Mussafah Bus Station is the main bus interchange for Mussafah, Abu Dhabi’s vast industrial district on the mainland, across the Mussafah Bridge from Abu Dhabi island. It is the Abu Dhabi terminus of Dubai’s E102 intercity bus, the hub for city buses into the capital, and the stop thousands of Mussafah and Shabiya workers use daily. Abu Dhabi Mobility’s station directory lists it as Mohammed Bin Zayed City Bus Station (Mussafah) — you will see it shortened to “MBZ City Bus Station” in route documents, while Dubai’s RTA calls the E102’s terminus here “Mussafah Shabiya Bus Station”. They are the same interchange: one terminal where the Shabiya districts meet Mohammed Bin Zayed City, near Mazyad Mall.
This guide covers the station itself: which buses use it, how to reach Abu Dhabi city centre and Dubai from here, the Hafilat-versus-Nol payment split that catches Dubai visitors out, facilities and timings. Full timetables live in the linked route guides and the Darbi app; here we keep timings to the summaries you need.
| Mussafah Bus Station — Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Location | Mussafah, Abu Dhabi — where the Shabiya districts meet Mohammed Bin Zayed City, near Mazyad Mall, on the mainland across Mussafah Bridge from Abu Dhabi island |
| Official name | Mohammed Bin Zayed City Bus Station (Mussafah) — “MBZ City Bus Station” in Abu Dhabi Mobility route documents; stop code 10038 |
| Operator | Abu Dhabi Mobility (formerly the Integrated Transport Centre, ITC) |
| Intercity route | E102 to Dubai (Al Jafiliya via Zayed International Airport and Ibn Battuta) — RTA, paid by Nol card |
| Main city routes | 102 to Abu Dhabi city and Yas Island · 101 to Abu Dhabi city and Dalma Mall · A10 to Zayed International Airport · 210 to Al Shahama |
| Payment | Hafilat card on all Abu Dhabi Mobility buses — no cash, and Nol is NOT accepted. The E102 to Dubai is the exception: Nol card only |
| Distance to Abu Dhabi Central | About 30 km — roughly 55 minutes on the 102 bus |
| Help at the station | Customer Happiness Office at the station (weekdays) · Abu Dhabi Mobility support 800 850 |
Routes from Mussafah Bus Station
E102: the Dubai bus
The station’s headline service is the E102 bus, the only intercity route that starts inside Mussafah instead of at Abu Dhabi Central. From the terminus here — signed “Mussafah Shabiya” on the RTA side — it calls at the Mussafah community stops (Al Mussafah Park, Al Najah Private School and Al Ain University), then runs non-stop to Zayed International Airport, Terminal A, and on to Dubai: Ibn Battuta Bus Station, where most passengers board, and finally Al Jafiliya Bus Station in Bur Dubai. Buses run hourly, from 6:20 AM to 11:20 PM in both directions, the fare is a flat AED 25, and the full run takes about 2 hours; Abu Dhabi Mobility lists the E102 among its inter-emirates services. If you need Abu Dhabi city centre rather than Mussafah, the E100 and E101 from Abu Dhabi Central are better — all three are compared in our Dubai to Abu Dhabi bus guide.
Route 102: the Abu Dhabi city trunk
For Abu Dhabi itself, the route that matters most is the 102. It runs from this station through Rabdan and across the bridge into the city — Sultan Bin Zayed Street and Khalifa Street in Al Danah, by Capital Park, a short ride from Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station at Al Wahda — and continues out to Yas Island (Yas Hotel Plaza). The published route has 41 stops and the city ride takes roughly 55 minutes; buses run through the day, frequently at peak times. Because the fare is distance-based (see the payment section), the trip into the city costs roughly AED 3–4 on a Hafilat card. Check the direction board before boarding: from the city, you want the bus showing “Mussafah Bus Station”; from here, the Yas Island direction takes you through the city first.
