The direct, non-stop service will be offered by private sector operators
WAM
Abu Dhabi Express, a service providing rapid bus transportation across the emirate, will be launched from Monday, the local authority announced.
The direct, non-stop bus service will be offered by private sector operators, said the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) of the Department of Municipalities and Transport.
The initiative is in line with efforts to develop, upgrade and diversify public transport services and provide more mobility options for the community.
The new service will be made available to passengers in two phases. The first will include Musaffah industrial area and Mohamed bin Zayed City, and the second will include Khalifa City, Bani Yas, Al Shahama, Al Falah and other areas according to passenger needs, linking these areas directly to Abu Dhabi City through four direct operational routes.
In the second phase, ITC will also add five new routes in various areas of Al Ain that provide a direct and quick service within the city, which are Al Hiyar, Al Faqa, Sweihan, Al Shiwayb, Nahil, Abu Samra, Al Wiqan and Al Qou’a areas.
There will be a total of 680 trips each week. All the services will use the main bus station in Abu Dhabi City as an arrival point and include service E-01 from the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD) in Musaffah, service E-02, direct from Musaffah, while service E-03 will operate from Musaffah Town Bus Terminal and lastly service E-04, which will depart from Safeer Mall in Khalifa City.
The service will be available from 5am to 10pm on weekdays, and from 5am to 1am on weekends and public holidays. It will operate between destinations every 10 minutes during peak hours and every 25 minutes, maximum, outside peak hours.
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The first phase will be operated by Al Ghazal Transport Company and Emirates Taxi, as part of the strategic partnership between the ITC and the private sector to improve and develop public transport services. The companies have purchased 64 buses to provide the new service.
“The launch of the service cements the public-private partnership by offering more investment prospects to companies running public transport services,” the ITC said.
The service will enhance the integration between public bus services and increase the overall capacity of the bus network. The service is aimed at organising and eliminating random and unauthorised transit methods, this will provide sustainable transport services across the emirate of Abu Dhabi.
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