An abra is a traditional boat made of wood and can mainly be found on Dubai Creek. The abra is also known as the water taxi in Dubai and is the oldest method of water transport. With the authentic abra you can cross Dubai Creek in a fast and cheap way, a single journey costs less than one Dollar (about 1 dirham). A ride with an abra is a special experience, partly due to the beautiful view of the area Dubai Creek, the Deira and Bur Dubai which are located on the Creek.
Thanks to the low prices and the fast crossing, around 17,000 people are transported by traditional water taxis every day. Locals in particular regularly use the abras for a crossing to the souks where they go shopping. Of course there are also many tourists who make a trip with an abra. This is an activity that you should definitely not skip!
Dubai Creek Abra routes & stations
The abras boarding points can be found at various locations in Dubai around the Dubai Creek. The most used locations for tourists are the Deira Old Souk Abra station which you can use to visit the spice and gold souk. In addition, the abra station of Bur Dubai, the Dubai Old Souk Abra station is widely used by tourists because of its location at the old souk in Bur Dubai where you can also find the Dubai Museum. Other attractions such as Al Bastakiya are within walking distance of this station.
At the abra stations you can board for a fee at one of the many abras which will take you to the other side of the creek within a few minutes. The water taxis in Dubai sail daily, 365 days a year, from 5 a.m. to midnight. In total there are more than 150 abras active on the Dubai Creek, so you don’t have to worry that there is no space on one of the boats or there is no boat available.
