Passengers welcome return of Dubai-Sharjah ferry

Boat will make 50 trips a week with ticket prices from Dh15

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  Ferry passengers George Mathew and Nikhil SP at the Sharjah Corniche ferry station wait for the boat to arrive from Dubai. All photos: Victor Besa / The National

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  The journey between the two stations will take approximately 35 minutes, the RTA said

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  The service offers residents the opportunity to avoid traffic on the busy Dubai-Sharjah roads

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  Ticket fares for a single journey are Dh15 for Silver Class and Dh25 for Gold Class

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  Children aged under five travel free of charge

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  Ferry passengers arrive from Dubai at the Sharjah Corniche station located beside the Sharjah Aquarium

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  Ferry passengers arrive from Dubai at the Sharjah Corniche station located beside the Sharjah Aquarium

The ferry service between Dubai and Sharjah has resumed after an enforced break during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The service is operated by Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority between Al Ghubaiba Marine Station in Dubai and Aquarium Marine Station in Sharjah, seven days a week.

The journey between the two stations takes approximately 35 minutes.

Tickets for a single journey are Dh15 for the Silver Class and Dh25 for Gold Class but will be free to disabled passengers and children under five.

The resumption of the service, which offers people the chance to avoid traffic on busy Dubai-Sharjah roads, has been welcomed by travellers.

Nikhil SP, 36, from India, who works in sales and marketing at Sharjah Occidental Hotel, took the ferry for the first time on Saturday.

His colleagues, who have used the service before, recommended it to him.

“Usually I take the car but since they resumed the service I thought why not take it instead,” he told The National.

"This is my first time but I think it's an option I may be taking more often from now on, given it's easier and more fun and helps one avoid traffic congestion and delays.”

George Mathew, 37, from India, was a frequent ferry passenger before the service was suspended.

He works in Sharjah but with most of his friends in Dubai, he often used the ferry to visit them.

“I used to take it every weekend to go and meet my friends,” Mr George said.

“When my wife came to the country for a visit before the pandemic, we used to take it every time we wanted to go sightseeing in Dubai.”

He said the service was very convenient for Sharjah residents.

“It takes passengers to the heart of Dubai from where they can take any other means of public transport,” he said.

Operating times

The Dubai-Sharjah ferry will operate 50 trips a week - eight daily trips from Monday until Thursday and six trips from Friday until Sunday.

From Monday to Thursday, there will be two morning journeys from Sharjah at 7am and 8.30am along with one morning journey from Dubai at 7.45am.

In the evening, there will be two journeys from Sharjah at 4.45pm and 6.15pm and three journeys from Dubai at 4pm, 5.30pm and 7pm.

From Friday to Sunday, there will be three journeys each way starting from noon. Additional departure times from Sharjah will be at 2pm, 4pm and 6pm and the journeys from Dubai will start at 3pm, 5pm and 8pm.