Make life easy with the public transport apps in Dubai
Whether you are a resident commuting for work in Dubai or a day-tripper from a different city visiting for an impromptu weekend, finding the right apps for transportation is a huge blessing in a city like Dubai. Keeping this in view, we have rounded up some of the best public transport apps in Dubai that you can use to get around.
Public Transport Apps in Dubai
These apps for transportation in Dubai are designed to meet the daily requirements of the city’s busy residents. These transport apps cover all the significant routes in Dubai, making them handy tools for planning your daily commute. Take a look at some of the best public transport apps in Dubai that you can consider while planning your day around the city.
Hala
Hala is a cab service in Dubai that enables you to travel between locations for a set cost. With the advantage of seeing estimated fares out front and allowing payment with cash, a card, or Careem credit, Hala cab can also be reserved via the Careem app.
Use the Careem app and select “Hala Taxi” as your mode of transportation. Choose the place you want to be picked up from. If it’s your current location, click the “Confirm Pickup” button to let the driver know where you are. Submit the location of your drop-off next.
Your payment options include card, cash and Careem credit. When you’re ready to ride, tap “Yallah” to watch for the Captain to show up. As soon as you make a reservation, information regarding the Captain’s arrival is given, so you know who to watch for.
Salient Features
- It gives an anticipated arrival time
- Comparable cost per mile to street-hailed RTA taxis
- Earning Careem points on each ride
- There are numerous payment methods, including cash, cards, and Careem credit.
- Sharing travel information with others
- Constant sanitisation
- Every taxi has a hand sanitiser available.
- A quick pickup service (within 3 minutes of booking)
- Hand-free payment methods
- Quick safety commentary
- The application is 148.2 MB in size on iOS and 37 MB on Android. Downloading it is cost-free.
DTC Smart App
Smart DTC is the next app on our list of Dubai public transport apps. It provides customers with pre-booked taxi and limousine services. The DTC smart app is coordinated with the Reservation and Distribution Centre at the Public Transport Agency at the RTA and integrated with Dubai Taxi Corporation’s Control Center (Roads and Transport Authority).
Salient Features
- Includes a variety of vehicles, such as limos, taxis, and other delivery services.
- Provides immediate tracking of the flight path and real-time price calculation
- Allows for fast reservations as well as three-step rescheduling of reservations.
- Easy to setup, take down, and use
- Qualified drivers (male and female both)
- Access to discounted packages
- Cash and credit card payments are accepted
- Contemporary, comfortable, and safe vehicles
- Availability 24 hours a day
- Free Wi-Fi Secure methods of payment
- Prompt client service
Wojhati
Wojhati, owned by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), is one of the best RTA service apps in Dubai, exclusively designed for travellers in the city. Being one of the best public transport apps in Dubai, it provides useful information to aid users in planning their trips.
You simply have to set the start and end point of your commute. The rest of the calculation will be done by Wojhati. It can easily give you the best mode of transportation, the trip duration and the approximate fares. More importantly, you can share your real-time journey with your friends and family who might be anxious regarding your whereabouts.
Salient Features
- It lets you view routes, stops, next departures and major landmarks
- You can plan your journey anywhere in Dubai
- Bookmarking your favourite destinations is no more a problem
- You can email or text your trip’s status to any of your contact with the share option
- Get real-time transport delay information
- Available in Arabic, English and German.
- Size: 19.9 MB (iOS) / 16 MB (Android)
- Price: Free
RTA Public Transport Dubai
RTA is one of the best public transport apps in Dubai that is a life-saver for commuters. This app saves time and benefits users with various online ticketing options. Offering smooth online transactions and facilitating travel around Dubai, NOL is one such ‘electronic ticketing card’ service integrated with this app.
Whether you want to check timetables for the metro, tram, bus or water bus, or check your NOL card balance, the RTA app in Dubai will have you covered. This application comprises 26 informational, interactive and transactional services that enable the travellers in Dubai to use Dubai public transport such as NOL, metro, tram, bus and marine. Moreover, you can accumulate ‘Green Points’ – a travel reward scheme- through your daily commute.
Travellers can earn up to 36 points for every transaction through the RTA app or one point for every kilometre covered on public transport. This public transport app is developed by the Roads and Transport Authority and is available on Android’s Play Store as well as the iOS App Store.
Salient Features
- It informs you about your NOL card balance and tops it up if required
- You can review your NOL card transaction history
- It lets you apply for either personalised or special design NOL card
- Tracks the current status of your submitted online applications
- Manages your e-Wallet account
- Notifies you about the expiry and renewal of your travel pass
- Reports a technical issue as well as give you feedback
- Offers secure online payments through the app with mPay and ePay
- Locates the nearest RTA centre with the GPS functionality
- It has a reward system that offers Green Points
- Size: 101.1 MB (iOS)
- Price: Free
Careem
Considered the top-notch car booking app in the Middle East and North Africa, Careem has also been nominated by Google Play Store as the best local app in the year 2016. Booking a ride online is more convenient than hailing a cab in the middle of the road. Plus, who wants to wander around in a taxi for commuting to work or going to the airport?
