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Visiting Dubai? Then Read About Its Public Transportation
Public Transportation In Dubai
Indeed, Dubai has become a popular vacation spot for Nigerians. It has also become a venue for parties and other forms of rendezvous.
It’s not surprising. Dubai is a beautiful city. The city also offers diverse options for entertainment, dining, shopping, etc.
Billions of dollars have been invested in the city in trying to attract foreign tourists. This is why it has become one of the most visited cities in the world.
However, one thing that impresses visitors in Dubai is the city’s excellent public transportation system.
The public transportation system in Dubai consists of buses (RTA Buses), Ferries, monorail system, tram, and the Dubai metro.
The operator of the entire public transportation infrastructure is the Road and Transport Authority (RTA).
In 2018, Dubai received 15.92 million overnight tourist visitors. Out of that figure, 185,000 were Nigerians. And the figures keep increasing steadily.
So, are you planning to visit Dubai?
In this article, Autojosh.com gives an overview of the various means of public transportation in Dubai. This is intended to help visitors, especially first-time visitors, on how to navigate their way around the city via public transport.
Dubai Metro
The Dubai Metro is a rail network in the city of Dubai. All the trains are fully automated and driverless. They are also air-conditioned with platform edge doors.
In the city centre, the railway line runs underground. In other locations, it runs on elevated viaducts (elevated railway) where it provides a great view overlooking the city. This way, it offers tourists an interesting view of the city.
The Dubai metro is considered to be one of the most modern public transportation systems in the world. To ride in any of the trains, you would have to purchase a ticket at any of the metro stations.
One way ticket on the metro costs about 5 Dirhams (N500) or you can buy a day’s pass for 20 Dirhams (N2000).
The tickets are in the form of Nol cards, which can also be used to pay for a Tram and Dubai bus transport.
Dubai public Transportation system is divided into 7 zones. The price of the journey depends on the number of zones crossed during the trip.
To plan out how to get around Dubai, we recommend using the official app by the RTA: the WOJHATI. This app can be downloaded for free from Playstore or AppStore. With it, you can look up the trains’ time schedules and tariff prices so that you can easily and cost-effectively plan your day in Dubai.
Dubai Tram
A tram is similar to a train in many ways. It runs on a railway-like line called a tramway. Just like trains, they consist of a series of coaches/carriages/vehicles. Trams usually run from a tramway to a railway line. It has also been modified to have the speed of a train
The Dubai Tram operates on a tramway located in Al Sufouh in Dubai.
If you’re planning to stay in Al Sufouh, you might need to use the Dubai Tram.
The Tram provides access to destinations such as the Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Lake Towers.
It runs for 14.5 kilometres (9.0 mi) along Al Sufouh Road from Dubai Marina to the Palm Jumeirah and Al Sufouh. A complete trip on the tramway takes about 42 minutes. The Dubai Tram is also connected with the monorail of the Palm Jumeirah at the entrance of the Palm from Sufouh Road.
Just like the Dubai Metro, you can also pay for a ride on a Tram using the Nol cards.
Dubai Monorail
The Palm Monorail or the Palm Jumeirah Monorail is a monorail line on the Palm Jumeirah Island in Dubai. It is the first monorail in the Middle East. The line opened on April 30, 2009.
The monorail connects the Palm Jumeirah to the mainland.
The trains that run on the monorail are driverless, though there are attendants who are available for any emergencies.
To board the Palm Monorail, you have to buy tickets at the stations. You cannot use the Nol card. Also, tickets can only be bought with cash.
It is a little bit expensive, but it gives you the aerial view of the palm, and it takes you to the top of the Palm and back. So it runs from the trunk of the palm to the iconic Atlantis the Palm Hotel.
A single trip will cost you 20 dirhams (N2000) and a round trip 30 dirhams (N3000).
Dubai City Bus
Dubai boasts of over 1500 high capacity commercial buses. All the buses are air-conditioned. They travel along almost 120 different routes crisscrossing the city. There are four different kinds of buses: standard, double-decker, and articulated (extra-long), and metro link.
You board the bus through the front door and exit through the rear door. Three rows of seats in the front of the bus are reserved for lady passengers. You are not permitted to eat, drink or smoke on the bus.
Transportation by these buses is a great way to commute at a budget. You can use the Nol card to pay for rides. The bus stops are also airconditioned to keep you cool when it is hot.
Around 250,000 passengers travel on the system per day. These buses cover about 80% of the city. In other words, it spans the whole length and breadth of 4,110 square kilometres area of the Emirate of Dubai.
