Dubai has invested in a well-organized bus network of 119 internal bus lines, including 35 lines linking to metro stations. You can easily switch from the bus to the metro to reach your destination. They have 12 intercity lines to transport passengers to other emirates. Because of these bus connections between the emirates, it is accessible for everyone to go everywhere. Next to the 62 internal lines there are also 8 fast lines to spare some time. All these lines and connections ensure that 82 % of the urban areas of Dubai can be reached.
Dubai is still growing fast. Possibly lines and stops have already been added to the network. For the most up-to-date information check the public transport site, see link at the bottom of the page.
The bus in Dubai
All buses in Dubai have air conditioning, air freshener and monitors on which the route information can be seen. This makes it easy to see where you are and where you are going. The bus system works with a check-in-prepaid chip card system. The bus tickets are for sale at the major bus stations and not on the bus itself. For tourists there is the possibility to buy a day ticket which allows unlimited travel on bus and metro.
Waiting for the bus at 40 degrees is no fun, that is why many bus stops in Dubai are air-conditioned. The bus shelters are very recognizable with their half-round silver appearance. The doors are often provided with advertising and a sun-resistant material so that the heat of the sun has no effect on the temperature in the bus shelters. In the winter the air conditioning in the bus shelters is often switched off while it is still warm according to European standards. In Dubai they are used to temperatures of between 35 and 45 degrees and everything below that can be called cold.
With this large network, it may seem difficult to choose the right connections, but they have solution for that. On this website you can find a routeplanner where you can plan the route from a to b. Simply enter your starting location and your end destination and your route is created for you in just a second. You can even choose the type of transport you would like to travel with. Extended with the following options: the fastest route, the route with the fewest changes, the route where you have to walk the least.
More information about the bus lines in Dubai can be found at www.rta.ae.