Saving you from all that trouble, Careem is one of the hassle-free transportation apps and innovative taxi/cab services that offers a selection of car types suiting every commuter’s need. You can choose a car according to your preference and affordability and decide when to ride by choosing either the ‘ride now’ or ‘schedule a ride for later option. After tapping ‘Yallah!’, you instantly get the booking confirmation and the complete details of your designated Captain, car and the route to your destination.
Counted among the best public transport apps in Dubai, Careem lets customers share their real-time location with concerned family and friends. These features of the Careem app enable you to have a safe, reliable and affordable journey. They are introducing a ground-breaking fleet of electric cars. Careem now lets you book a Tesla Model S, an eco-friendly battery-operated automobile that adds to the growing focus of Dubai on green energy.
Salient Features
- You are given the flexibility to choose when and how to ride
- It lets you track the real-time location of your booked Careem car
- It gives you the Captain’s details as well as information regarding the car
- Offers easy payment through cash, credit card or Careem credits
- Provides a fare estimate.
- It has a fail-proof GPS tracking system, so you are picked from the exact location and dropped off at your desired destination.
- It contains an efficient round-the-clock customer support
- Available in English, Arabic, French and Turkish.
- Size: 148.2 MB (iOS) / 37 MB (Android)
- Price: Free
UBER UAE
Another popular ride-hailing service, Uber, makes travelling around the city easier. Whether you are heading to Dubai Marina, the airport, or any other location in the city, the Uber UAE app lets you connect with a reliable ride in minutes.
This versatile application can even arrange a 15-minute helicopter tour of Dubai. The pre-booked UberCHOPPER lets you fall in love with Dubai all over again. With features like that, it is no surprise that Uber is one of the best public transport apps in Dubai.
Salient Features
- Hassle-free pickup and drop-off experience
- It offers a wide selection of ride types
- Easily get an Uber ride at Dubai International Airport
- Get a sky tour with UberCHOPPER
- Lets you split the ride fare with the ‘ride sharing’ option
- Available in English, Arabic, French and several other languages
- Size: 353.3 MB (iOS)
- Price: Free
S’hail
Our list of best public transport apps in Dubai wouldn’t be completed without this last one. Whether you want to travel with Careem or want to book an Uber, the S’hail app smartly integrates the public transport e-services to one platform.
Besides that, it also provides information about transport timings for a tram, Dubai Metro (red or green line) and buses, along with the option to book a taxi or a limo. If you stumble upon certain situations where you are unsure whether to take the taxi or the metro, S’hail can help you decide. It does that by giving real-time traffic updates and customising your trips according to your preference with accuracy.
Salient Features
- Features a simplified platform for online booking of your favourite rides, including ‘ekar’ and ‘UDrive’
- Shows bus schedules, Dubai metro and tram timings
- Provides cost estimates based on the current rates
- Gives live traffic updates
- Available in English and Arabic
- Size: 70.5 MB (iOS) / 16 MB (Android)
- Price: Free
In addition to these public transportation apps, services such as UDrive are available if you want to drive around the city alone but don’t have your vehicle. You will still need your license, of course!
FAQS
WHAT ARE THE BEST AREAS TO LIVE IN DUBAI IF YOU DON’T DRIVE?
The best areas to live in Dubai if you don’t drive are those that are near bus and metro stations. Al Ghubaiba, Al Souk Al Kabeer and Deira City Centre are some popular areas that offer easy access to bus stations. DIFC, Business Bay and Downtown Dubai are the areas with metro stations for the convenience of the residents.
HOW CAN YOU TRAVEL TO DUBAI VIA BUS?
To find the bus route that will take you to your location, use an RTA-approved app like Wojhati or Google Maps. Getting a NOL card is the next step after finding the station and the route. It’s time to head to the bus stop and board the bus after you have your route planned and your NOL card prepared.
With distinctive signage and colours, the RTA has made it simple for the general public to recognise RTA buses throughout Dubai. The feeder buses are blue and white in colour, whereas the ordinary buses are red and white. Additionally, the front and back of the vehicle include electronic signs that show the route and bus number.
That’s all the information about the best public transport apps in Dubai. We hope you will enjoy a hassle-free ride around the city. Meanwhile, if you are looking for more ways to enjoy a more convenient lifestyle in the emirate, you can also check out the popular life hacks in Dubai to save time and money.
