RTA adds four new fourth-generation abras to Dubai's water transport

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has added four new traditional abras to its marine transport fleet. The boats are the fourth generation of the wooden-style water taxi that has carried people across the city's waterways for decades, and they bring a few changes riders will notice straight away, from screens on board to electronic signs showing where each boat is going.

According to the RTA's announcement on 6 November, each of the new abras takes up to 24 passengers. The boats were built to the authority's approved engineering standards for this model and follow the Dubai Universal Design Code, the city's rulebook for making buildings and transport usable by everyone. The RTA says each one also holds certificates of conformity with the relevant Gulf Standard Specifications and safety rules.

Inside, the seating and flooring have been upgraded and the cabin space is laid out more efficiently. There are now dedicated areas for People of Determination. Digital screens show real-time travel information alongside safety messages and awareness content for passengers, and electronic destination boards appear on a fourth-generation abra for the first time, so riders on the pier can see a boat's destination before they step on.

Khalaf Belghuzooz Al Zarooni, Director of Marine Transport at the RTA's Public Transport Agency, said the new boats are meant to give passengers a more comfortable and safer trip, and that they are part of the authority's wider work on marine transport as one piece of Dubai's sustainable transport network. The abra remains the most traditional way to cross the water in Dubai, and the RTA has been modernising the fleet in stages rather than replacing its look.

The RTA has not said which stations or routes the four new abras will serve first, and it announced no change to fares or timetables. For riders, that means the usual abra stations and payment methods stay as they are; the difference is in the boat itself: the screens, the clearer destination signs and easier access for wheelchair users and others who need more room. Route and timetable details for all marine services are on the RTA's website, rta.ae, and its apps.