Water Transport in Dubai

Most wonderful places in the world are placed on the water. Cities lying on the rivers, oceans and seas have the magic of their own. Dubai is no different. It’s Marina gives you the opportunity to use some of the water transport services and watch this city’s wonders, tallest buildings in the world, sky divers jumping from Burj Kalifa, bright lights of this famous city and one of the most beautiful sunsets ever.

If you are into comfortable ride, almost like being in a private plane, enjoying a light meal and wine, even a private tour guide through this pleasant experience – Dubai Water Taxi is the best choice for you!  You can catch this water cab on one of the more than twenty stations located all around Dubai Marina. It can be a private ride, or you can share the cost with other travelers. Price varies from the distance you want to travel. Cheapest ones are around AED65, and most expensive Water Taxi ride might cost you about AED 310. Tourists can also go on tours with Water Taxis and it is becoming more and more popular. There are one hour and half an hour excursions costing 200 and 400 AED, which is very affordable when divided between more than five people.

Abra rides are very interesting for those who enjoy more traditional kind of water traveling. Original Abras are wooden boats with improvised roofs. They are old time ferries. There can be ten to fifteen passengers at the same time and ticket is only AED 1 per person. The drivers offer tourist tours; those are a bit more expensive, costing AED100 per one hour. Most popular destination where Abra can take you is Dubai Spice Market and it is said to be once in a lifetime experience for those who enjoy exotic cosine and cocking with a lot of aroma.

There are also new age Abras; electric ones. The experience is not that traditional. Unlike the wooden ones, the electrical Abras take no more than six passengers. They are considered to be eco-friendly and becoming more popular since the 2013. When first electrical Abra was released. Most popular ride is the one called Burj Khalifa Lake Ride. You get to enjoy the wonderful view on the largest fountain in the world. This attraction will cost you AED65 per person, meaning that electric Abras are more expensive than the traditional ones.

Ferry is not just an ordinary ferry. It is more like a catamaran, and it is very fast. It takes you cruising around Persian Gulf. You get on at one of the three ferry stations, sit comfortable in the cabin, enjoy the air-conditioned boat and if you are not afraid of the speed – you are about to enjoy one of the best skylines there is. When you get to the opened see, skipper will allow you to go out on the deck and make videos and photos. Silver ticket will cost you AED50 and the Gold one AED75. They take high percussion measures, so you shouldn’t expect to go on a ferry ride if the weather conditions are bad or if the number of passengers exceeds the number of seats.

Water Busses are the part of Road and Transport Authority, so they are considered to be public transportation. Don’t expect the luxury you get when taking a ride on the Dubai Ferry. These busses were meant to replace traditional Abras, but Abras stuck. The tickets you use for Water Bus are the same as those for the regular buses: NOL card. Water Busses operate in the Marina and Creek area of the city.