Intercity buses connect every emirate in the UAE, and they are cheap: AED 12 from Dubai to Sharjah, AED 15 to Ajman, and AED 25 to Abu Dhabi. RTA runs the E-routes from 04:00 to 01:00 the next day, and you pay with a Nol card only, because cash and credit cards are not accepted on board. This guide covers the network, the fares, the stations, and where to find timings for each route.
- Get a Nol card, as buses do not take cash or cards.
- Check which station your route leaves from, not just the emirate.
- Allow for traffic at peak times, especially the Sharjah corridor.
The intercity network at a glance
Three authorities run public buses in the UAE, and the one you deal with depends on where your journey starts. Most intercity travel is on RTA’s E-routes out of Dubai, but Sharjah and Abu Dhabi run their own services and their own fare cards.
| Operator | Covers | Fare card |
|---|---|---|
| RTA (Roads and Transport Authority) | Dubai, and the E-routes to every other emirate | Nol |
| SRTA (Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority) | Sharjah city and its own intercity services | Sharjah travel card |
| Abu Dhabi Mobility | Abu Dhabi and Al Ain | Hafilat, tap in and tap out |
The practical consequence is that a Dubai to Abu Dhabi trip on an RTA bus is paid with Nol, but once you are travelling around Abu Dhabi on local buses you need Hafilat. Abu Dhabi also requires you to tap out at the end of a journey, which Dubai’s intercity buses do not.
Intercity routes by city pair
RTA currently operates these intercity services: E100, E101, E201, E303, E306, E307, E307A, E308, E315, E400, E411, E16 and E700. They link Dubai with Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Hatta, Fujairah and Al Ain. The table below groups them by the journey people actually search for.
| City pair | Routes | Typical fare |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai and Abu Dhabi | E100, E101 | AED 25 |
| Dubai and Sharjah | E303, E306, E307, E307A, E308, E315 | AED 12 |
| Dubai and Ajman | E400, E411 | AED 15 |
| Dubai and Al Ain | E201 | AED 30 |
| Dubai and Fujairah | E700 | AED 30 |
| Dubai and Hatta | E16, plus the H02 Hatta Express | AED 25 on the Express |
Each of these pairs works in both directions, and the route number is usually the same going back. Our individual guides cover both directions in one place, so a Dubai to Sharjah page also carries the Sharjah to Dubai timings rather than making you hunt for a second article. Start with Dubai to Sharjah bus timings, Dubai to Abu Dhabi bus timings, or Dubai to Ajman bus timings.
Operating hours and how timings work
This is where most bus guides quietly overstate what is known, so it is worth being precise. RTA publishes operating hours for its intercity network, not a departure timetable for each route.
| Service | Operating hours |
|---|---|
| Intercity E-routes | 04:00 to 01:00 the following day |
| Route C01 | 24 hours |
| Hatta Express (H02) | 07:00 to 19:00, roughly every two hours |
Within those hours, intercity routes run on a frequency rather than a fixed clock-face timetable. On a busy corridor a bus may leave every 20 minutes through the afternoon and evening, and every 30 to 60 minutes in the early morning. That is why our route pages give you the first bus, the last bus and the frequency band, which is what you actually need for a turn-up-and-go service.
If a website shows you an exact minute-by-minute departure list for an RTA intercity route, treat it with caution. RTA does not publish one. For live departures, use the S’hail app or the journey planner on rta.ae before you leave.
Timings also move for reasons that no static table captures: Ramadan schedules, public holidays, road works and heavy traffic on the Dubai to Sharjah corridor. Check the app on the day if your trip is time-critical.
Fares and paying with Nol
Intercity fares are flat per journey rather than zone-based, and they are low compared with a taxi over the same distance. The one rule that catches visitors out is payment: RTA intercity buses take the Nol card only, so you cannot pay the driver in cash or tap a bank card.
| Journey | Fare | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai to Sharjah | AED 12 | Raised from AED 10, and AED 7 before that |
| Dubai to Ajman | AED 15 | Around 50 minutes on E400 or E411 |
| Dubai to Abu Dhabi | AED 25 | On a Nol Silver card |
| Hatta Express | AED 25 | Deluxe coach, per rider per journey |
| Payment method | Nol card only | No cash and no credit cards on board |
Buy and top up a Nol card at any metro station or bus station before your first intercity trip. Keep a little more than the fare on the card, because an insufficient balance at the gate means you do not travel.
