Public Transport
The car is the most popular method of transport in Dubai. In addition, the major tourist hotels provide shuttle bus services for guests. However, Dubai Municipality (tel: (04) 221 5555 or 800 4848 (dedicated freephone information line); website: www.dm.gov.ae) operates a reasonable public bus service on over 50 routes, daily
0600-2300. Fares depend on destination and are paid to the driver upon boarding; it is useful for travellers to have the exact change ready.
‘Period Passes' are useful for those staying more than a week in Dubai, allowing cheaper bus travel on a smart card. Passes, timetables and bus maps are available from the bus stations in Deira and Bur Dubai. Routes and bus numbers are posted in both Arabic and English.
Basic wooden boats, locally referred to as abras, cross the creek from Bur Dubai to the Al-Sabkha Station. These are operated by Dubai Municipality daily 0600-2400 (journey time - 5 minutes) and are excellent value. They were joined in 2007 by the air-conditioned Dubai Waterbus (tel: 800 9090; website: www.rta.ae), which runs across the Creek charging four times as much for the same ride.
A hugely expensive 300km (186-mile) metro system is currently under construction, which will have four lines: the Red Line running from Rashidiya Station to Jebel Ali Station; the Green Line running from the Dubai Airport Free Zone to Dubai Health Care City; the Purple Line running between the existing airport and the new one near Jebel Ali; and the Blue Line which will stretch from Emirates Road to the airports. The metro is slated to partially open in 2009 or 2010.