Abu Dhabi to launch on-demand connector bus service

Abu Dhabi: An on-demand bus service will be launched next week to support residents living in the capital’s suburban areas, the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) announced on Tuesday.

The Abu Dhabi Link service allows commuters to request a connecting bus through a mobile application. It is designed to transport commuters to bus stops so that they can easily access public buses.

Service availability

In the trial phase, the service will be available between 6AM and 10PM in the areas of Al Bahia, Al Rahba, Al Samha and Al Sadr. ITC, the emirate’ public transport provider, said a significant number of passengers are expected to use the new service upon its launch. The number of passengers will be linked to seven people at a time, as a precautionary measure against COVID-19, while vehicles will be regularly cleaned and sterilised after each trip.

During the COVID-19 restrictions, Abu Dhabi Link was deployed to transport healthcare professionals to and from their workplaces. The vehicles are generally smaller than public buses in the emirate, but unlike other connector bus services in Abu Dhabi, these vehicles can be requested through the mobile app.

How to request a bus

Passengers need to download the Abu Dhabi Link application, available in Apple Store and Google Play, then identify the pick-up and drop-off location with a suitable pick-up time. The application will then present when and where to meet the driver, with details about the bus including its type and plate number. The user will also be able to access real-time tracking on the application.