More Abu Dhabi buses from Mussafah
Beyond the 102, more Abu Dhabi Mobility routes tie the station and the wider district into the network:
| Route | Goes to | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| 101 | Abu Dhabi city (Khalifa Street / Capital Park) ↔ Dalma Mall, ICAD | The Mussafah industrial side: Dalma Mall and the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi, roughly an hour end to end |
| A10 | Zayed International Airport, Terminal A | The local airport bus from the station — the alternative to the E102’s airport stop |
| 210 | Al Shahama Bus Station ↔ Dalma Mall | Northbound to Shahama, Al Bahia and the Dubai-side suburbs, via the station area and Dalma Mall |
| 104 | MBZ City South East ↔ Khalifa Street, Abu Dhabi city | A second MBZ City–city link serving the south-eastern sectors |
Mussafah is a huge district, and not every Mussafah bus starts at this terminal — routes such as the 101 and 210 also serve the Dalma Mall and ICAD side directly. If your workplace or accommodation is deep inside Mussafah Sanaiya, check Darbi for the stop nearest you before walking to the station; you may already be on a route.
Abu Dhabi Express E-01: the non-stop city shuttle
For a faster trip into town, Abu Dhabi Mobility’s Abu Dhabi Express runs non-stop shuttles between the suburbs and the city centre. The Mussafah route is the E-01, between the ICAD stop in Mussafah and the Lifeline Hospital (LLH) stop in the city, at a flat AED 12 paid in cash on boarding — the one service here that takes cash instead of a card. Published hours are 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM on weekdays and 6:00 AM to 1:00 AM on weekends and public holidays. Confirm the current timetable in Darbi before relying on it, as express routes are adjusted from time to time.
Mussafah Bus Station Timings
There is no single opening time for the station, because every route keeps its own timetable — but the pattern is easy to read. Local buses start from around 5:00 AM, the 102 is running by about 6:20 AM, and services continue until late evening, with the last buses on the busiest routes reaching the station area around midnight. The E102 to Dubai keeps its own strict hourly pattern, 6:20 AM to 11:20 PM from this terminus. Friday and public-holiday timetables differ, so check your exact departure in the Darbi app on the day — for the E102, RTA’s S’hail app shows the Dubai side.
How to Reach Mussafah Bus Station
By bus from Abu Dhabi city: take the 102 from the Khalifa Street / Sultan Bin Zayed Street stops in Al Danah — it terminates at the station — or the 101 towards Dalma Mall for the ICAD side. Allow roughly an hour in busy traffic.
From Dubai: ride the E102 from Al Jafiliya or Ibn Battuta straight to the terminus — no change at Abu Dhabi Central is needed. The community stops before the terminus (Al Mussafah Park, Al Najah Private School, Al Ain University) may be closer to your Shabiya address than the station itself.
By taxi or car: taxis wait in the station area and are the practical option late at night and for the industrial sectors beyond walking distance; the ride from the city centre takes roughly 25 minutes off-peak. By car, approach through MBZ City and Shabiya — and allow for heavy peak-hour traffic on the Mussafah Bridge approaches, when the whole district moves at once.
Facilities and Tickets
Mussafah is a working interchange rather than a landmark terminal. Abu Dhabi Mobility maintains a Customer Happiness Office at the station — published hours are 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM on weekdays — for Hafilat card sales, enquiries and recharge machines. Expect departure stands organised by route, sheltered waiting areas and timetable information; for food and shops, the Shabiya streets around the station and Mazyad Mall next door cover most needs. Abu Dhabi Mobility states that its public buses are equipped for wheelchair users; the Customer Happiness Office or the 800 850 support line can confirm boarding arrangements before you travel.
Hafilat vs Nol: Paying at Mussafah
This station sits on the border of two payment systems, and mixing them up is the most common mistake here. Every Abu Dhabi Mobility bus — the 102, 101, A10 and the rest — is paid with a Hafilat card. Your Dubai Nol card will not work on them, and cash is not accepted on board. An anonymous Hafilat card costs AED 10 from the station’s Customer Happiness Office, sales and recharge machines, and partner shops such as Lulu and SPAR. Fares are distance-based: AED 2 boarding plus 5 fils per kilometre, capped at AED 5 for journeys over 60 km — putting the Mussafah-to-city ride at roughly AED 3–4. Tap in when you board and tap out when you leave: forgetting to tap out charges you the maximum fare. Transfers to another standard bus within 60 minutes of tapping out waive the second AED 2 boarding fee, and children aged 10 and below travel free.
