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.
These bus stations are located in the vicinity of their respective Dubai Metro stations. Buses from these stations take commuters to nearby localities.
Here is a complete list of the bus routes in Dubai, in order of the bus number.
Bus codes for local bus routes
“D” before every local bus number signifies Dubai Design District bus routes
“DPR” stands for Dubai Parks and Resorts
“J” is Jumeirah Village
“JLT” is Jumeirah Lake Towers
“H” is Hatta
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:
5 – Union Metro Station to Abu Hail Metro Station
6 – Oud Metha to Al Ghubaiba Bus Station
7 – Al Satwa Bus Station to Al Quoz, J Mart
8 – Al Baraha Bus Station to Ibn Battuta Metro Station
9 – Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to Business Bay Metro Station
10 – Gold Souq Bus Station to Al Quoz Bus Station
11A – Gold Souq Bus Station to Al Awir
11B – Rashidiya Metro Station to Al Awir Terminus
12 – Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to Al Quoz Bus Station
13 – Gold Souq Bus Station to Al Qusais Dubai Municipality Housing
13A – Gold Souq Bus Station to Al Qusais Bus Station
13D – Gold Souq Bus Station to Al Qusais Bus Station
15 – Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to Al Khail Gate
17 – Al Sabkha Bus Station to Muhaisnah 4, Wasl Oasis II
20 – Al Nahda Terminus to Al Warsan 3
21 – Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to Al Quoz Industrial Area
22 – Dubai Courts to Al Nahda 1
24 – Al Nahda 2 to International City
27 – Gold Souq Bus Station to the Dubai Mall
28 – The Dubai Mall to Oud Metha
29 – Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to the Dubai Mall
30 – Dubai Mall Metro Station to Dubai Sky Courts
31 – Airport Terminal 2 to Oud Al Mateena
32C – Al Qusais Bus Station to Al Satwa Bus Station
33 – Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to Al Qusais Bus Station
34 – Etisalat Metro Station to Al Khawaneej 2
43 – Gold Souq Bus Station to Airport Terminal 2
44 – Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to Al Rashidiya Metro Station
50 – International City Dragon Mart to Al Khail Gate
53 – Gold Souq Bus Station to International City
55 – Al Satwa Bus Station to International City
56 – Danube Metro Station to Dubai World Central (DWC), Staff Village
61 – Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to Ras Al Khor Samari Residency
62 – Ras Al Khor Vegetable Market to Al Qusais Industrial Area 5
61D – Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to Nad Al Shiba Clinic
63E – Al Qusais Bus Station to Al Quoz Bus Station
64 – Gold Souq Bus Station to Ras Al Khor
64A – Gold Souq Bus Station to Ras Al Khor Samari Residency
66 – Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to Al Faqa
67 – Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to Dubai Endurance city
77 – Baniyas Square Metro Station to Road and Transport Authority (RTA) Headquarters
81 – The Dubai Mall to Mall of the Emirates Metro Station
83 – Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to Al Khail Metro Station
84 – Al Khail Gate to Jumeirah Beach Residence Station
88 – Deira City Centre Bus Station to Dubai Internet City Metro Station
91 – Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to Jebel Ali Bus Station
93 – Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to Mall of the Emirates Metro Station
95 – Al Baraha Bus Station to Jebel Ali Waterfront Camp
95A – Ibn Battuta Metro Station to Jebel Ali Waterfront
96 – Al Quoz Bus Station to Dubai Investment Park 1
97 – Al Qusais Bus Station to Jebel Ali Industrial Area 7
98E – Al Satwa Bus Station to Al Quoz Bus Station
99 – Jebel Ali Bus Station to UAE Exchange Metro Station
310 – Rashidiya Metro Station to International City
320 – Rashidiya Metro Station to Academic City
367 – Etisalat Metro Station to Silicon Oasis
D03 – Dubai Mall Metro Station to Dubai Design District
D03A – Dubai Mall Metro Station to Dubai Design District
DPR1 – Ibn Battuta Metro Station to Dubai Parks and Resorts
J01 – Mall of the Emirates Metro Station to Jumeirah Village Circle
J02 – International Media Production Zone (IMPZ), Centrium Tower to Arabian Ranches
J03 – Dubai Studio City to Damac Hills
J04 – Remraam to Dubai Studio City
JLT1 – Dubai Marina Metro Station to Jumeirah Lake Towers (JLT), Damas
JLT2 – JLT Metro Station to JLT, Silver Tower
H03 – Hatta Bus Station to Masfoot, Residential Building
SM1 - Gold Souk Bus Station to Souk Al Marfa at Deira Islands
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:
C01 – Airport Terminal 3 to Al Satwa Bus Station
C03 – Al Karama Bus Station to Abu Hail Metro Station
C04 – Gold Souq Bus Station to Jaddaf
C05 – Gold Souq Bus Station to Al Ghubaiba Bus Station
C09 – Al Satwa Bus Station to Hor Al Anz East, Qiyadah Metro Station
C10 – Hamriya Port, Control Tower to Mercato Shopping Mall
C14 – Al Nahda 1, Sama Residence to Safa Terminus 1
C15 – Hamriya Port, Control Tower to Deira City Centre Bus Station
