If you're new to Abu Dhabi, finding your way around the city can be tough, especially if you don't have a car. This could happen for many reasons - maybe your job doesn't offer a transport service, or you can't count on getting lifts from friends or family. In situations like these, it's important to know how the public transport works. What are your choices for getting around in Abu Dhabi? How can both visitors and people living there use these services for their daily trips? Here's a simple guide to the public transport in Abu Dhabi, aimed at helping you move around the city easily and make the best use of the transport options available for a smooth and trouble-free journey.
Abu Dhabi Bus Transport Service
Since it started in 2008, Abu Dhabi's Public Bus Transportation Service has been a key project by the Department of Transport/Integrated Transport Centre. It's made to help the people living in the emirate get around easily and reliably. This service is known for being easy to use, comfortable, and convenient for everyone.
The buses run all day and night, so people can get where they need to go at any time. They have air conditioning to keep cool in the hot weather and features for people with special needs, making sure everyone can use them.
To help make society more welcoming, the service lets older people (60 and above) and those with disabilities ride for free. This helps them get to places and use services around the emirate without trouble.
For regular bus riders, there's the Hafilat smart card. This card makes paying for rides easy and quick, which is great for people who use the bus a lot.
By always making their services better and bigger, the Public Bus Transportation Service in Abu Dhabi improves life for its people and helps th emirate meet its goals for a better future.
Abu Dhabi Public Transport Card (Hafilat Card)
The Hafilat smart card makes it easy to pay for bus rides in Abu Dhabi. It's a smart way to handle bus fares with different options based on the card you get. With a Hafilat card, you can:
- Buy travel passes for a week or a month. This is good for people who ride the bus a lot because it saves money.
- Add money to the card to pay for bus rides anywhere in the network. This is called a T-purse (like an electronic wallet). It makes paying for rides easy and is a secure way to keep track of your bus spending.
These cards are easy to use, making bus trips smoother. They encourage more people to take the bus by making it simple and flexible to get around Abu Dhabi. Using Hafilat smart cards shows Abu Dhabi wants to make public buses better and more appealing for everyone.
Types of Hafilat Cards
There are six kinds of Hafilat cards, each made for different uses. To understand how an Abu Dhabi bus card works, here are the prices and details for each type:
- Temporary Card: It's free and lasts for a month (30 days) from when you get it.
- Anonymous Card (Permanent): Costs AED 10 and is good for five years.
- Personal Card (Permanent): You can get this for AED 10 and it also lasts for five years.
- Senior Citizen Card: This one is AED 5 and is valid for five years.
- Special Needs/Disabled Card: This costs AED 5 and is good for five years.
- Student Card: This card lasts up to five years and costs AED 5.
To get an Abu Dhabi public transport card online, go to the Hafilat recharge siteΒ
Hafilat Card and Public Transport Fees
- Local trips (inside the city): AED 2
- Regional trips (suburbs): AED 2 + AED 0.05 per kilometer.
- Inter-city trips: AED 10 + AED 0.1 per kilometer
- Hafilat Card Cost: AED 10
- Hafilat Card Weekly Pass: AED 30
- Hafilat Card Monthly Pass: AED 80
- Hafilat Senior Citizen/People of determination Pass: Free
You can find Hafilat card places in shopping malls, bus stops, ticket vending machines, and customer care centers in Abu Dhabi. The Hafilat card lets you use different bus services in Abu Dhabi. These services include buses that run within the city, buses that go to nearby areas, and buses that travel between cities from Abu Dhabi. If you want to know the bus schedule in Abu Dhabi or how to get around the city, you can look at the DoT website or read a guide about Hafilat Abu Dhabi. There's also information about Abu Dhabi's shuttle bus service available.
Routes of Public Bus Transport in Abu Dhabi
The bus system in the emirate is split into two main types: Region and City.
- Buses that start with "A" go to and from Abu Dhabi International Airport.
- Buses that start with "X" are fast buses, known as Express buses.
- Small buses are marked with an "M" at the beginning.
Ferry Service
Abu Dhabi's Department of Transport runs two important ferry services. These ferries help people and vehicles travel between the busy city and the calm Delma Island. They go back and forth every day. This is good for people who want to visit Delma Island for its special features or for those who need to go there for work or personal reasons. They can even go and come back on the same day.
Before going on the ferry, passengers need to remember to bring some important papers to help them get on the ferry without problems. Here's what they need:
- Vehicle Registration Card: If you want to take your car on the ferry, you need this card. It shows you own the car and it's allowed to be on the ferry.
- Valid ID: Everyone needs to bring a valid ID. This can be an Emirates ID, passport, work card, or driving license. This helps make sure everyone is safe because the staff can check who everyone is.
With these documents ready, people can have a good trip to Delma Island. The Abu Dhabi Department of Transport makes this possible.
- If you are 12 years old or older, your ticket will cost AED 20.
- Kids younger than 12 can ride the ferry for free.
- If you want to take a car on the ferry, it will cost AED 100.
People who want to use the ferry can find all the information they need, like safety rules, when the ferries run, and where they leave from, on the Department of Transportation (DoT) website. If you need more help or have questions, you can call the DoT for free. They want to make sure everyone has a good trip.
Abu Dhabi Public Transport App β Darbi
Darbi is a helpful app made by the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) to give users live updates about traffic, road conditions, road work, and bus and ferry times. It's made to make daily travel easier for people living in the area.
With the Darbi app, people can easily add money to their Hafilat cards, order taxis with their phones, pay for Mawaqif parking safely online, and talk directly to the ITC if they need help or have questions. The app also has a "Geofeedback" feature, where users can report problems or give feedback about transport services, making sure their opinions are considered.
The app works on both iOS and Android phones, so lots of people can use it. It's easy to use and offers many services, making it very useful for getting around the area without much hassle.
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FAQs
Is public transport good in Abu Dhabi?
Yes, it costs very little money, works well, and you can find or get to it easily.
What is the best ay to get around Abu Dhabi?
You can travel around the city by taking a taxi, riding a bus, or using a ferry.
Is there any public transport app in Abu Dhabi?
You can download and use the Darbi app to find out current information about transport in Abu Dhabi.
What is Abu Dhabi public transport price?
In Abu Dhabi, the cost to use public transport changes depending on what you choose to ride. If you take a bus, the price begins at 2 AED.
Does Abu Dhabi have a metro?
Not yet, but the Department of Transport in Abu Dhabi is trying to achieve this. They have a plan called the Surface Transport Master Plan (STMP). This plan is about studying how to start a metro system in the capital city.