The average number of passengers on the sea line, launched by the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in the middle of this year, between Dubai and Sharjah increased by 25% last month compared to the previous month.
Mohammed Abu Bakr Al Hashimi, Director of the Maritime Transport Department at the Public Transport Authority in Dubai, told Emirates Today that the number of maritime transport passengers between the emirates of Dubai and Sharjah has exceeded 84,000 since the launch of the service in July until the end of last October. He added that the demand for the service has witnessed a significant increase in the number of passengers, as the average daily number increased from 453 passengers in September to 570 passengers last October.
He stressed that the service will witness more demand during the coming period, especially in light of the improved climatic conditions in which the temperature is mild during the winter, which makes the use of water transportation means required for fun and entertainment.
According to Al Hashemi, the number of passengers at the Authority's maritime transport stations in Dubai, which numbered 48 stations, from the beginning of this year until the end of October by 11%, compared with last year, to reach one million and 200 passengers.
In response to a question about the most popular marine stations, Al Hashimi said that there are six stations with the highest number of passengers: Al Ghubaiba, Al Seef, Bani Yas, Dubai Festival City and Al Jaddaf, in addition to Dubai Marina.
As for the recreational maritime transport service which is subject to tourist fees, Al Hashemi pointed out that the number of passengers since the beginning of this year until the end of last July reached 171,933 passengers, through three lines of Dubai Ferry and a line of tourist abras.
Flights are subject to a tourist tariff paid either by a gold ticket of AED 75 or a silver ticket of AED 50, while children (2-10 years) receive a 50% discount.
Al Hashemi pointed to the service of four cruise lines, which include three lines for Dubai Ferry, and a line of tourist abras. It includes two daily round-trip flights on Ferry Dubai. The first flight will start at 3 pm and the second at 5 pm from Marina Mall Maritime Terminal to Palm Jumeirah near Atlantis Hotel. There are two daily round trips aboard Ferry Dubai, at 3 pm and 5 pm, from Al Ghubaiba Marine Transport Station to Lemer Beach, passing through the Gold Souk and Heritage Village of Shindagha.
He added that there is a tourist trip aboard the Ferry from Sheikh Zayed Road station within the Dubai Water Canal or outside, to Burj Al Arab or towards the Festival City station, Al Khor and Lemer Beach, and return to the starting point, in addition to round trips on the abras for a half Hour, or hour, from the marina or creek.