The new water bus service on Dubai Creek has been announced as starting on Sunday.

In addition to the traditional abras, this will give commuters and tourists a modern, air-conditioned alternative for travelling between Deira and Bur Dubai. The one-way fare is initially going to be AED4 but that may be raised when the final fare is agreed by the Dubai Executive Council. Abra fare is AED1 each way.

Ten water buses will be operating from 6am to 11pm daily and there will be four commuter routes plus a tourist route. The tourist route will be between Shindagah, which is the heritage site of the original settlement that became Dubai, and Al Seef in Bur Dubai, a trip of 25 minutes that will cost AED25.