Dubai: Moving towards an era of integrated transport

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By Shafaat Shahbandari, Staff Reporter  www.gulfnews.com

Dubai: Hoping off and hoping on between various modes of transport with ease is the central idea of Dubai’s expanding public transport network.

Image Credit: Zarina Fernandes/Gulf News The 'No Fish' signs Palm Deira Metro Station, there is a fish market near the station and apparently shoppers are taking smelly fish on board.The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has managed to connect metro, buses, taxis and marine transport at a number of locations through large and small hubs across the city.

The biggest among these hubs is the Al Ghubaiba station which serves around 3 million passengers annually through buses, metro and marine transport.

Al Ghubaiba is Dubai’s biggest transport hub, with an underground metro station, a marine station that offers ferry, water bus and abra services as well as a bus station that offers round the clock service on urban and intercity routes.

“RTA aims to integrate various modes of transport at different areas for the ease of people, and accordingly, a number of stations are integrated with different modes of public transport, such as Al Ghubaiba station, which is integrated with metro, intercity buses, urban buses, Dubai Ferry, Water Taxi, Abra, Water Bus and taxis,” said Nasser Abu Shehab, Director Strategic Transport Planning, RTA.

Integration and connectivity are central to RTA’s urban and transport planning with many new modes of transports like Dubai Tram also getting a connectivity with other modes of transport.

“Integration and sustainability are the key factors that RTA considers whilst planning and implementing its public transport services,” said Abu Shehab. More info