By Mohammed Rashad Hussain, Managing PartnerPublished 3 min read
How do you take an abra across Dubai Creek?
An abra ride in Dubai is a short crossing of the Creek on a small wooden boat, between Bur Dubai and Deira. There is no ticket office. You board, sit and pay the attendant in cash.
The boat leaves when it fills, so waiting times are short in daytime and longer late in the evening. RTA does not publish operating hours for the traditional abra on its marine page, so go in daylight if you need certainty.
Iwona Rege / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Abra stations and routes: Deira Old Souq, Bur Dubai, Al Sabkha, Dubai Old Souq
RTA names four stations for the motorised traditional abra: Bur Dubai, Deira Old Souq, Dubai Old Souq and Al Sabkha. Each route runs in both directions.
| Route | Between |
|---|---|
| CR1 | Bur Dubai and Deira Old Souq |
| CR2 | Dubai Old Souq and Al Sabkha |
| CR5 | Al Fahidi and Deira Old Souq |
| CR7 | Al Seef, Al Fahidi and Dubai Old Souq |
RTA’s timetable page lists further lines, including CR3, CR4 and CR6. Read the current page before you go, because routes and stations are revised.
Alan & Flora Botting / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
How much does an abra cost, and how do you pay?
RTA lists the motorised traditional abra at AED 1 per passenger per trip, cash only. Keep small coins ready, because the attendant may not have change for larger notes.
RTA lists the electric abra separately, with routes from Dubai Mall and the Burj Plaza area and at Global Village. That service has its own fares and seats 8 passengers.
Private abra hire for a creek tour
A traditional abra can be chartered by the hour. RTA’s marine transport page gives AED 120 per hour. Its timetable page lists AED 300 or AED 580 per hour for up to 20 passengers and does not explain which applies. Ask RTA which rate fits your group.
For a longer, seated evening on the water with dinner, look at the dhow cruise on Dubai Creek.
Abra vs water taxi vs dhow cruise
- Abra: AED 1, a few minutes, Creek only.
- Water taxi and ferry: run by RTA between marine stations in the Marina, the Canal and Sharjah. See Dubai water taxi, ferry and abra.
- Dhow cruise: an evening dinner trip. Our comparison of Marina, Creek and Canal dhow cruises and the guide to a yacht or dhow cruise in Dubai explain which suits which group.
Francisco Anzola / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
What to see on each bank before and after the crossing
On the Bur Dubai side, Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood is a short walk from the water. Wind towers and small courtyards fill its lanes. The Deira side has the Spice Souk and the Gold Souk within a few minutes on foot of the Old Souq station.
Dress for walking and for heat. Between June and September, go before 10am or after sunset. The full list of sights and how they link is in places to visit in Dubai.
Where your driver can drop you and pick you up
The smoothest plan is a one-way walk. Your driver drops you at Al Fahidi, you cross to Deira by abra and the car waits on the Deira side. Ask for the exact meeting point on WhatsApp, because lanes near the souks are narrow and the meeting spot depends on the day.
Our Dubai city tour includes the Creek crossing, and a car with driver by the hour works if you want to set the pace. For other desert and day options, read Abu Dhabi vs Dubai desert safari, or browse day trips from Dubai.
Photos in this guide
A wooden abra crossing Dubai Creek, with Burj Khalifa on the skyline behindGuilhem Vellut / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Wooden abras with UAE flags moored at the Bur Dubai abra station on Dubai CreekIwona Rege / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
RTA abras moored at the Bur Dubai waterfront, below wind towers and heritage buildingsAlan & Flora Botting / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Abras moored on Dubai Creek, looking across the water to the minarets and low buildings of Bur DubaiFrancisco Anzola / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
