Dubai: Hop on a water taxi along with your family and enjoy a round trip from Dubai Creek to Jumeirah and back as the Roads and Transport Authority launches special family packages as well as scheduled daily trips.
The family trips, hired from any stations on the creek or from Jumeriah, should be ordered 24 hours in advance, while the four daily trips are scheduled on two fixed routes from Marsa Dubai, Khor Dubai, Jumeirah Open Beach and Dubai Marina.
“We are trying to have tailor-made packages for our customers as the water taxi is a desired marine transport means. The package will surely help families as they get a trip at an affordable rate, while the scheduled trips will cater to tourists as well as residents,” said Baha Al Qedra, Director of the Marine Department at the RTA’s Public Transport Agency.
The sleek, air-conditioned and metered water taxis, which can accommodate up to ten people, normally cost around Dh550 for a one-way trip between Dubai Creek and Jumeirah, not so affordable for many.
With the launch of a family package the RTA has changed the fare system, instead of metered charges tickets will be charged per head.
“The package will cost Dh185 and if a family of five is travelling then it is better to take the package rather than hire the metered water taxi,” added Al Qedra.
He said that people can customise the trips according to their requirements with several stopovers allowed at tourist locations Heritage Village, the Burj Al Arab and Dubai Marina.
The scheduled daily trips will cover two routes, one between Dubai Creek and Jumeirah Open Beach and the second between Marina Mall Station and Jumeirah Open Beach. Each route will have two trips.
The first trip on route one starts at 8am from Dubai Creek and reaches the Open Beach at 9:45am, and it kicks off in the return trip at 12:30pm and reaches back to Dubai Creek at 2pm. The second trip on the same route starts at 9am and returns at 3pm.
The trips, which cost Dh50 per head for one way, are punctuated by two stops at Baniyas and the Deira Old Souk stations. Kids below the age of two ride for free.
On route two, the first trip starts from Marina Mall station at 9am and reaches the Open Beach at 9.45am and starts its return at 12:30pm and reaches the Marina Mall station at 1:15pm. The second trip goes in the same course and starts at 10am and returns at 2:15pm.
The package trips can be booked by calling the RTA call centre on 8009090, while the scheduled trips don’t require booking.
