How to save on travel costs: All the on-demand bus shuttle services in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ajman

Dubai: Making a short trip to a nearby location? If you don’t drive, you don’t necessarily have to pay for a taxi or wait for a bus – the UAE offers various on-demand transport options, that allow residents and visitors to book a bus-pooling service that helps you travel short distances on a budget.

Here are all the bus pooling services you can avail of in the UAE.

1. Bus on Demand

You can travel within 20 different localities in Dubai through the Bus on Demand service, which operates in neighbourhoods like Satwa, Dubai Investments Park, Al Qusais and Oud Metha.

The mini-bus service can be ordered online, through the ‘Bus on Demand’ app, which is available for Apple and Android devices, with standard tickets priced at AED 5.

Service zones:

1. Al Barsha 1, 2 & 3

2. Al Nahda

3. Al Karama

4. Al Mankhool

5. Al Rigga

6. Business Bay

7. Barsha Heights

8. Dubai Downtown

9. Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)

10. Dubai Academic City

11. Dubai Silicon Oasis

12. Oud Metha

13. Port Saeed

14. Al Qusais

15. JVC

16. Al Warqa 1,2,3 & 4

17. DIP 1 & 2

18. Al Satwa

19. Al Qouz

20. Mirdif

While the bus service is typically available for rides within each zone, there are a few interzone services that are also offered by Bus on Demand, which allow passengers to travel to an adjacent zone:

2. Citylink Shuttle

Another on demand bus service that you can avail of is the Citylink Shuttle, which can also be booked through their app – ‘Citylink Shuttle’, available for Apple and Android devices. Ticket prices can vary, depending on the route you choose, and you will be informed of the ticket amount before making the booking on the app.

The Citylink Shuttle serves the following areas:

1. Deira

2. Karama

3. Al Nahda

4. Al Rigga

5. Al Qusais

6. Zaabeel

7. Al Garhoud

8. Al Twar

9. Abu Hail

10. Al Jaffaliya

11. DIFC

12. Dubai Downtown

13. World Trade Centre

14. Business Bay

15. Al Satwa

16. Al Safa

17. Al Quoz

18. Dubai Frame

19. Jaddaf

20. Al Wasl

21. Al Raffa

22. Al Souq Alkabeer

23. Al Ghurair

24. Al Rashidiya

25. Al Muteena

3. DrivenBus

The DrivenBus service offers a slightly different method of pooling ride service, focusing on daily work commutes, and making them easier for workers.

Through the ‘DrivenBus’ app, which is available for Apple and Android devices, you can choose from operational routes, which connect popular residential areas to places of work.

Once you select the route and the pick-up and drop-off location on the route, you can then choose from monthly, weekly or one-off rides.

If your preferred route is not available on the app, you can suggest it through the app as well, and if it gets enough votes, the route will be launched by the service provider.

The on-demand bus service in Abu Dhabi is operated by Q Mobility, and offers rides for AED 2, which can be booked using the ‘Abu Dhabi Link’ app, available for Apple and Android devices.

The Abu Dhabi Link service operates in the following areas:

You can take the bus within any of these zones, by selecting your pick-up and drop-off points. Bus rides can be paid for using the Hafilat smart card.

The Bus on Demand Sharjah service is operated by Mowasalat, the public transport system, supervised by the Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority.

You can book rides for as low as AED 7 for adults and AED4 for any additional passengers, with children under five years old riding for free.

To book a ride, simply download the ‘Bus on Demand Sharjah’ app, which is available for Apple and Android devices and select your pick-up and drop-off routes, within the service zones. The app will then let you know of the estimated time of arrival of the bus, and the exact spot from where you will be picked up, and your drop-off point and time.

The service can be used to travel to any of these areas within Sharjah City:

You can also use a shuttle bus service in Ajman by downloading the Ajman Vehicle on Demand app – ‘Ajman VOD’, which is available for Apple and Android devices.

With a standard fare of AED 5, you can use the service to travel anywhere in Ajman, by selecting your pick-up and drop-off location.