The Public Bus Transport system in the Emirate of Dubai is run by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
Dubai Ferry
The Dubai Ferry is targeted at tourists. It is designed to allow visitors to see the city of Dubai from the water.
In most countries, the term ‘ferry’ would imply a boat that takes you from one place to another for more of a public transport purpose. However, the Dubai Ferry is more of a tourist trip start at one of the ferry stations, tours around areas of local interest, and return to the same station, with each trip lasting for an hour to 90 minutes.
Currently, Dubai Ferry runs from 5 terminals, 7 days week. The trips run for approximately 1 hour. It is a comfortable and quite affordable way to see the city from the water.
Depending on the Class of the ticket, a ride in the Dubai Ferry ranges from AED 5o (N500) to AED 70 (N700). For children between 0 – 5 years, rides are free.
Uber/Careem
In Dubai, you can move around by requesting for a ride with Uber or Careem. Careem is Dubai’s home-grown car-hailing company. In March 2019, Uber acquired Careem for $3.1 Billion. As part of the deal, Careem maintains an independent brand and operates separately.
In Dubai, Uber and Careem typically cost more than a taxi. The advantage is that Uber offers a flat rate, so if there is traffic and you are going a long distance, it can also be cheaper. In general, Careem is less expensive than Uber for shorter distances and Uber is less expensive for longer distances.
RTA Taxi
Dubai Taxis are an easy and convenient means of moving around the city.
A majority of the taxis are operated by the government. However, there are also a few private companies offering similar services. There are taxis with pink roofs that are for ladies only. This ensures that female visitors and residents alike have the safest and most comfortable environment possible.
Previously, commuters could phone the RTA call centre to get a taxi. However, all that has changed. In December 2019, all bookings for taxis can only be made using the new Hala e-hailing feature on the Careem app. The average waiting time for a taxi through the app is three-and-a-half minutes.
All taxis run on a metered service. The charges are based on the distance covered. So it is important to ask your driver to turn on their meter if they have not automatically done so. Using taxis is not very expensive; per kilometre, price is around 2.5-3 AED (N250 – N300).
For instance, at the airport, on arrival in the city, one can easily get a taxi Airport to The Walk (Jumeirah Beach Residence): 100 AED (N10000); the Walk to Atlantis (The Palm): 35 AED (N3500); the Walk to The Mall of The Emirates: 30 AED (N3000).
Many hotels offer their own ‘taxi’ service, but they are usually 25-40% more expensive than a regular taxi.
Car Rentals
In Dubai, relying on public transport to get you to different locations in the city can be quite a time consuming and expensive exercise. Public transport in Dubai works well but it does not cover the whole city. This can prevent you from going to some interesting places.
Renting a car in Dubai is not part of public transportation. However, it is a means to get you to as many places as you would wish.
If you are planning on making the most of your visit to Dubai, then renting a car would be worth it, even if it is for a day or two.
Driving around Dubai is one of the best ways to get maximize your experience in the city. Besides, Dubai is a place built for driving. So, if you desire to maximize your experience in Dubai, then renting a car is your best bet.
With a rented car, you can drive on the city’s fantastic road network and high-quality highways while admiring the wonderful and scenic avenues and desert landscape.
The business of renting cars in Dubai has become a big industry in recent years. So one can rent a car in Dubai easily.
The car rental market in this country is quite a competitive sector, which can only mean one thing – there are higher chances you will find some affordable, cheap car rentals in Dubai!
However, before renting a car in Dubai, it is important you know the general UAE driving rules and regulations.
It is also important to download a Navigator App. It will help and guide you navigate your way around the well-planned city. Personally, I would recommend Wave navigation app.
Uber helicopter
It goes without saying, Dubai is a beautiful city. No wonder that the city is one of the top tourist destinations in the world.
However, there is no better way to fall in love with the city than from the sky. UberChopper – a helicopter transportation service provided by Uber – is just one way to move around the city and beyond. And it is a guarantee that you would enjoy the view down below.
All you have to do is get on a flight is to get on your mobile phone and request for a flight, for just Dh650 a person.
The UberCHOPPER offer 12- and 15-minute aerial tours of Dubai. They are available for pre-booking at the tap of a button.
A 15-minute helicopter ride through the Uber app costs Dh650 per person or Dh530 per person for groups of six or more. The cost could go as high as AED1050.
To request for a helicopter tour, simply use the Uber app to request a flight time between 9 am and 6 pm daily. When the booking has been accepted, someone will call you to confirm the flight, check a few details including your weight.
When the booking is accepted, the team will call you to confirm the flight and check a few necessary details, including your weight.