The main intercity bus stations
Knowing the terminal matters more than knowing the emirate, because two routes to the same city often leave from different stations. These are the hubs the intercity network runs through.
| Station | Emirate | Serves |
|---|---|---|
| Al Ghubaiba Bus Station | Dubai | E100 to Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah services |
| Ibn Battuta Bus Station | Dubai | E101 to Abu Dhabi |
| Union Bus Station | Dubai | Ajman and Sharjah services |
| Al Jubail Bus Station | Sharjah | The Dubai corridor |
| Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station | Abu Dhabi | The Dubai corridor |
All of these connect to local transport, and in Dubai most sit on or near a metro line, which is usually the fastest way to reach the terminal in the first place. If you are driving instead, our UAE traffic, vehicle and fines guide covers tolls, fines and renewals.
Every guide in this section
Each route guide covers both directions in one place, so you do not need a separate page for the return leg. The cards and city network guides explain how to pay in each emirate.
Intercity routes
- Dubai to Sharjah bus timings
- Dubai to Abu Dhabi bus timings
- Dubai to Ajman bus timings
- Dubai to Al Ain bus timings
- Dubai to Fujairah bus timings
- Dubai to Hatta bus timings
- Dubai to Ras Al Khaimah bus timings
- Sharjah to Abu Dhabi bus timings
- Sharjah to Ajman bus timings
- Abu Dhabi to Al Ain bus timings
- Sharjah to Al Ain bus timings
- Sharjah to Fujairah bus
- Abu Dhabi to Ras Al Khaimah bus timings
- Dubai to Muscat bus
Dubai and Sharjah route guides
- E303: Union to Sharjah
- E306: Al Ghubaiba to Sharjah
- E307, E307A and E308: Deira, Abu Hail and Stadium to Sharjah
- E315: Etisalat to Muwaileh
- Bus 113: Sharjah to Rashidiya
- Bus 308: Sharjah to Jebel Ali
- Bus 309: Sharjah to Al Quoz
Airports, metro and tram
- Dubai airport bus routes
- Abu Dhabi airport bus
- Dubai Metro timings
- Dubai Metro Red Line
- Dubai Metro Green Line
- Dubai Tram timings
- Dubai abra and marine transport
Fare cards and city networks
- Nol card guide
- Hafilat card guide
- Dubai bus routes
- Abu Dhabi bus routes
- Sharjah bus routes
Frequently asked questions
What time do UAE intercity buses run?
RTA intercity E-routes operate from 04:00 to 01:00 the following day, with route C01 running 24 hours. Within those hours buses run on a frequency rather than a fixed timetable, typically every 20 to 30 minutes on the busiest corridors and less often early in the morning.
How much is the bus from Dubai to Sharjah?
The Dubai to Sharjah intercity fare is AED 12, raised from AED 10 and AED 7 before that. Dubai to Ajman is AED 15 and Dubai to Abu Dhabi is AED 25 on a Nol Silver card. All of these are per journey, in either direction.
Can I pay cash on a UAE intercity bus?
No. RTA intercity buses accept the Nol card only, and neither cash nor credit cards are taken on board. Buy and top up a Nol card at a metro or bus station before you travel, and keep a balance slightly above the fare.
Where can I find exact bus departure times?
Use the S’hail app or the journey planner on rta.ae, which show live and planned departures. RTA publishes operating hours rather than a fixed departure list for intercity routes, so any site showing exact minute-by-minute departures is not quoting an official RTA timetable
Last verified: October 2026 against the RTA public transport timetable page and operator fare announcements
Written by Roman Shah ยท Reviewed by the UAEexplained editorial team
Source: Roads and Transport Authority (RTA); Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority (SRTA); Abu Dhabi Mobility
Spotted a timing that has changed? Tell us here and we will re-check it.