E201 Bus: Dubai to Al Ain — Route, Timings & Fare

The E201 bus is the direct RTA intercity service between Al Ain Central Bus Station and Al Ghubaiba Bus Station in Dubai — the only public bus linking the Garden City with Dubai. The E201 bus route runs about 130–140 km across the desert highway in 2 hours 15 minutes, with buses roughly every hour. Because this route is searched mostly by its number, this guide keeps the focus tight: verified endpoints, the full stop sequence in both directions, first and last buses from RTA’s official timetable, and the current fare. It sits inside the wider Dubai to Al Ain bus guide, which covers the journey in more depth.

Timings can change on weekends and public holidays; check the RTA journey planner before you travel.

E201 Bus — Quick Facts

Route	Al Ghubaiba Bus Station (Dubai) ↔ Al Ain Central Bus Station
Fare	AED 30 one way (Nol card — see fare note below)
First bus	3:20 AM from Al Ghubaiba · 6:00 AM from Al Ain (Mon–Wed)
Last bus	10:00 PM from Al Ghubaiba · 12:50 AM (next day) from Al Ain (Mon–Wed)
Frequency	About every 55–60 minutes during the day
Journey time	2 hours 15 minutes (135 minutes scheduled)
Distance	About 130–140 km

E201 Bus Route and Stops

From Dubai, the E201 leaves Al Ghubaiba, calls at Wasl and Nad Al Sheba on its way out of the city, then runs the Al Ain road, entering the city via Al Qattara and the Mohammed Bin Khalifa Street stops before terminating at Al Ain Central Bus Station.

Dubai (Al Ghubaiba) to Al Ain Central

1. Al Ghubaiba Bus Station (start — stand 12)
2. Wasl, Wasl Club
3. Nad Al Sheba, Emirates NBD
4. Al Qattara Oasis East
5. Al Ain, Gift Markets (Mohammed Bin Khalifa Street)
6. Al Ain, Al Slimi Park
7. Al Ain, Eid Praying Ground (Ali Ibn Abi Taleb Street)
8. Al Ain, Al Madina Petrol Station
9. Al Ain Central Bus Station — final stop (stand 01)

Al Ain Central to Dubai (Al Ghubaiba)

1. Al Ain Central Bus Station (start)
2. Al Ain, Al Madina Petrol Station
3. Al Ain, Eid Praying Ground
4. Al Ain, Al Slimi Park
5. Al Ain, Gift Markets
6. Al Qattara Oasis East
7. Wasl, Wasl Club
8. Max Metro Bus Stop Landside (Dubai)
9. Al Ghubaiba Bus Station — final stop

A warning about older route lists: some websites add stops in Dubai Industrial City or Dubai Investments Park to the E201. Those stops do not appear in the current official stop sequence, so do not plan a journey around them. At the Dubai end you can connect straight into the Green Line at Al Ghubaiba Metro Station; the station is also the departure point of the E100 bus to Abu Dhabi.

E201 Bus Timings

These first and last buses come from RTA’s official E201 timetable (checked October 2026). Note how much earlier the service starts than most third-party guides claim — several popular websites still show an outdated 6:00 AM–9:00 PM pattern at both ends.

Direction	Day	First bus	Last bus	Daytime frequency
Al Ghubaiba → Al Ain	Monday–Wednesday	3:20 AM	10:00 PM	Every 55–60 min (07:00–21:00)
Al Ghubaiba → Al Ain	Saturday	4:20 AM	11:20 PM	Every 40–50 min
Al Ain → Al Ghubaiba	Monday–Wednesday	6:00 AM	12:50 AM (next day)	Every 55–60 min (07:00–21:00)

The scheduled end-to-end time is 2 hours 15 minutes in both directions. Friday and Sunday patterns differ from the weekday table, and the timetable is adjusted during Ramadan and public holidays, so treat the S’hail app or the RTA journey planner as the final word for a specific date. Buses are not bookable in advance; arrive at the terminal 15 minutes before your departure.

E201 Bus Fare and Payment

RTA’s journey planner currently prices the full Al Ghubaiba ↔ Al Ain journey at AED 30 each way. This is a change from the AED 25 that most older guides (and many still-live websites) list for the E201 — the fare appears to have been revised, and at least one major UAE newspaper guide also shows Dh30 for this route in its Dubai section while older pages keep the Dh25 figure. To be safe, keep at least AED 30 of balance on your Nol card before boarding; the card reader will charge the correct fare at tap-in. Payment is by Nol card only — cash is not accepted.

How to Reach the E201 Terminals

Al Ghubaiba Bus Station in Bur Dubai is beside Al Ghubaiba Metro Station (Green Line), one of Dubai’s biggest bus interchanges — the E100 to Abu Dhabi and the E102 corridor services are planned around the same hub area, and our Dubai to Al Ain bus guide covers the station in full. Al Ain Central Bus Station is the city’s main terminal; local Al Ain buses and taxis connect it with Al Jimi, Al Mutawaa, the UAE University area and Al Ain’s malls. Al Ain’s local buses are part of the Abu Dhabi transport system, so Nol does not work on them — you will need local payment (Hafilat) for onward travel.

Tips for Riding the E201

• The very first Dubai departure (3:20 AM) is a workers’ service — it exists, but do not rely on third-party apps that hide it; the RTA timetable is authoritative.
• Keep AED 30+ on your Nol card; balances sized for the old AED 25 fare can fail at the reader.
• The desert section has no stops for over an hour — use the facilities at the terminal before boarding.
• No eating or drinking on board, and keep luggage in the hold on this long route.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Routes

• Dubai to Al Ain Bus — full guide
• E100 Bus: Al Ghubaiba to Abu Dhabi
• E102 Bus: Ibn Battuta to Mussafah via Abu Dhabi Airport