Dubai’s Marine Transport: Abra, Ferry and Water Bus Explained

A short crossing of Dubai Creek, a ferry to Sharjah and a boat between two Marina piers all appear in RTA’s marine network. They ask different things of the passenger. For one trip you bring cash and go to the landing. For another you choose a dated departure and a cabin class. In Dubai Marina, the pier name can matter as much as the service name. Marina Mall North and Marina Mall South serve different routes.

Start with the two places you want to travel between. Then look up the route code, check whether it is on demand or scheduled, and confirm the fare for that leg. RTA currently groups the scheduled Marina BM services under Water Taxi, although you may come across the name Water Bus in older material. Use the current route code to find the service. Information in this guide was checked on 6 November 2026. RTA public transport timetable.

Use an abra for a short crossing or a specific Creek connection

For a traditional crossing, RTA lists CR1 between Bur Dubai Marine Station and Deira Old Souq Marine Station. CR2 links Dubai Old Souq and Al Sabkha. The timetable marks both on demand. RTA publishes a fare of AED 1 per passenger per trip, paid in cash, for these crossings. Its route page lists CR1 from 6 am to midnight and CR2 as a 24-hour service. Those are published service hours for those routes. Check for temporary changes and allow for waiting at the landing. RTA traditional abra routes, fare and hours.

The two Old Souq names are worth reading slowly. Deira Old Souq is one end of CR1. Dubai Old Souq is one end of CR2. If you send someone a map pin that simply says Old Souq, you may be thinking of different sides of the Creek. Use the route code and full landing name when you plan the walk. If you want to return by a different crossing, look up that second landing and confirm its service independently.

RTA also lists abra services beyond those two traditional crossings. CR9 is listed between Dubai Festival City and Dubai Creek Harbour, and CR11 links Al Jaddaf and Dubai Creek Harbour. The presence of the word abra in the timetable does not establish that these routes share the cash fare, operating hours or departure pattern of CR1 and CR2. Open the details for the route you actually intend to use. Check which service takes you to the nearest useful pier and what the walk beyond it looks like. RTA marine routes and fares.

Before buying a trip described as an abra ride, check where it finishes. RTA’s Creek information also lists an electric abra private tour, TR10, with charges based on the boat and duration. A private trip can be useful for a group planning time on the water. A public crossing solves the simpler problem of getting to the other bank. Compare the fare unit and endpoint first so you know what the quoted price buys. RTA Creek abra options.

Route prefixes are useful labels, but they do not consistently tell you the vessel type. For example, RTA lists BM2 between Al Jaddaf and Dubai Festival City in the abra section and publishes AED 2 per passenger one way for that service. If you are looking up a BM route outside the Marina, use the destination and the operator’s listing together.

Look up Marina Water Bus journeys under Water Taxi

On the current timetable, look for BM1 and BM3 under Water Taxi. BM1 includes Marina Promenade, Dubai Marina Mall North, Marina Walk and Marina Terrace. RTA lists some legs separately and also gives the full route. The marine fare page shows AED 7 for Marina Mall North to Marina Walk and AED 7 to AED 21 for the full-route service, depending on stops travelled. This is a route fare. RTA lists hourly charters elsewhere in the timetable as separate products.

BM3 connects Dubai Marina Mall South and Bluewaters. RTA’s marine fare page lists AED 7 for that leg. The Ferry also has a Bluewaters route, so use both the route code and pier name when asking where to board. For BM1, look for Marina Mall North. For BM3, look for Marina Mall South. If a group is meeting at the departure point, share the map pin and the complete station name before anyone sets off. RTA Water Taxi route map.

For a journey from a mall entrance to an appointment near Marina Walk, include time to find the waterside landing and to walk from the arrival pier. The boat can make sense when the two points are close to the relevant piers and the departure fits your time. Compare the complete trip with walking or using the Tram if the next boat is a long wait away. The reverse journey may also have a different timetable. Look up departures from the pier you will actually use on the way back.

