Dubai to Abu Dhabi bus: Everything you need to know, from times to route number

More details have been released about the new Abu Dhabi to Dubai bus service.

The direct route connects Al Quoz Bus Station in Dubai to Mohamed bin Zayed City Bus Station in Abu Dhabi, with a one-way fare costing Dh25 ($6.80).

Four trips are operated in each direction daily, at 8am, 11am, 2pm and 5pm, and the route number is CX01.

All aboard: New Dh25 Dubai-Abu Dhabi bus service launched

The service is the result of a partnership between Capital Express – a public transport company operating in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain – and Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority.

Raed Zaidan, regional manager of Capital Express for Dubai and the Northern Emirates, said the new service has been running since September 1 and aims to “facilitate daily commuting between the two emirates, reduce highway congestion and support the UAE’s vision of expanding its intercity public transport network”.

“This daily non-stop route offers passengers across Dubai and Abu Dhabi a safe, comfortable and time-efficient travel experience at an affordable fare,” Mr Zaidan told The National on Tuesday.

Bus networks are being improved in Dubai and across the UAE. Photo: Dubai Media Office

Strategic planning

Mr Zaidan said the drop-off location in the capital was chosen not only for its strong road connectivity and growing community “but also on its strategic position within Abu Dhabi’s future transport corridor”. It is “well-positioned to integrate with future transport modes, including potential rail connections”, he added.

Al Quoz in Dubai is a developing neighbourhood split into residential and commercial areas. It includes some of the oldest manufacturing hubs in the emirate, containing factories and car workshops. It is also home to a vibrant creative district with scores of art galleries.

Mohamed bin Zayed City is emerging as a key suburb of Abu Dhabi with major residential and commercial developments. It has malls, schools and is also close to the airport and motorways.

Mr Zaidan said Al Quoz and Mohamed bin Zayed City were “strategic locations” with “growing residential and industrial communities”.

“This expansion has created a clear need for reliable, affordable and efficient intercity transport solutions that serve the growing workforce and families commuting daily,” said Mr Zaidan.

“These areas have a strong demand for fast, direct transport between Dubai and Abu Dhabi without the need for transfers or intermediate stops.”

Mr Zaidan said the frequency of the service could be increased in response to passenger demand, and Capital Express had plans to expand to more destinations across the UAE and the wider GCC.

Investing in public transport

The launch comes amid a broader public transport boom across the UAE. Construction has started on the Dubai Metro Blue Line while a tram network is mooted for Abu Dhabi.

Transport authorities are also improving bus networks. Over the past few years local routes have been upgraded and intercity services launched, such as between Dubai and Sharjah and Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah.

Most prominently, Etihad Rail’s passenger network is on track to launch in 2026.

Etihad Rail has announced the first four stations will be in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Fujairah. While it has not revealed the exact locations, the planned Abu Dhabi station is believed to be close to Mohamed bin Zayed City.

Mr Zaidan said while the final stations had “yet to be officially confirmed”, the CX01 route is “well-positioned to integrate with future transport modes, including potential rail connections, supporting the long-term vision of a unified, multimodal transport network across the UAE”.

“The Etihad Rail project is one of the UAE’s most significant future transport initiatives, and naturally, we consider such national developments when planning our operational locations,” he said. “The choice of Mohamed bin Zayed City was based not only on its strong road connectivity and growing community but also on its strategic position within Abu Dhabi’s future transport corridor.”

Bus services also operate between Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station and Dubai on the E100 and E101 routes.

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Dubai to Abu Dhabi bus: Everything you need to know, from times to route number

Four trips are to operate every day, carrying passengers in each direction

Strategic planning

Investing in public transport