The below Dubai Ferry routes/timings information is accurate to the best of our knowledge. If in any doubt, please contact the RTA on 800 9090 for clarification on any of the trips shown.
Routes are occasionally changed and we will endeavour to keep these up to date.
Ferry Terminals
The Dubai Ferry currently runs from six ferry terminals: Dubai Marina, Bluewater Marine Transport Station, Al Ghubaiba, Dubai Canal Station, Sharjah Aquarium and Souk al Marfa.
The first two stations to operate were at Al Ghubaiba and Dubai Marina, with a terminal at Al Mamzar introduced in October 2014 – However, Al Mamzar no longer runs services due to lack of demand. The service also used to run along Dubai Water Canal to Al Jadaf but this has changed to a Water Taxi service.
The ferry service between Dubai and Sharjah was suspended after the 2020 pandemic but has now resumed and you can find full details of that service here.
Ferry services run 7 days a week.
The Al Ghubaiba terminal is a minutes walk from the Al Ghubaiba Metro station, near the creek abra stations.
The Marina terminal is a short walk (about 500 yards to the left) from outside the Marina Mall.
The Bluewater Marine Transport Station is on the island that holds the AIN Dubai ferris wheel, just off the marina.
Souk al Marfa is on Deira Islands.
There are circular tourist type trips that run for approximately 1 hour from each terminal and there are trips that run from one terminal to the other (which take around 1h 55m minutes for the trips between the Marina and Al Ghubaiba).
As there are sometimes changes to the schedule it is worth contacting the RTA in advance to check on sailing times.
All Routes Map
Here is a summary map of the routes that are covered by the Dubai Ferry. You can click on the map to see a larger version.
Below is a summary of the timings of the Dubai Ferry but you can find specific details on this page.
Trips from Dubai Marina:
| 11.30am | Sightseeing circular trip to Palm Jumeirah and Atlantis and back |
| 1pm | One way trip to Al Ghubaiba with a stop at Bluewaters and Dubai Water Canal |
| 4.30pm | Sightseeing circular trip to Palm Jumeirah and Atlantis and back |
| 6pm | One way trip to Al Ghubaiba with a stop at Bluewaters and Dubai Water Canal |
Trips from Al Ghubaiba:
| 1pm | One way trip to Dubai Marina with a stop at Dubai Water Canal and Bluewaters |
| 4.30pm | Circular Tourist trip within the Creek – we understand that this trip is currently not running. |
| 6pm | One way trip to Dubai Marina with a stop at Dubai Water Canal and Bluewaters |
Trips from Dubai Water Canal Marine Station
| Ferry Direction | 1 | 2 |
| To Al Ghubaiba | 14:25 | 19:25 |
| To Dubai Marina | 13:50 | 18:50 |
Sharjah to Dubai
| Friday, Saturday, Sunday | 2pm, 4pm, 6pm & 9pm |
| Monday to Thursday | 7am, 8.30am, 1pm, 4.45pm, 6.15pm |
Dubai to Sharjah
| Friday, Saturday, Sunday | 3pm, 5pm, 8pm & 10pm |
| Monday to Thursday | 7.45am, 10am, 4pm, 5.30pm,7pm |
Scheduled circular services (services that start and leave from the same station) will only run with at least 12 passengers. You can also privately hire the boats for your own trip at any available time between 9am and 9pm. Evening trips are busier so you may need to get to the terminal well in advance of the sailing (30 minutes or more).
Both circular routes run along the shore from the terminus with views of the coastline and the many local attractions, they run for one hour and then return from the place they started from. In this way they are really just excursions rather than a means to actually get anywhere within Dubai.
Dubai Marina
This is the tourist route covered by the Dubai Marina ferry which runs at 11.30am:
There is also a route running from Dubai Marina and out to the Burj al Arab for 60-90 minutes at 4.30pm. Trips may change – see table above for current trips available.
In addition you can travel at 1pm and 6pm from Dubai Marina to Al Ghubaiba. This stops at Dubai Canal Station and BlueWaters en route.
Al Ghubaiba
The route covered by the Al Ghubaiba ferry for the circular trip at 4.30pm is shown below. However, note that the route may be subject to change. There is a 3pm circular trip that previously ran within Dubai Creek – check with the RTA for the current route.
In addition there is a ferry running from Al Ghubaiba to Dubai Marina Ferry terminal at 1pm and 6pm. This stops at Dubai Canal Station and BlueWaters en route.
Souk al Marfa
In March 2022 a new ferry route was launched to Souk al Marfa on Dubai Islands. It ran from 6pm to 10pm on Friday, Saturday and Sundays. However, this trip no longer runs and marine access to Souk al Marfa is now just by abra.
Ticket Prices
Ticket prices are shown here.
The Dubai Ferry can be hired for private trips with no seats so that guests can mingle. It costs 2800 dirhams per hour (prices may change).
Is there a phone number I can ring on the day to check if a ferry service is running? I have gone to the Marina with visitors on three occasions to get different ferries only to find them cancelled when I get there. It would be good to be able to check in advance rather than waste another journey down. Thank you.
Circular services will only run if there are more than 10 passengers. If you want a guaranteed service then you will need to go on a trip that goes from one place to another.
Both occasions I tried to get the direct service from the Marina to Al Ghubaiba but it was cancelled due to some wind rather than lack of passengers. So it would be good to be able to call a number to check services are running on the day in case the weather stops them again? On both those days it seemed fine to me which is why I couldn’t have guessed in advance about the cancellations.
And the third occasion was guests trying to co a circular trip to Burj al Arab which was cancelled due to something going on with the canal opening they reported back.
