Feeder buses to transport users

Dubai: A total of 787 buses will be used as part of the 'feeder bus service' to carry passengers to and from the Dubai Metro stations and the communities around them.

Some 42 new routes will be launched during the next two months as feeder services for the Red line of the Metro, scheduled to open on September 9 this year.

Gulf News got exclusive access to the map and route plan for the feeder bus services.

"The feeder bus service has been designed to carry passengers from the Metro stations to the communities around the stations," said Mohammad Al Hashemi, Director of Planning and Business Development at the Public Transport Agency of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

Routes for the normal bus services have also been re-designed to interlink them with the stations.

"The maximum walk to get the feeder bus to the Metro station will be 500 metres according to international standards," he added.

He added the feeder bus service would play a key role in attracting passengers to use the Metro.

"It is the perfect answer to the calls of commuters who were worried about reaching the Metro stations," he added.

The feeder buses will have numbers starting with the letter 'F'. Three routes F-46, F43 and F53 have also been launched from Ibn Battuta Metro Station to the communities around including The Gardens, Discovery Gardens, the Green Community, Dubai Lagoon and Dubai Industrial City.

Al Hashemi said that a total of 787 buses would be used as part of the 'feeder service' for both the Red and Green lines. The average frequency between the buses will be 10-minutes which will be reduced to five minutes during peak hours and for busy stations.

Out of a total 787, some 500 buses will be dedicated for the Red line and some 250 for the Green line, which will start in March next year, while the rest will provide backup in case of any breakdowns.

The RTA currently operates around 800 buses on 80 routes in Dubai. The number of buses will increase to 1,300 in September and 1,800 by the end of the year while there will be a total of 2,100 buses by the end of next year to serve almost all areas in Dubai.

Gulf News explains

Sample Journey: Example

1: Journey from Dubai International Airport Station to Union Square (which falls within one zone)

- Cash fare with Red Nol card ticket Dh2.5
- Silver Nol card (economy) Dh2.30
- Gold Nol card (VIP) Dh4.6

Example 2: Journey from Dubai International Airport to Gulf News office (two adjacent zones)

- Cash fare with Red Nol Card Ticket Dh4.5
- Silver Nol card (economy) Dh4.10
- Gold Nol card (VIP) Dh8.20

Example 3: Journey from Dubai International Airport to Jebel Ali Free Zone Station: (more than two zones)

- Cash fare with Red Nol card ticket Dh6.50
- Silver Nol card (economy) Dh5.80
- Gold Nol Card (VIP) Dh11.60

BUS FEEDER ROUTES

Al Rashidiya