Revised timings of public transport in Dubai during sterilisation programme

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced on Sunday that the suspension of public transport services including metro, trams, and marine transport services will continue to be suspended between 8pm and 6am daily until the morning of Sunday, April 5, when the ongoing national disinfection programme is scheduled to end, reported news agency WAM.

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During the national sterilisation programme and between 8pm and 6am daily, the following is the revised schedule of public transport services within the emirate:

– All public transport journeys will commence at 7am.

– The last journey on Dubai Metro’s Red Line will depart at 6.02pm from Rashidiya Station towards UAE Exchange Station, and at 6.02pm from UAE Exchange Station towards Rashidiya Station.

– On the Green Line, the last train will depart from Creek Station towards Etisalat Station at 6.13pm and the last train will depart from Etisalat Station towards Creek Station at 6.17pm.

Read: Video: Khalid Al Ameri shows how RTA disinfects metros in Dubai

– The last intercity bus service will depart at 4pm to Abu Dhabi and Fujairah, and at 5pm to Ajman and Sharjah.

– Public buses will operate during the sterilisation programme across 13 routes, namely routes 8, 10, 12, A13, 17, 24, C01, C07, F18, F21, F34, F43 and X23 at a frequency of 30 minutes. The bus services are mainly to facilitate the movement of those working in the medical emergency fields or in vital sectors.

The bus routes serve 19 public and private hospitals including, Rashid Hospital in Oud Metha, Iranian Hospital in Al Wasl, Zulekha Hospital in Al Qusais, Dubai Hospital on Al Khaleej Road Deira, Baraha Hospital in Al Baraha Deira, Latifa Hospital in Al Jadaf, NMC Hospital in Al Qusais, American Hospital in Oud Metha, Saudi German Hospital in Al Barsha, and several hospitals in Healthcare City including Emirates Speciality Hospital, Dubai Dental Hospital, BR Medical Suites, Sapphire Day Surgery Centre, American Heart Center, Dr Riadh Hospital, Emirates Integra Medical & Surgery Centre, Medclinic City Hospital, and Dr Sulaiman Al Habib Hospital.

– Taxi services via Careem and Uber apps will be available during the disinfection programme.

Outside of the hours during which the sterilisation process takes place and during which movement of individuals and traffic is restricted, public transport services will operate as per their regular schedule.

Read: Dubai’s RTA tells residents to avoid public transport

“During these hours over this period, all public transport means in Dubai will cease services, and will operate on regular schedules outside those hours i.e. from 07:00 to 19:00,” said a statement from the authority.

Full operational timetables will be restored by the end of the disinfection programme for the metro, tram and bus services.

However, the RTA has decided to stop all marine transport services including abras, ferries and water taxis, until April 30 as part of its precautionary measures to contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

The RTA urged commuters using public transport services to use personal protective equipment while doing so, besides maintaining a safe distance from each other.

On March 27, RTA noted that it had sterilised all 47 Dubai Metro stations, 79 metro trains, 11 tram stations and 11 Dubai trams. It also sterilised 1,372 buses and was in the process of sterilising five bus depots and 17 bus stations.

Besides, the RTA confirmed that it had also sterilised the entire fleet of Dubai Taxi, limousines and shared transport (smart rental) operating in Dubai, which exceeded 17,000 vehicles.