UAE: On-demand bus service to be launched in Abu Dhabi today

An on-demand bus service, "Abu Dhabi Link", will be rolled out on Saadiyat Island on Friday, January 28, the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) of the Department of Municipalities and Transport in Abu Dhabi has announced.

The service can be requested through the Abu Dhabi Link mobile application. This is a step that reinforces the principle of sustainable transport, as it provides a safe and comfortable first- and last-mile travel for public transport users.

Abu Dhabi Link on Saadiyat Island will be a free service in the first phase, and it will be available daily from 6am to 11pm.

The service will serve the following areas: Hidd Al Saadiyat, Saadiyat Beach Villas, Saadiyat Beach Residences, Jumeirah Resort - Saadiyat Island, Saadiyat Beach Club, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, Saadiyat hotel areas, Saadiyat Cultural District, Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum and Mamsha Al Saadiyat.

The concept of "On-demand Bus Service" is to provide a bus-only upon request from community members to travel within the community or transfer to other modes of public transport at the transport hub within the community. The service will reduce unnecessary roaming of public buses, reduce walking distance and wait time of bus for users significantly.

To access the service, passengers need to download the "Abu Dhabi Link" application, available in Apple Store and Google Play. The user will then indicate his/her pick-up and drop-off locations and select a pick-up time. The application will provide the user with details about the bus, including its type and plate number, and the user will be able to track the location of the bus in real-time using the application.

The ITC highlighted that the Abu Dhabi Link service had enhanced the diversity of the public bus network and supported ITC's efforts to expand the outreach of the public bus service to members of the community.

Service to facilitates transport between cultural and tourist attractions

Launching Abu Dhabi Link on Saadiyat Island will provide residents and visitors to Abu Dhabi with the opportunity to travel seamlessly between the various residential areas and points of interest across Saadiyat Island. It will serve to enhance Saadiyat Island's position as a global destination for tourism, recreation, culture, and entertainment. It also supports the efforts of the ITC to establish an integrated and sustainable transport system that facilitates the movement of residents and improves the quality of life in the emirate.

The "On-demand Bus Service" comes to Saadiyat Island after it has achieved great success since its launch in Al Shahama in late 2020, followed by Yas Island in the Year 2021. The total number of passenger trips that have benefited from the service since its launch had reached 237,000, and 31,000 downloads of the application had been made.