All about the new Abu Dhabi Park and Ride service
- About the Service
- Dedicated Spaces for Parking
- Public Buses for Park & Ride Service
- Availing the Park & Ride Service
- Operating Hours
Recently, the Ministry of Transport in Abu Dhabi launched the Abu Dhabi Toll Gate System, also known as Darb. It is aimed to control traffic congestion in the city and encourage people to look for alternative transportation options. As per Darb, each vehicle will be charged AED 4 as a toll, which will be charged on entering the city from any of the four bridges connecting the Abu Dhabi island to the mainland. The authorities also rolled out the Abu Dhabi Park and Ride service, which is designed to curb road congestion in the city.
ABOUT THE ABU DHABI PARK AND RIDE SERVICE
As the name suggests, the Park & Ride service offers people the opportunity to park their vehicles in designated parking spaces all over the city and hop aboard a public bus for free travel to any destination in Abu Dhabi. There will be no parking charges or bus fare, so you don’t have to pay a single dirham!
This service was preceded by the new Darb system, which charges all vehicles AED 4 for passing through one of the toll gates during peak hours from Saturday to Thursday. The Abu Dhabi Park and Ride service will encourage vehicle owners to reduce the dependency on private transport and use public transport more often. It’s hoped that this will lead to a significant reduction in traffic throughout the city.
DEDICATED SPACES FOR PARKING
Around 500 parking spaces have already been designated in Mohammed Bin Zayed City and Al Shahama, specifically for motorists utilising the Abu Dhabi Park and Ride service. The number and locations of parking spaces will gradually increase as more and more people make use of this service. Special bus routes have also been mapped out from these locations, so that people can easily board a bus as soon as they park their vehicles.
PUBLIC BUSES FOR PARK & RIDE SERVICE
The Integrated Transport Centre (ITC), which is a part of the Department of Urban Planning and Municipalities, has introduced two services as part of the Abu Dhabi Park and Ride service: Bus No. 104 and Bus No. 411. The 104 will pick up passengers from Al Huwaim Street in Mohammed Bin Zayed City and travel to Abu Dhabi Main Bus Station, Al Wahda Mall, Etisalat Building in Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street and Qasr Al Hosn. The journey takes roughly 50 minutes.
The 411 bus service will depart from Shahama F1 Assembly point and head to the Abu Dhabi Main Bus Station, Maryam Bint Saeed Mosque and Abu Dhabi Central Post Office. This trip is also 50 minutes long. A total of 58 trips will be arranged on a daily basis under the Abu Dhabi Park and Ride service, which will allow more and more people to benefit from this free transport opportunity. The services will be assessed by the ITC and adjusted as per demand.
USING THE PARK & RIDE SERVICE
The Abu Dhabi Park and Ride service is completely free for all motorists. They have to obtain a Park & Ride service card for three people, including a driver and two passengers. These cards are free of charge and valid for one day. They can be used an unlimited number of times throughout the day. Traveling without the Park & Ride service card will incur a fine of AED 200.
OPERATING HOURS OF THE PARK & RIDE SERVICE
The Abu Dhabi Park and Ride service will be in action from Saturday to Thursday, from 6 am to 9 pm. During peak hours – from 6 am to 9 am and from 4 pm to 9 pm – the buses will leave every 20 minutes from the origin bus stops. During off-peak hours, the buses will depart every 60 minutes.
FAQS
WILL SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES BE IMPLEMENTED ON PUBLIC BUSES ON THE PARK & RIDE SERVICE?
The Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) has ensured that social distancing will be observed on all the buses that are part of the citywide Park and Ride system. Only 24 seats from each bus will be occupied and standing will be prohibited.
WILL MORE DESTINATIONS AND BUSES BE ADDED TO THE ABU DHABI PARK AND RIDE SERVICE?
The ITC will monitor and assess the Park & Ride service to see whether people are receiving it well or not. If demand increases, they will strongly consider adding more destinations and buses to the free bus service.
And that wraps up our guide to the Abu Dhabi Park and Ride service. Finding a space to park your vehicle in Abu Dhabi is always a welcome blessing. Now, thanks to this park and ride service, drivers can easily find dedicated spaces to park their vehicles…and for free!
Looking for more info on public transport in Abu Dhabi? Here’s our comprehensive guide to public transportation in Abu Dhabi.
We’d also encourage you to have a read of our complete guide to DARB in Abu Dhabi.
For more information and updates regarding Abu Dhabi, keep checking back on MyBayut.