Choose the Ferry by departure, direction and class

Ferry routes include both transport between different places and round trips. RTA’s timetable lists FR1 between Al Ghubaiba and Dubai Water Canal, FR2 between Dubai Marina Mall and Bluewaters, FR4 as a round trip from Dubai Marina Mall towards the Palm and Atlantis, and FR5 between Al Ghubaiba and Sharjah Aquarium. Check the fare and direction on the current route listing. A round trip is useful when you want to return to the pier where you boarded. For a journey with a different destination, look for an advertised place to disembark.

FR5 shows how the fare and timetable can vary within one mode. RTA publishes an adult one-way fare of AED 15 in Silver Class or AED 25 in Gold Class for Dubai to Sharjah. Its route page separates departures by direction and day. Check both before travelling to the pier. For a trip to an address in Sharjah, include the walk or road leg from Sharjah Aquarium Marine Station. The fare describes the boat journey. It does not cover the rest of your transport. RTA Dubai–Sharjah Ferry fares and departures.

Coastal Ferry information can appear on pages that combine several sections of a route. A promotion may show a fare for a longer outing, while the timetable lists legs separately. Match the origin, destination and route code before comparing amounts. If you intend to continue beyond one pier, confirm whether you need separate tickets and whether the departures connect on your date. A one-way fare, a round trip and a family package cover different purchases. RTA Ferry route and fare reference.

FR1 illustrates why the details matter. RTA’s route sheet lists AED 25 in Silver and AED 35 in Gold for the adult fare on FR1. An RTA promotion grouping FR1 and FR2 displays AED 50 and AED 70 for Silver and Gold respectively. If you only want to travel from Al Ghubaiba to Dubai Water Canal, ask for that leg by name. If you want to continue to Bluewaters or the Marina, ask what the longer trip includes and how you obtain the ticket for each part. Use the route-specific amount when budgeting and confirm it at booking or at the kiosk. RTA marine promotion listing grouped routes.

The FR1 route sheet also lists departures at 13:00 and 18:00 from Al Ghubaiba, and at 14:25 and 19:25 in the opposite direction. Treat these as examples from the published regular sheet and check the current departure for your date. Planning the return around the same clock time as the outward journey could leave you waiting at the wrong end of the route.

Check how to pay and when to arrive

RTA’s marine service instructions describe buying a ticket or using nol where supported. A ticket may be checked by the deckhand, while a compatible nol payment uses the validator before boarding and after arrival. Some stations do not accept nol or bank cards. For CR1 and CR2, the operator specifies cash. Check the method for the exact route you choose and keep the ticket or card accessible until you have completed the trip. RTA boarding and payment instructions.

For scheduled services, RTA instructs passengers to reach the marine station five minutes before an abra or Water Taxi trip and 15 minutes before a Ferry trip. Add your own time for finding the landing, paying and reaching the boarding point. If your arrival time depends on a bus or train, include the walk from that service to the pier. A departure time on the timetable assumes you have already reached the boarding area. It does not account for a search around the waterfront.

Check the available ticket channel before leaving. If online booking is offered for the service, confirm the date, pier, direction and class at checkout. If you plan to pay at the landing, verify what that station accepts. If you need step-free access, ask about the particular pier, boarding arrangement and vessel before buying. An accessible walk to the waterfront does not establish how you will get onto the boat. The exact service matters more than an assumption about all vessels in the same category.

If you are meeting a boat from another mode, save the street entrance as well as the pier name. A bus stop or Metro exit may put you near the water without putting you at the right access point. When you have a tight connection, ask the station whether the next departure is taking passengers and check your alternative before you leave the land transport network.

Plan the trip from pier to pier, then beyond it

For a Creek crossing, save the full landing names and the cash fare. For the Marina, add North or South to the mall pier name and save the route code. For a Ferry trip, check the outbound and return separately, including the class and whether the ride ends at a different pier. If you are travelling for an appointment, allow enough time to switch to a land route if the timing or boarding arrangements change. RTA’s timetable points to route-specific timing and fare information, so revisit it close to departure.

A water route works best when it fits the whole journey. An abra can get you across the Creek without taking a longer route around it. A Marina boat can connect useful points on the waterfront. A Ferry can cover a much longer leg with fewer departures to choose from. Once you have the right pier, payment and onward connection, it is easier to decide which of those trips serves your plans.