Skip to content

VoyageworthyTravel guides, routes & real deals

United Arab Emirates

Dubai Ferry and abra routes: RTA's public boats

RTA's Dubai Ferry and creek abra routes: the stations, the departure times RTA's September 2026 timetables list, and when we last checked.

A white and blue RTA Dubai Ferry catamaran on the water in front of a road bridge in Dubai Marina — Photo: Guilhem Vellut, CC BY 2.0, cropped (Wikimedia Commons)

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) runs the public boats: the Dubai Ferry routes linking Al Ghubaiba, Dubai Water Canal, Dubai Marina, Bluewaters, Palm Jumeirah and the Sharjah Aquarium, and the abras that cross Dubai Creek. Each card gives the departure times as RTA's September 2026 timetables list them. Those timetables do not give journey times.

How it works

RTA's timetables list departures by route and by day of the week. They do not say how long a crossing takes, so leave extra time if you plan around a ship's all-aboard time.
RTA's notes say some routes may be temporarily non-operational, that timings may differ during Ramadan and on public holidays, and that trips may be rerouted or cancelled in adverse weather.
RTA asks passengers to be at the station before the time shown, because departure times vary from station to station.
On the Dubai Ferry, RTA accepts cash, nol cards and credit and debit cards at all stations. On the abras it accepts cash everywhere, but not cards on routes CR1 and CR2.

Ferries

Al Ghubaiba Marine Station Dubai Water Canal Marine Station (route FR1)

Operators: RTA Dubai Ferry

Journey time: RTA's September 2026 timetable gives departure times but no journey time.

When it runs: Two departures a day each way, every day: 13:00 and 18:00 from Al Ghubaiba, 14:25 and 19:25 from Dubai Canal.

Schedule checked 29 October 2026. Sources: RTA: public transport timetables (marine routes) · RTA: Dubai Ferry routes and timetables, September 2026 (PDF)

Book on RTA Marine

Dubai Marina Mall South Marine Station Bluewaters Marine Station (route FR2)

Operators: RTA Dubai Ferry

Journey time: RTA's September 2026 timetable gives departure times but no journey time.

When it runs: Two departures a day each way, every day: 13:00 and 18:00 from Marina Mall South, 14:55 and 19:55 from Bluewaters.

Schedule checked 29 October 2026. Sources: RTA: public transport timetables (marine routes) · RTA: Dubai Ferry routes and timetables, September 2026 (PDF)

Book on RTA Marine

Bluewaters Marine Station Dubai Water Canal Marine Station (route FR2)

Operators: RTA Dubai Ferry

Journey time: RTA's September 2026 timetable gives departure times but no journey time.

When it runs: Two departures a day each way, every day: 13:20 and 18:20 from Bluewaters, 13:50 and 18:50 from Dubai Canal.

Schedule checked 29 October 2026. Sources: RTA: public transport timetables (marine routes) · RTA: Dubai Ferry routes and timetables, September 2026 (PDF)

Book on RTA Marine

Dubai Marina Mall South Marine Station Palm Jumeirah and Atlantis The Palm (route FR4, round trip)

Operators: RTA Dubai Ferry

Journey time: RTA's September 2026 timetable gives departure times but no journey time.

When it runs: Round trips at 11:30 and 16:30 every day from Marina Mall South. RTA lists the route as Dubai Marina Mall Station - Palm Jumeira - Atlantis the Palm (Round Trip).

Schedule checked 29 October 2026. Sources: RTA: public transport timetables (marine routes) · RTA: Dubai Ferry routes and timetables, September 2026 (PDF)

Book on RTA Marine

Al Ghubaiba Marine Station Sharjah Aquarium Marine Station (route FR5)

Operators: RTA Dubai Ferry

Journey time: RTA's September 2026 timetable gives departure times but no journey time.

When it runs: From Al Ghubaiba: 5 departures Monday to Friday (07:45 to 19:00) and 4 on Saturday and Sunday (15:00 to 22:00). From Sharjah Aquarium: 5 Monday to Friday (07:00 to 18:15, or 18:00 on Friday) and 4 on Saturday and Sunday (14:00 to 21:00).

Schedule checked 29 October 2026. Sources: RTA: public transport timetables (marine routes) · RTA: Dubai Ferry routes and timetables, September 2026 (PDF)

Book on RTA Marine

Al Fahidi Marine Station Deira Old Souq Marine Station (abra route CR5)

Operators: RTA Dubai Abra

Journey time: RTA's September 2026 abra timetable gives no crossing time.

When it runs: Every day. From Al Fahidi the first abra leaves at 08:00 (08:30 on Friday, 09:30 on Sunday) and the last at 23:30, every 10 to 30 minutes depending on the time of day.

The abra map and timetable list more creek routes (CR1 to CR11); CR1 and CR2 run on demand.

Schedule checked 29 October 2026. Sources: RTA: public transport timetables (marine routes) · RTA: abra routes and timings, September 2026 (PDF)

Book on RTA Marine

More on Voyageworthy

Timetables and journey times change by season and operator, and a ticket is not a guaranteed seat. Every card says when we last checked and links the page we read; confirm on the operator's own page before you plan around a departure. We list operators' own pages and do not earn commission on these links.

← All ferry hubs