Update: Your guide to RTA bus routes, fare and stations around Dubai

Dubai: Have you ever thought of travelling by a bus in Dubai but don’t know where to begin?

You don’t need to overthink your trip any longer, as we break down Dubai’s vast bus route network, the fare, stations and everything in-between:

About Dubai Bus

The Public Transport Agency (PTA) under Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) manages 1,518 buses operating a web of 119 internal lines – in which 35 link with Metro stations (called feeder buses), 12 run between emirates (intercity), 62 run within Dubai and eight are ‘Express lines’.

Bus timings

Dubai Bus operates every day from 4am to 1am (the next day). You can normally catch a bus at a station every five to 30 minutes, depending on the traffic.

How do bus numbers work?

The bus number or route ID is essentially the number of the bus assigned to a particular route. An electronic sign on the front and back of the bus displays this number and the location where it is headed.

You can also tell a lot about the route a bus will take by its colour. For example, regular RTA buses operating within the city are red whereas Feeder buses are blue.

Using your Nol Card

There are four categories of Nol cards, which is a smart ticket applicable to all means of public transport throughout Dubai (this includes the Dubai Metro and tram):

1. Red Ticket: Paper-based ticket that can be bought from RTA ticket vending machines for Dh2. It can be used for 10 single trips.

2. Blue (Personal) Card: Can be loaded with up to Dh5,000 in its e-purse. You can purchase this card for Dh70, out of which Dh50 is the cost of the card and Dh20 is the top-up balance.

3. Gold Card: Can be loaded with up to Dh1,000 in its e-purse. You can purchase this card for Dh25, out of which Dh19 is the top-up balance. With the gold card, you have access to the Metro’s gold class seats for a premium fare. It is valid for five years.

4. Silver Card: Can be loaded with up to Dh1,000 in its e-purse. You can purchase this card for Dh25, out of which Dh19 is the top-up balance. It is valid for five years.

You can apply for a Nol card online (here: https://www.rta.ae/wps/portal/rta/ae/public-transport/nol/apply-pcard?lang=en) or at a Metro station.

Breakdown of Nol fares and planning your route

It is important to plan your journey because it might be faster to reach a bus station through the Metro, rather than walking or hailing a taxi. Dubai’s public transport system is divided into seven zones and each zone contains a Metro station, bus station, tram station and water bus station.

At the end of your trip, you will be charged according to the total number of zones you crossed. However, travelling between two different modes of transport (such as from a Metro on to a bus) must be done within 30 minutes, for it to be counted as part of a single journey.

Transport fares based on cards

Within one zone:

• Dh3 (Blue)

• Dh3 (Silver)

• Dh4 (Red)

• Dh6 (Gold)

Adjacent two zones:

• Dh5 (Blue)

• Dh5 (Silver)

• Dh6 (Red)

• Dh10 (Gold)

More than two zones:

• Dh7.5 (Blue)

• Dh7.5 (Silver)

• Dh8.5 (Red)

• Dh15 (Gold)

Nol cards must have a minimum e-purse value of Dh7.50 to board the bus.

Children under five years of age ride for free, across all modes of transport.

You can plan your journey accordingly through the RTA Planner here: https://www.rta.ae/wps/portal/rta/ae/public-transport/journeyplanner?lang=en

Bus stations

Main bus stations

There are two main bus stations in Dubai – one in the Deira area and the other in Bur Dubai. These stations are often the terminal points for intercity bus routes as well as several intra-city lines.

1. Al Ghubaiba Bus Station (Bur Dubai) - Location

2. Gold Souq Bus Station (Deira) - Location

Sub bus stations

These are smaller bus stops, located in their residential districts.

• Al Satwa Bus Station

Location

• Al Qusais Bus Station

Location

• Al Sabkha Bus Station

Location

• Deira City Centre Bus Station

Location

• Al Karama Bus Station

Location

• Al Quoz Bus Station

Location

• Union Square Bus Station

Location

Feeder bus stations

These bus stations are located in the vicinity of their respective Dubai Metro stations. Buses from these stations take commuters to nearby localities.

• Mall of the Emirates Bus Station

Location

• Al Rashidiya Bus Station

Location

• Ibn Battuta Bus Station

Location

• Abu Hail Bus Station

Location

• Jebel Ali Bus Station

Location

Outside bus station

The Hatta bus station is categorised as an outside bus station, as it is located on the outskirts of Dubai city.

• Hatta Bus Station

Location

Bus Routes

Here is a complete list of the bus routes in Dubai, in order of the bus number.

Local bus routes - Grey

These bus routes are signified by a number and the buses are colour-coded grey. They run throughout the city and make more frequent stops between stations:

Central Business District (CBD) – Brown

These bus routes are prefixed by a ‘C’ and are colour-coded brown. These run between Deira and Bur Dubai – Dubai’s Central Business Districts:

Express bus routes – Red

These are prefixed by an ‘X’ and are colour-coded red. However, there are two exceptions (13B) and (91A), two buses that start their journey from the main Gold Souq Bus Station. Buses on the Express route stop at fewer stations, and that too in central residential districts, to allow passengers to travel across the city as fast as possible:

Feeder bus – Blue

These routes are represented by an ‘F’ and are colour-coded blue. These begin from Dubai Metro stations and provide access to nearby localities:

Night buses – Black

These routes are represented with an ‘N’ and are colour-coded black. There are only two routes that these night buses ply. They operate every evening from 9pm to 5am the next day:

N30 – Dragon Mart 2 to Airport Terminal 2

N55 – Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to Al Maktoum Airport

Intercity buses – Gold

These routes are denoted with an ‘E’ and are colour-coded gold. These bus routes connect travellers in Dubai to Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Ajman, Sharjah, Fujairah and Hatta:

Seasonal bus routes – Green

These buses are colour-coded green and only pop up during Global Village and Dubai Miracle Garden season between October to May each year:

102 – Al Rashidiya Metro Station to Global Village

103 – Union Metro Station to Global Village

104 – Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to Global Village

105 – Mall of the Emirates Metro Station to Miracle Garden

106 – Mall of the Emirates Metro Station to Global Village