A new ferry service will connect Dubai and Sharjah with the aim of easing the pressure on roads, offering a quick and alternative transportation option between the two.
Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) launched the new marine transport service on Saturday, 27 July between Al Ghubaiba Marine Station in Dubai and Aquarium Marine Station in Sharjah.
The ferry will take 35 minutes to cover distance between these two stations. Commuters can take the ferry every 30 minutes during morning and evening peak hours from 5am to 9am and from 4pm to 8.30pm. During non peak hours, the service will run every 90 minutes.
Running 7 days a week, the first ferry of the will leave Dubai at 5.15am and the last one at 8 pm, and from Sharjah, the first ferry will start off at 5am and the last one will depart at 7.30pm. The new ferry will be operating 42 journeys (21 in each direction) daily, and commuters will get free parking and an internal bus service at Sharjah Aquarium Marine Station.
Fare
According to RTA, the new service has the capacity to serve 1.3 million passengers per year, and it can be stretched if needed. The fare is Dhs 15 for Silver Class and Dhs 25 for Gold Class and there is no fare for people of determination and children under the age of five.
Wi-Fi
Commuters can connect their devices to the free Wi-Fi on-board.
“The two stations have been carefully selected for specific considerations. Al Ghubaiba is the key marine transit station in Dubai and is connected with Dubai Creek, Dubai Marina, and the Water Canal. It is also integrated with metro and bus stations and has a taxi service as well. Sharjah Aquarium Marine Station was selected as it will reduce the transit time, has abundant parking space, and is shaping into a tourist and residential hotspot. So the service is anticipated to attract all community segments", says HE Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA.