The al jafiliya bus station is the RTA interchange for the Zabeel–Satwa side of Bur Dubai: a purpose-built bus station on Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Road in Al Kifaf, a short walk from Max Metro Station on the Dubai Metro Red Line — the station most residents still know by its old name, Al Jafiliya. From its numbered bays you can ride city buses across Bur Dubai and Deira, or catch the E102 intercity bus all the way to Zayed International Airport and Mussafah in Abu Dhabi. The station is also the public-transport front door for one of Dubai’s busiest government offices: the GDRFA immigration headquarters — the “Jafiliya immigration” office — which sits across from the Metro station.
This guide covers every route serving the station and the bay each one uses, how the E102 works from here (including why many timetables describe it as an Ibn Battuta bus), station timings in general terms, facilities and Nol top-up, and how to reach the station by Metro, bus and taxi.
| Al Jafiliya Bus Station — Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Location | Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Road, Al Kifaf (Al Jafiliya), Bur Dubai — beside Max Metro Station |
| Nearest Metro | Max (formerly Al Jafiliya), Dubai Metro Red Line — a few minutes’ walk |
| Intercity route | E102 to Zayed International Airport & Mussafah Shabiya (Abu Dhabi), from bay 1 |
| City routes | 10, 27, 29, 32C, 61, 91A, F09 and the X94 express |
| City bus fares | From AED 3 with Nol (AED 3 / 5 / 7.50 depending on zones crossed) |
| Intercity fare | E102: AED 25 one way, paid by Nol card |
| Payment | Nol card only — no cash is accepted on RTA buses |
| Station hours | First departures around 6:00 AM; last buses after midnight (each route differs) |
| Nearby | GDRFA Dubai HQ (immigration), Zabeel Park & Dubai Frame, Bur Dubai Police Station |
Routes from Al Jafiliya Bus Station
The station is laid out in numbered bays — in RTA stop data they run from “Al Jafiliya Bus Station 1” to “Al Jafiliya Bus Station 6” — and the departure displays inside show which bay each route uses. The main services are:
| Route | Bay | Where it goes | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| E102 | 1 | Zayed International Airport, then Mussafah Shabiya (Abu Dhabi) | Intercity |
| F09 | 2 | Al Wasl Park, via Satwa and the Dubai Frame | Feeder |
| 10 | 3 | Al Quoz Bus Station, via Satwa | City |
| 27 | 3 | Dubai Mall (other direction: Gold Souq, Deira) | City |
| X94 | 4 | Dubai Investment Park via Sheikh Zayed Road (other direction: Gold Souq) | Express |
| 32C | 5 | Al Qusais Bus Station, via Deira | City |
| 29 | 6 | Al Ghubaiba Bus Station (route continues to Al Qusais) | City |
| 61 | 6 | Al Ghubaiba Bus Station | City |
E102: Al Jafiliya to Abu Dhabi Airport and Mussafah
The E102 is the station’s flagship service and its only intercity route. From bay 1 it runs to Ibn Battuta Bus Station, then non-stop to Zayed International Airport — Terminal A, and on through the Mussafah community stops (Al Ain University, Al Najah Private School and Al Mussafah Park) to Mussafah Shabiya Bus Station. The fare is a flat AED 25 by Nol card and the full run takes about 2 hours. Full stops and the complete timetable are in our E102 bus guide, and you can compare all three Dubai–Abu Dhabi services in the Dubai to Abu Dhabi bus guide.
A note on E102 departures from Al Jafiliya: guides differ on this route, so here is the honest position. RTA’s route listing starts the E102 at Al Jafiliya Bus Station, and buses do depart from bay 1 here. However, most published timetables describe the E102 as an “Ibn Battuta to Mussafah” bus, because Ibn Battuta is where the full hourly pattern (6:20 AM–11:20 PM) is anchored and where most Dubai passengers board. If you are starting at Al Jafiliya, check the next E102 departure from this station in RTA’s S’hail app rather than assuming every Ibn Battuta departure also starts here — and if your timing is tight, the Red Line ride from Max to Ibn Battuta gives you the complete hourly service.
City Buses from Al Jafiliya
For Satwa and the Bur Dubai side, route 10 runs west to Al Quoz via Satwa, while routes 29 and 61 are the short links to Al Ghubaiba Bus Station — useful for Baniyas Square, Union Square connections and the E100 to Abu Dhabi Central. Heading the other way, 29 and 32C cross to Deira and continue to Al Qusais, and route 27 connects the station with Dubai Mall in one direction and Gold Souq in Deira in the other. The 91A also calls at the station on its run between the Bur Dubai side and Jebel Ali. The F09 is the local feeder: from bay 2 it loops via Satwa Roundabout and 2nd December Street, past the Dubai Frame, to Al Wasl Park — RTA even labels this stop “Al Jafiliya Bus Station (Dubai Frame)” in its route data. The X94 express calls here on the Gold Souq–Dubai Investment Park run, but it is a limited-days service (mainly Fridays and Sundays) rather than an everyday route, so check S’hail before planning around it.
Al Jafiliya Bus Station Timings
The station has no single opening and closing time, because every route keeps its own schedule. In practice the station comes alive before 6:00 AM, the first departures on the main routes leave around 6:00 AM, and the last buses run past midnight. City routes are frequent — roughly every 15–20 minutes at peak times on the busy corridors — and thin out late in the evening. The E102 is the service to plan around: it is an hourly intercity bus, so check live departures in the S’hail app or on the RTA website before you set out, and use our E102 guide for its full timetable rather than a departure board snapshot.
How to Reach Al Jafiliya Bus Station
By Metro: Max Station (Red Line)
Take the Red Line to Max Metro Station, which sits between ADCB and World Trade Centre stations. The station was called Al Jafiliya until RTA renamed it under its Metro naming-rights programme in August 2021 — which is why the neighbourhood, the bus station and the immigration office all still carry the Jafiliya name, and why older guides and apps may show either name for the same stop. From the Metro station it is a short walk across to the bus station; follow the signs for Al Jafiliya Bus Station. One Nol card covers both the Metro ride and the bus, and changing between them here is the main reason this interchange exists.
By Bus
Every route in the table above serves the station, so you may already be on one. Coming from Deira, routes 27, 29 and 32C (and the X94 on its operating days) all pass through Al Jafiliya; from Al Ghubaiba and Satwa, routes 10, 29 and 61 are the usual links. If you are travelling in from further out — Jebel Ali side on the 91A, or Al Qusais on the 29/32C — Al Jafiliya is your Bur Dubai interchange for the Red Line at Max.
By Taxi or Car
RTA taxis use the pick-up and drop-off area at the station entrance, and taxis can also be booked through the S’hail app. By car, the station is on Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Road at the Bur Dubai end of the Trade Centre corridor, and there is paid parking in the surrounding streets. The roads around the GDRFA headquarters and Bur Dubai Police Station do get congested during office hours, so at peak times the Metro is usually the faster way in and out.
Facilities and Tickets at Al Jafiliya
Inside the station you will find air-conditioned waiting areas, electronic departure displays showing routes and bay numbers, a customer help desk, restrooms and a prayer room, with step-free access between the concourse and the bays. Ticket kiosks at the station handle Nol card top-ups; if you need a new card or help with an existing one, the ticket office at Max Metro Station next door is the full-service option, and the Metro station’s vending machines also sell and top up Nol cards.
Payment rules are the standard RTA ones: Nol card only, no cash. Tap in when you board and tap out when you leave a city bus so the correct zone fare is charged. City fares are zone-based — AED 3 within one zone, AED 5 across two zones and AED 7.50 across three or more — while the E102 charges its flat AED 25 regardless of where you get off. Make sure your card holds at least AED 25 before joining the E102 queue. Children under 5 travel free on RTA services.
Immigration, Zabeel Park and the Dubai Frame
A large share of this station’s passengers are not really here for the buses. The headquarters of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA Dubai) — the authority for Dubai visas, residency and entry permits — stands on Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Street in Al Jafiliya, behind Bur Dubai Police Station and across from the Metro station. “Jafiliya immigration” is one of the most visited government offices in the emirate, and between them the bus station and Max Metro are its public-transport front door, which is why the interchange is busiest on weekday mornings.
