Transport Using Buses Across Cities
Commute effortlessly and safely between emirates and cities, through an extensive fleet of well-equipped buses, provided by the Public Transport Agency to commute across the emirates according to the routes of the buses and the agreements concluded between RTA and other operating parties in the UAE. The service aims to link Dubai from various internal points to other emirates and cities and vice versa.
Output
Transport using buses from and to Dubai
Ways to Apply
Website
- Website
- Ticket Vending Machines
- Ticket Office Machines
Channels
Steps
- Go to Public Transport and select Bus , then Book your intercity tickets .
- Log in to your account or continue as a guest.
- Book your intercity ticket by entering the required information (departure station, arrival station, date, time, and number of passengers).
- Select your seat.
- Log in to pay the fees or continue as a guest.
- If you choose to continue as guest, enter the required information and click Verify and continue . An OTP is sent to your phone number for verification.
- Review the details and agree to the Terms and Conditions.
- Select the payment method and pay the fees.
- View your booking details. You can update your ticket, add it to your wallet, or download it as PDF.
- If you choose to update your ticket, an OTP is sent to your email address, and you can modify the date, time, and seat, but not the departure and arrival stations.
Service Time
Instantly
Channels
- Ticket Vending Machines at bus stops
Steps
- Buy the bus ticket or nol card if you don't have one.
- Check the scheduled bus trips on RTA website or S'hail App or send an SMS to 5223.
- Arrive to the station before the trip time.
- Follow the signages in the bus station to board the bus, or wait in the waiting area and view the bus schedule notifications on the screens.
- Tap the ticket or nol card (physical or virtual) on the machine upon boarding the bus.
Service Time
Instantly
Channels
- Ticket Vending Offices at bus stations
Steps
- Buy the bus ticket or nol card if you don't have one.
- Check the scheduled bus trips on RTA website or S'hail App or send an SMS to 5223.
- Arrive to the station before the trip time.
- Follow the signages in the bus station to board the bus, or wait in the waiting area and view the bus schedule notifications on the screens.
- Tap the ticket or nol card (physical or virtual) on the machine upon boarding the bus.
Service Time
Instantly
Important to Know
You Should Know
- You can use nol card only on RTA buses.
- Intercity buses don't pick up or drop off passengers within the same emirate; for example, they don’t pick up or drop off customers in Sharjah when operating on Dubai–Sharjah or Sharjah-Dubai routes. Passengers are only picked up at the bus stop in the emirate of departure and dropped off at the bus stop in the emirate of destination.
- Students and Senior Emiratis and Residents holding nol cards don't benefit from the 50% fare discount on intercity and seasonal buses.
- People of Determination with personal nol cards can travel free of charge on intercity buses.
- Abide by Dubai Bus general rules and regulations to avoid fines.
- To get the latest updates on the departure trips at the designated bus station, check Dubai bus stations and times through the Bus stations timetable page on RTA website, contact S'hail Call Centre on 600 500 605, or send an SMS to 5223 with the bus stop number.
- The average waiting time varies according to the trip schedules on S’hail App .
- All buses have space reserved for People of Determination and space for one wheelchair, except for buses operating on the following routes, which don't have space for wheelchairs on board:
- Abu Dhabi
- Al Ain
- Fujairah
- Hatta.
- Unaccompanied minor policy:
- Below 8: not recommended to use public transport unless accompanied by adults
- 8 and above: allowed to use public transport without being accompanied by adults.
- You must submit your refund request through RTA website, at least 48 hours before the departure time.
- You must submit your rescheduling request through RTA website, at least 2 hours before the departure time.
- You can only reschedule your ticket once. You can't request a refund once the ticket is rescheduled.
- If you book your ticket online and RTA cancels your trip for operational reasons, you’ll receive an email with a link to reschedule your trip or request a refund. The link is valid for 7 days from the date of notification.
- Refund requests include all tickets under the same booking. You can’t request a refund for individual tickets within the same booking.
You Should Do
- Plan your trip through the Plan a Journey page on RTA website, or S’hail App .
Eligible Categories
Citizens, residents, and visitors
Service Requirements
- nol card or bus ticket
Fees
- Fees vary according to your destination
Payment Methods
- nol card
- Cash
- Credit card
Terms and Conditions
None
FAQs
- Q : What should I do if I lose my belongings in the bus or find someone else's belongings?
- A: To report and enquire about your lost items, go to the Lost and Found Office (open 24/7) at the Rashidiya bus station, 24 hours after the item was lost. If you find missing items, hand them over to the driver or the customer service office of the bus station, which in turn delivers them to the Transportation Security findings office at the Rashidiya bus station.
- Q : Where can I use free Wi-Fi at RTA bus stations?
- A: Free Wi-Fi is available at all bus stations except Burj Khalifa Bus Station and Stadium Bus Station.
- Q : Can I book an e-ticket for a specific route and board the bus at a different stop along the same route?
- A: No. You must board at the departure station specified on your e-ticket, as your ticket must be scanned there before boarding.
- Q : How can I reschedule or request a refund for my bus e-ticket?
- A: You can reschedule your ticket or request a refund through the RTA website.
- Q : What luggage can I bring on intercity buses?
- A: You can bring up to two large bags (80 × 50 × 35cm, maximum 30kg each) and one small handbag (50 × 35 × 25 cm, maximum 10kg).
Updated on: 23-October-2026