The Abra is a very popular water taxi in Dubai. The relevance is often compared to a gondola in Venice. She is a water taxi with space for up to 20 people. At first glance, it may not be very stable, but both locals and tourists like to use the Abra and, above all, do not have any problems. In addition, all Abras in Dubai has been equipped with extensive safety features since 2008. Life jackets, rescue buoys, and first-aid kits are part of Abra’s standard equipment.
The water taxi currently operates on two different routes. The first route is from Deira Old Souk Abra Station to Bur Dubai Abra Station and back. The second route is from Al Sabkha Abra Station to Dubai Old Souk Abra Station and back.
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An Abra has an hourly price of around 25 dollars. For this price, you don’t just book a trip, but the whole boat including the captain. A single trip along the above route costs around 20 cents. This is paid directly to the captain when boarding. There are no paper tickets for the water taxi. In the metropolis of Dubai, the Abra is one of the cheapest means of transport and a ride on the Abra is a must, especially for photographers. One of the most popular attractions in Dubai for tourists is a ride on an Abra water taxi.
Don’t forget about the photos
The Dubai Creek divides the city of Dubai into two parts, Bur Dubai and Deira. So that the residents of Dubai can quickly cross the Dubai Creek, there are water taxis. These are simple and small wooden ships called Abras. Most of the time these are fully occupied and a crossing to the other side costs only one dirham. For tourists, there are some providers who also run tours and then drive up and down Dubai Creek for 30 minutes or 60 minutes. On such a trip you will see a lot of sights in Dubai and you should not forget the photo. However, it should also be mentioned that the Abras smell a bit since the engine is usually in the middle of the boat.
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Meanwhile, the government of Dubai has decided to launch a new generation of water taxis across Dubai Creek. There are now more modern Abras called the Dubai Waterbus. These are also covered and air-conditioned. Many more people have space in a Dubai Waterbus. However, a crossing is also more expensive and the locals and guest workers still mainly use the old Abras because they are cheaper.
With the old Abras, there are no fixed times either. When a boat comes, it moors briefly and the next ones get on. The Dubai Waterbus only runs at set times and there is also a dedicated dock for the boats. There is a small building where you have to buy a ticket. With the old Abras, you simply pay one dirham to the driver. More than 60,000 people are transported across Dubai Creek every day. The abras run from 06:00 in the morning to 22:00 in the evening.
