Dubai Ferry: Routes, Ticket Prices & Timings

The Dubai Ferry is RTA’s large passenger boat service linking Al Ghubaiba in old Dubai with the Dubai Water Canal, Bluewaters, Dubai Marina and Sharjah. Tickets start at AED 15 Silver for Sharjah and AED 25 Silver per stop on the Dubai coastal routes, with Gold Class costing more. Most routes sail twice a day, at about 1pm and 6pm.

Quick answer: Four routes: FR1 (Al Ghubaiba ↔ Water Canal), FR2 (Water Canal ↔ Bluewaters ↔ Marina Mall), FR4 (Marina Mall round trip past Palm Jumeirah and Atlantis) and FR5 (Al Ghubaiba ↔ Sharjah Aquarium). Silver AED 25, Gold AED 35 per stop on FR1 and FR2. FR4 is AED 50 Silver or AED 75 Gold. Under-5s and People of Determination ride free on FR1, FR2 and FR5.

All timings and prices below come from RTA’s ferry timetable dated September 2026.

RTA ferry routes in Dubai

Put FR1 and FR2 together and you have the classic coast-length trip from old Dubai to Dubai Marina, which the boat covers in roughly two hours with stops.

Ferry timings: daily departures

The coastal timetable is the same every day of the week.

These are the departure times as RTA publishes them for each station. Departure times differ from station to station, so read the time for the stop you are boarding at, not the start of the route. RTA asks passengers to arrive before the listed time.

Timings for the Sharjah route (FR5) change by day and are in our Dubai to Sharjah ferry guide.

Dubai Ferry ticket price

People of Determination travel free on FR1, FR2 and FR5.

Because FR1 and FR2 are charged per stop, a long trip such as Al Ghubaiba to Dubai Marina crosses several stops and costs more than a single leg. Older guides quote AED 50 Silver for the full trip, but RTA’s current table prices each stop. Ask the counter for the exact end-to-end fare before you buy.

Silver or Gold? Gold Class has 14 seats with more legroom and nicer seating; Silver has 84 seats. Both classes can use the outdoor deck. For a two-hour coastal trip, Gold is a fair upgrade. For the 35-minute Sharjah crossing, Silver is plenty.

Ferry stations and how to reach them

For Al Ghubaiba connections, see our Al Ghubaiba bus station guide. For the short creek crossings nearby, our Dubai abra guide covers the AED 1 boats.

How to buy ferry tickets in Dubai

You have three options:

1. At the station. Ticket counters at every marine station take cash, bank cards and nol cards.
2. Online. Book on RTA’s marine site, marine.rta.ae, to pick your class and secure a seat.
3. nol card. Tap and pay at the station, subject to available seats.

Booking online is the better choice on weekend afternoons and public holidays. With only two sailings a day, a sold-out boat means waiting five hours for the next one.

Our pick: which ferry trip is worth it?

• Best value sightseeing: FR4 from Dubai Marina Mall. At AED 50 Silver it shows the Marina skyline, the Palm and Atlantis in one loop, and a family ticket at AED 140 brings the cost per person down.
• Best for commuters: FR5 to Sharjah, at AED 15 Silver, skips the border-road traffic.
• Best one-way scenic trip: the 1pm sailing from Al Ghubaiba towards the Marina, timed to reach the Marina by late afternoon.

The trade-off is flexibility. With two departures a day, the ferry suits a planned outing better than a quick trip across town.

What commonly goes wrong

• Reading the wrong station time. The 1pm departure is from Al Ghubaiba; boats reach Bluewaters and the Marina later.
• Assuming the route runs. RTA notes that some routes can be temporarily suspended, and trips may be cancelled or rerouted in bad weather. Check the day before.
• Arriving just on time. Boarding closes before departure. Get there early.
• Planning around Ramadan with normal timings. Holy month and public holiday schedules differ from the standard table.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a ferry ticket in Dubai?

On RTA’s September 2026 table, FR1 and FR2 cost AED 25 Silver or AED 35 Gold per stop, the FR4 Marina and Palm round trip costs AED 50 Silver or AED 75 Gold, and FR5 to Sharjah costs AED 15 Silver or AED 25 Gold. Children under 5 travel free on most routes.

What time does the ferry leave Al Ghubaiba?

The FR1 coastal ferry leaves Al Ghubaiba at 1:00pm and 6:00pm every day, heading to the Dubai Water Canal, where FR2 continues to Bluewaters and Dubai Marina Mall. Ferries to Sharjah also leave from Al Ghubaiba on a separate FR5 timetable that changes by day of the week.

Can I use my nol card on the ferry?

Yes. RTA accepts nol cards, cash and credit or debit cards at all marine stations, including the ferry. If you want a guaranteed seat on a busy sailing, buy online at marine.rta.ae in advance, since each boat has only 14 Gold and 84 Silver seats.

How long is the ferry from Al Ghubaiba to Dubai Marina?

Allow roughly two hours from Al Ghubaiba to Dubai Marina Mall, including stops at the Dubai Water Canal and Bluewaters. The 1pm departure from Al Ghubaiba reaches Dubai Marina Mall in the afternoon. Sea conditions and boarding at each stop can add a few minutes.

Planning your Dubai Ferry trip

Pick your route, read the departure time for your boarding station, and book online for weekends. Budget AED 25 Silver per stop on the coastal route, AED 50 for the Palm loop or AED 15 for Sharjah. Check RTA’s ferry timetable and the marine booking site the day before, since routes can pause without much notice.

For connections by metro, bus and taxi, see our Dubai public transport guide, or find more guides on the Live In Gulf homepage.

Routes, timings and fares checked against RTA’s ferry timetable (September 2026) on 14 October 2026.