The station also borders Zabeel Park at Al Kifaf, with the Dubai Frame standing in the park a short walk away — close enough that RTA uses the Frame’s name for the F09 stop here. Al Mankhool and Al Hudaiba are just across Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Road, Satwa is one short bus ride west, and the World Trade Centre is a single Metro stop east. If you are combining an immigration visit with sightseeing, this is one of the easiest bases in Bur Dubai to do it from.
Tips for Using Al Jafiliya Bus Station
- Check the bay number on the departure displays when you arrive — city routes share bays, and the E102 uses bay 1.
- Travelling to Abu Dhabi? The E102 from here serves Zayed International Airport and Mussafah, not Abu Dhabi Central. For the city centre, take the E100 from Al Ghubaiba or the E101 from Ibn Battuta instead.
- Keep at least AED 25 of balance on your Nol card before boarding the E102, and top up at the station or at Max Metro rather than at the last minute.
- If your E102 connection is tight, ride the Red Line from Max to Ibn Battuta — the full hourly E102 pattern is anchored there.
- Weekday mornings are GDRFA rush hour: build in extra time, and expect the Metro ticket machines to be busy too.
- Old name, new signs: announcements and apps say “Max”, locals and older guides say “Al Jafiliya” — for the Metro station, they are the same place.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the nearest Metro station to Al Jafiliya Bus Station?
Max Metro Station on the Red Line, a few minutes’ walk from the bays. It was renamed from Al Jafiliya in August 2021 under RTA’s station naming-rights programme, so some apps and older guides still show the old name — it is the same station.
Which buses leave from Al Jafiliya Bus Station?
The intercity E102 to Zayed International Airport and Mussafah (bay 1), the F09 feeder to Al Wasl Park (bay 2), city routes 10 to Al Quoz and 27 to Dubai Mall (bay 3), the X94 express towards Dubai Investment Park (bay 4), route 32C to Al Qusais (bay 5), and routes 29 and 61 to Al Ghubaiba (bay 6). The 91A to Jebel Ali also calls at the station.
Is there a bus from Al Jafiliya to Abu Dhabi?
Yes — the E102 runs from bay 1 to Zayed International Airport (Terminal A) and Mussafah Shabiya Bus Station for AED 25 by Nol card. It does not go to Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station; for the city centre, use the E100 from Al Ghubaiba or the E101 from Ibn Battuta — see our Dubai to Abu Dhabi bus guide for the comparison.
Does the E102 start at Al Jafiliya or Ibn Battuta?
RTA’s route listing starts the E102 at Al Jafiliya, and buses depart from bay 1 here. Most timetables describe it as an Ibn Battuta–Mussafah bus because the hourly 6:20 AM–11:20 PM pattern is anchored at Ibn Battuta, where most passengers board. Check the S’hail app for the next departure from Al Jafiliya itself before travelling.
Is Al Jafiliya Bus Station the station for Dubai immigration (GDRFA)?
Yes. The GDRFA Dubai headquarters — the office everyone calls “Jafiliya immigration” — is on Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Street behind Bur Dubai Police Station, across from Max Metro Station. Al Jafiliya Bus Station is the closest bus station to it, and Max is the closest Metro station.
Can I top up my Nol card at Al Jafiliya Bus Station?
Yes — the station’s ticket kiosks handle Nol top-ups, and Max Metro Station next door has a ticket office and vending machines for buying and topping up cards. You can also top up a registered card in the S’hail app before you travel.
What time does Al Jafiliya Bus Station open and close?
There is no single opening time because each route keeps its own schedule. As a guide, the first buses leave around 6:00 AM and services continue past midnight; the E102 intercity bus is hourly, so check S’hail for live departures on the day.
How much is the bus fare from Al Jafiliya Bus Station?
City buses are charged by zone on your Nol card: AED 3 within one zone, AED 5 across two zones and AED 7.50 across three or more. The E102 intercity bus to Abu Dhabi Airport and Mussafah is a flat AED 25. Cash is not accepted on any RTA bus.
Related Routes
- E102 Bus: Al Jafiliya to Mussafah via Zayed International Airport
- Dubai to Abu Dhabi Bus — all routes compared
Daniyal Sheikh
Transport Editor, UAE Travel Hub
Dubai daily commuter covering the Metro, Nol cards, RTA buses and intercity routes across all seven emirates — every fare and timing checked against official RTA, ITC and SRTA sources.