Air-conditioned abras, 77 new marine stations, the creek extension – the RTA has big plans for Dubai’s waterways.

In a bid to get more people commuting on the water, the RTA has just opened a new marine transport station in Al Jaddaf (which is near the Creek Metro Station and not far from the Versace Hotel). The station will become a key link between Dubai Creek/Deira and Business Bay/Jumeirah once the Dubai Canal extension is finished.

The ferry, water bus, water taxi and traditional abra will operate from the two-storey Al Jaddaf station that has a lounge, toilets, retail stations and free parking for bicycles.

A TRADITIONAL ABRA, JUST AIR CONDITIONED

marine-station-al-jaddafThe new air-conditioned abra (which will be particularly handy for the next few months). 

The station will be the first location for the brand new air-conditioned traditional abra that the RTA has also just launched. The abra has a heritage wooden design but also a panoramic roof, meaning it can be kept cool in the summer months. The boat seats 20 people and has been designed with two eco-friendly engines so that it produces minimal gas emissions.

The abra now runs from Al Jaddaf Station to Festival City Station (right next to the Festival Centre mall), with the trip taking seven minutes. The fare is Dhs2, and the service runs every 10 minutes daily, from 7am until midnight (it’s every 20 minutes during off-peak hours). The RTA will soon launch an air-conditioned abra trip to the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary too.

rta-jaddafAl Jaddaf station

WHY MARINE TRANSPORT?

“These projects are part of a master plan charted by the RTA for upgrading marine transport means; a vital means of transportation in Dubai, ferrying about 13 million riders per annum,” explained Mattar Al Tayer, the Director-General of the RTA.

This plan also includes 12 new marine stations in Business Bay and along the Dubai Water Canal by 2018, and as many as 77 marine stations by 2020.

Basically, it seems like the RTA is working to ensure that the Creek goes back to being the heart of Dubai (as it was many years ago) and that it becomes one of the central ways people get around the city.

dubai-canal-featuredWhat the Jumeirah end of the Creek extension will look like. 

The marine transport plan doesn’t just include the Creek, there will also be stations on Jumeirah’s beaches and to the new islands being built.

“The marine transport sector is poised to witness a quantum shift in the number and means of marine transit modes as well as stations & riders with the completion of the link of the Business Bay Canal and the Dubai Water Canal with the Arabian Gulf beach,” Al Tayer added.

The thought of catching an abra straight from Dubai Creek to Jumeirah, and stopping off at Business Bay for coffee on the way, still blows our mind (in the very best of ways).

See you on the water.

Here’s a video from yesterday showing more of the station and new abra:

افتتح سعادة مطر الطاير محطة الجداف للنقل البحري التي تعد أحد أهم محطات النقل البحري في خور دبي، وتسهم في تعزيز التكامل بين مختلف وسائل النقل الجماعي،وذلك بربط خدمة العبرة التراثية المكيفة (خط الجداف ـ دبي فستيفال سيتي) مع خدمة حافلات المواصلات العامة،ومحطة مترو الخور،وتعد المحطة حلقة وصل بين خور دبي والخليج التجاري وقناة دبي المائية مستقبلاً،وتمتاز بكونها أول محطة نقل بحري جماعي ذات مبنى متكامل لخدمة مستخدمي مختلف وسائل النقل البحري، كما تتميز بموقعها بالقرب من محطة الخور لمترو دبي ومحطة حافلات المواصلات العامة، الذي يبعد عنهما بقرابة 200 متر فقط. بعد ذلك دشن سعادته التشغيل الرسمي للعبرة التراثية المكيفة والتي تتسع لـ 20راكباً،وسيكون تشغيل العبرة المكيفة في المرحلة الأولى من محطة الجداف للنقل البحري،إلى محطة فستيفال سيتي للنقل البحري، وتستغرق الرحلة 7 دقائق،وسيكون تشغيل الخدمة على مدار الأسبوع،تبدأ من الساعة 7صباحاً-12 منتصف الليل،بواقع 128 رحلة يومياً في الاتجاهين،بزمن تقاطر 10 دقائق في أوقات الذروة،و20دقيقة في باقي الأوقات، وتبلغ تعرفة الرحلة الواحدة درهمين فقط، وستسير الهيئة رحلات سياحية إلى محمية رأس الخور خارج أوقات الذروة. HE Mattar Al Tayer opened Al Jaddaf Marine Transport Station,one of the key marine transport stations in Dubai Creek that contributes to boosting multi-modal integration mass transit systems.The station links the air-conditioned traditional abra service (Al Jaddaf–Dubai Festival City Line)with the public bus service &Creek Metro Station. The Station acts as a link between Dubai Creek,Business Bay & Dubai Water Canal in future.It is the 1st marine mass transport station that has comprehensive premises for serving various marine transit means.It is situated close to the Creek Metro Station & the public bus station,which is just 200 meters apart. Al Tayer then launched the official operation of the air-conditioned traditional abra,which has convenient seats for 20 riders.It will operate initially from Al Jadaf Station to Festival City Station. The trip takes about 7mins,& the service will be operational 7days a week from 7am-12 (midnight).The service offers 128 trips in both directions at a headway of 10mins during peak hours & 20mins during off-peak hours.The fare is just AED2,& RTA will run a service to Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary

A video posted by هيئة الطرق والمواصلات، دبي (@rta_dubai) on

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Photos: Supplied/RTA