C18 – Sheikh Rashid Colony to Oud Metha
C26 – Al Wasl Park to Qusais Industrial Area
C28 – Al Baraha Bus Station to Mamzar Beach Park
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:
13B – Gold Souq Bus Station to Al Qusais Bus Station
91A – Gold Souq Bus Station to Jebel Ali Bus Station
X02 – Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to Al Satwa
X13 – LuLu Village to Al Satwa Bus Station
X22 – Al Qusais Industrial Area 2 to Business Bay Metro Station
X23 – Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to Oud Metha Bus Station
X25 – Al Karama Bus Station to Dubai Outsourcing
X28 – LuLu Village to Dubai Internet City Metro Station
X64 – Al Baraha Bus Station to Ras Al Khor, Terminus
X92 – Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to Dubai Investment Park 1
X94 – Gold Souq Bus Station to Dubai Investment Park
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:
F01 – Union Metro Station to Al Baraha
F02 – Etisalat Metro Station to Muhaisna 4
F03 – Al Rashidiya Metro Station to Mirdiff West
F04 – Deira City Centre Bus Station to Sabkha, Turnoff
F05 – Al Rashidiya Metro Station to Mizhar 1
F06 – Al Rashidiya Metro Station to Al Rashidiya
F07 – Etisalat Metro Station to Al Qusais Dubai Municipality Housing
F08 – Dubai Festival City to Al Nahda 2
F09 – Al Jafiliya Metro Station to Al Wasl Park
F10 – Al Rashidiya Metro Station to Al Warqa
F11 – Financial Centre Metro Station to Al Satwa
F12 – Al Jafiliya Metro Station to Al Wasl Park
F13 – Dubai Mall Metro Station to the Dubai Mall
F14 – Business Bay Metro Station to Bay Square
F15 – Noor Bank Metro Station to Al Quoz Industrial Area 2
F16 – Noor Bank Metro Station to Al Quoz, New Housing
F17 – Noor Bank Metro Station to Al Khail Gate
F18 – Oud Metha Metro Station to Lamcy Plaza
F19A – Bay Square to Capital Golden Tower
F19B – Capital Golden Tower to Bay Square
F20 – Business Bay Metro Station to Al Safa 1
F21 – Al Nahda Metro Station to Al Nahda 2
F22 – Stadium Metro Station to Qusais Industrial Area 4
F23 – Stadium Metro Station to Al Nahda Terminus
F23A – Stadium Metro Station to Al Nahda 1 Terminus
F24 – Stadium Metro Station to Qusais Industrial Area 3
F25 – First Abu Dhabi Bank Metro Station to Al Quoz Industrial Area 3 & 4
F26 – Noor Bank Metro Station to First Abu Dhabi Bank Metro Station
F27 – Al Jafiliya Bus Station to Satwa
F28 – Emirates Tower Metro Station to Satwa
F30 – Mall of the Emirates Metro Station to Dubai Studio City
F31 – Dubai Internet City Metro Station to the Meadows East
F32 – Mall of the Emirates Metro Station the Sustainable City
F33 – Mall of the Emirates Metro Station to Al Barsha 3
F34 – Dubai Internet City Metro Station to Dubai Production City
F35 – Mall of the Emirates Metro Station to the Greens
F36 – Mall of the Emirates Metro Station to Arjan
F37 – Mall of the Emirates Metro Station to Dubai Sports City
F41 – Business Bay Metro Station to Coral Tower
F43 – Ibn Battuta Metro Station to Jebel Ali Gardens
F44 – Energy Metro Station to Discovery Gardens Metro Station
F45 – Al Furjan to Discovery Gardens Metro Station
F46 – Ibn Battuta Metro Station to Dubai Investment Park 2
F47 – Danube Metro Station to Dubai Investment Park 2
F48 – Danube Metro Station to Dubai Investment Park 2
F49 – Jebel Ali Industrial Area to Danube Metro Station
F53 – Danube Metro Station to Dubai Industrial City
F54 – Danube Metro Station to JAFZA South
F55 – Ibn Battuta Metro Station to Al Maktoum Airport
F56 – Al Khail Metro Station to Dubai Internet City Metro Station
F60 – Rashidiya Metro Station to Downtown Mirdiff
F61 – Rashidiya Metro Station to Al Warqa’a
F70 – Oud Metha to Bur Dubai
F81 – Al Qusais Industrial Area to Al Nahda Metro Station
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:
E16 – Al Sabkha Bus Station to Hatta Bus Station
E100 – Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station
E101 – Ibn Battuta Metro Station to Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station
E102 – Ibn Battuta Metro Station to Mussafa Shabia Bus Station
E201 – Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to Al Ain Bus Station
E301 – Al Ahli Club to Al Taawun, Sharjah
E303 – Union Square Metro Station to Al Jubail Bus Station, Sharjah
E304 – Al Satwa Bus Station to Al Jubail Bus Station, Sharjah
E306 – Al Ghubaiba Bus Station to Al Jubail Bus Station, Sharjah
E307 – Deira City Centre Bus Station to Al Jubail Bus Station, Sharjah
E311 – Rashidiya Metro Station to Al Jubail Bus Station, Sharjah
E315 – Etisalat Metro Station to Al Muwailah, Sharjah
E316 – Rashidiya Metro Station to Airport Road Interchange (I/C), Sharjah
E400 – Union Square Metro Station to Ajman Bus Station
E411 – Etisalat Metro Station to Ajman Bus Station
E700 – Union Square Metro Station to Fujairah Bus Station
E303A – Al Sabkha Bus Station to Al Jubail Bus Station, Sharjah
E307A – Abu Hail Metro Station to Al Jubail Bus Station, Sharjah
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
