to relevant pages.

Boats
Car sharing, car pool, car lifts. RTA Sharekni online carpool registration system.
Hovercraft
Metro (Dubai Metro)
Shared Taxis
Taxis
Trains
Water taxis
Water Bus - boat service on Dubai Creek, not the same as the Wonder Bus. 10 Feb 2008 (press release) - extra service for DSF on Line B4 across Dubai Creek from Bani Yas Station (Shindagha?) to Al Seef Station, operating hours 6 am to 11 pm, every 10 minutes, trip takes 3 minutes, cost 4 dhs per trip. Car parking available at Al Shindagha Station (same as Bani Yas Station?). Starts 24 January 2008, finishes 24 February 2008. Water buses ferry about 1500 passengers per day (July 2010).
Wonder Bus - the amphibious bus and boat tourist attraction.

Dubai to Ras Al Khaimah hovercraft service (RAK-Dubai hovercraft)

Move to transport in Dubai or UAE page.

Faisal Ali Moosa, managing partner of High Rise Real Estate (developers of the 7 billion dhs Emirates Flag project) said in Sep 2006 that they would introduce a fast hovercraft service between Dubai and RAK by 2008 - scheduled completion date of the real estate project.
Hesham Al Gani, designer of the Emirates Flag project, said they would provide the fleet of high speed water jet taxis.
Information from Gulf News report 22 September 2006.

Dubai Water Taxi service (Gulf News 27 February 2008)

10 water taxis (costing AED 30 million) operating on Dubai Creek.
Water taxi will have central A/C, 11 business class seats with table and remote controlled LCD screens, including 2 for special needs.
Water taxi specifications are catamaran design, length 11 meters, width 4 meters, weight 9 tons, speed up to 35 knots.
Water taxis to be booked like normal taxis, wait on creekside at designated locations.
Water taxi service operating both sides of Floating Bridge until it is demolished (by 2013).

Update 19 July 2010 (press release)

11 Water Taxis to operate with 5 starting on launch date Wednesday 21 July 2010. Boats have cruising speed of about 35 knots, powered by 270 horsepower engines, dimensions 11 meters long and 4 meters wide, weight 9 tons.
18 destinations along Dubai Creek and the coast to Jebel Ali.
Operating hours 1000-2200 (10am-10pm).
Toll-free telephone for bookings is 800-9090 (within UAE).
Fare from Al Seef water taxi terminal across to Dubai Creek Park is AED 50.
Dubai Festival City to Jebel Ali Hotel and Spa journey costs about AED 570, trip duration about 80 minutes.
One hour private hire AED 400, 2 hour cruise AED 200 per person, private charters AED 3,000 per hour.
Business class seats (reclining up to 45 degrees), tables, flat-screen TVs, air-conditioned.
Wheelchair access and seating for 2 special needs passengers.
Water Taxi service initially established by Executive Decision No 18 of the year 2010 mandating Public Transport Agency of the RTA in Dubai to run the service.
List of Dubai Water Taxi stations includes Al Mamzar, Deira Old Souq, Al Sabkha, Bani Yas, Dubai Festival City, Al Shindagha, Bur Dubai, Al Fheidi (Al Fahidi), Al Seef, Dubai Creek Park (A,B), Al Boom Tourist Village, Open Beach Jumeirah, Jumeirah Beach Park, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai Marina, Jebel Ali Hotel and Spa, Atlantis Hotel.
Future locations might include Meridian Mina Seyahi Hotel and Royal Mirage Hotel.

Dubai to Ajman Water Taxi service (Gulf News 12 October 2009)