Hi. Is the jadaf dubai canal 530pm circular trip running today 1st Jan and what time does it arrive back at jadaf? Thanks
In a ticket shows circular trip, it means we can come back from where we have start the trip (cost Included)? or have to buy another ticket for return back.
A circular trip does not stop anywhere.
HI, is there any service from Al ghubaiba to Marina. pls adv
Yes, please check the routes above.
Hi !
Can you, please, indicate me what is the distance between the métrostation “Creek” and the Dubai ferry station “Al Jaddaf” ?
Thank you for your answer.
I’m not sure of the exact distance but you would probably be better going to Jaddaf metro station.
Hi,
Do we have a NBD Go4It ferry ride available on 5th Friday, 30th Dec 2016 from Al Guibaba or Marina water station.
We understand that you get a free ride one Friday a month but you will need to check specific details with Emirates NBD/RTA.
hi is the route from Al Jadaf to Dubai Canal Station and back at 10am, Midday and 5.30pm open now and how much is it per person
Yes it is actually a one-way trip but there are other ferries coming back in the opposite direction. Prices are shown on the tickets page and depend on how many stops you make
Hi Admin, thanks for all the advice on the chat
I would like to know how best to do these 2 routes that i can see on the map!
1) Start Dubai Marina, loop around the Atlantis and then back to the marina. Is that a Water Bus route? Any idea on duration?
2) Start Dubai Marina, then to Burj Al Arab (is there a stop there) or Jumeirah Beach Hotel (is there a stop there?) Any idea of duration?
Thanks so much.
Route 1 goes at 3pm and route 2 goes at 5pm. They don’t stop but just take a circular route taking in those landmarks. They take about 90 minutes.
Hello. Is there a circular tour on the Water Canal? I just saw a youtube video taken from the RTA ferry at night. It went up through the “waterfall” at SZR, then around Business Bay area and back through the waterfall.
Thank you so much.
The current routes are shown above, we don’t have any info on a circular route right now.
Hello,
Are there any ferry trip on 31 december 2016, new year eve ? If yes for how much and from which stops ?
No information on this as yet, will post when we have it.
Hi,
Just wondering if they run regular schedule on 1st of Jan 2017? I’m coming to Dubai for 2 days only and would like to make best of it. Thanks in advance.
All timings are currently on the routes page, there are unlikely to be any changes on 1st January but if we get further information we will let you know.
Hi, I m interested in Dubai Marina to Burj al Arab 3 pm ferry. is it possible to do advance online booking . Is it Dubai Marina – Burj al arab – Dubai Marina ( round trip ) ?
No you can’t book in advance at the moment, yes this is a round trip.
Do you have ferry service round trip to visit Atlantis,The Palm ?
What’s price & the timining please.
As you can see in the trips listed above, the 5pm trip from the marina goes to Atlantis. Tickets are 50 dirhams silver class.
One the one way trip (11am and 1pm) between Al Ghubaiba and Dubai Marina, will I be able to see Burj Al Arab and Atlantis from the ferry? Thanks.
You should see the Burj but it goes under the trunk and not round the palm so you won’t see much of Atlantis on that one.
Hi I would like to take the ferry in dubai canal and pass by the bridge where there is water fall in the evening for the lights too. Which station should i take from and to? I will be near to dubai canal station. What time of the ferry should i take and can we prebook the ticket?
The waterfall lights up between 8 and 10 pm so you would probably need to get the last ferry from Dubai Canal Station at 1935 – although you would need to find another way back! You can’t prebook tickets right now.
Please give me the exact location of dubai canal station and the access by public transport
You can find a map of the location here https://www.rta.ae/wpsv5/links/promotions/en/maps/wc.html
Hi, can you please let us know how to reach the Dubai Design District Marine Station ? We are trying to catch the ferry in this station but looks all is close and there is no access. Thanks
Hi, this is the map for the DDDM station https://www.rta.ae/wpsv5/links/promotions/en/maps/dddm.html
Hey I have monthly Nol card worth 350.
Do I need to buy ticket to travel in water ferry?
I want to go to Dubai canal from Al Gubaiba.
Hi, at the moment I don’t believe you can pay for the ferry with a Nol card so you will need to buy a ticket.
Hi, our nearest station is Dubai Canal and we would like to take a boat trip to Marina and return. What are the timings please? Thanks
Hi, we don’t currently have the specific timings – the ferry coming from Al Ghubaiba takes around 30-45 minutes to get to Dubai Canal Station so if you take either the one that leaves Al Ghubaiba at 11am or 1pm and then get the 6.30pm back from the Marina.
Hi
Could please tell me if there will be available station from buisiness bay to festival mall ,going n coming ,so interested in ,the nearest station to me in design district .
Thanks
There is a ferry station in Dubai Design District and you can get the ferry to Al Jadaf and then take an abra across to Festival City.
Hello,
The Al Jadaf/ Dubai Canal Station trip is a round trip?
Does it start from Al Jadaf or from Dubai Canal?
How long does it take?
Thank you!
Regards
As per the details above it is a one way trip but there are ferries returning so you can also come back (you will need to buy another ticket). All of the timings are shown above.
Hi please can I confirm that if i take the ferry from Dubai Marina @1pm it will stop at the Dubai Canal Station? How long is this trip?
Thanks
Claire
Yes that is right – the trip takes approximately 30-45 minutes I would say.
Hi
what are the timings from Marina ferry station to Al Ghubaiba station ? looking to arrive at Al Ghubaiba by around 7pm if possible. would be travelling on 1st December
looking at timings there is only one leaving at 6.30pm which would get there around 8pm I guess . is that correct ?
Yes that is right.
What does does it take the ferry to reach from ghubaiba to marina?
It used to be just over an hour before the stop at Dubai Canal Station, so a little bit longer now, I would allow up to 1h 30mins.