The E102 to Dubai is the opposite: an RTA bus, so it takes Nol card only — Hafilat will not work on it — and the flat AED 25 is deducted at tap-in. Commuting between Mussafah and Dubai means carrying both cards: Hafilat inside Abu Dhabi, Nol for the E102 and Dubai. The one cash exception here is the Abu Dhabi Express E-01 shuttle (AED 12, paid to the driver).
Tips for Using Mussafah Bus Station
- Carry both cards: Hafilat for Abu Dhabi buses, Nol for the E102. Neither card works on the other emirate’s buses, and there is no cash fallback on the standard services.
- The E102 is hourly — plan backwards from it. Miss the 6:20-pattern departure and you wait a full hour; be at the terminus 15 minutes early, especially with a flight from Terminal A to catch.
- Search the right name in apps: the station appears as “MBZ City Bus Station” in Abu Dhabi Mobility planners and as “Mussafah Shabiya Bus Station” on the RTA side — stop code 10038 settles any doubt.
- Beat the bridge peak: the Mussafah Bridge corridor jams hard in the morning peak towards the city and again in the evening back. The 102’s 55-minute run can stretch well beyond that — leave a buffer.
- Check which side of Mussafah you need: the station serves Shabiya and MBZ City; Dalma Mall and ICAD are a separate bus ride away on the 101 or 210 — do not assume walking distance.
- Tap out, every time: Abu Dhabi fares are calculated on tap-out. A forgotten tap-out means the maximum fare, and it is deducted on your next trip when you least expect it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Mussafah Bus Station located?
In Mussafah, Abu Dhabi’s industrial district on the mainland, where the Shabiya residential districts meet Mohammed Bin Zayed City, near Mazyad Mall. Abu Dhabi Mobility’s directory lists it as Mohammed Bin Zayed City Bus Station (Mussafah), stop code 10038. It is about 30 km from Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station — roughly 55 minutes on the 102 bus.
Which bus goes from Mussafah Bus Station to Abu Dhabi city?
The 102 is the main route: it runs from the station through Rabdan into Al Danah (Khalifa Street and Sultan Bin Zayed Street, by Capital Park) and continues to Yas Island. The 101 links the city with Dalma Mall on the ICAD side, and the Abu Dhabi Express E-01 shuttle runs non-stop from ICAD to the city centre for AED 12 in cash. Standard buses are paid by Hafilat card.
Is there a direct bus from Mussafah to Dubai?
Yes — the E102. It runs hourly from this station (signed Mussafah Shabiya on the RTA side) from 6:20 AM to 11:20 PM, via Zayed International Airport Terminal A to Ibn Battuta and Al Jafiliya in Dubai, for a flat AED 25 paid by Nol card. The full route and timetable are in our E102 bus guide.
Can I use a Nol card on buses from Mussafah Bus Station?
Only on the E102 to Dubai, which is an RTA service. Abu Dhabi Mobility’s own buses — the 102, 101, A10 and all other local routes — take the Hafilat card, not Nol, and do not accept cash on board. Arriving from Dubai, buy a Hafilat card at the station before continuing into Abu Dhabi.
How much is the bus fare from Mussafah to Abu Dhabi city?
Abu Dhabi bus fares are distance-based on the Hafilat card: AED 2 boarding plus 5 fils per kilometre, with a maximum of AED 5 for journeys over 60 km. The Mussafah-to-city ride on the 102 works out at roughly AED 3–4. The non-stop Abu Dhabi Express E-01 is a flat AED 12 in cash, and the E102 to Dubai is a flat AED 25 by Nol.
How do I get from Mussafah Bus Station to Zayed International Airport?
Two buses call at Terminal A: the local A10 runs from the station to the airport, and the E102 to Dubai also stops there on its way north. Check Darbi for the A10’s times and S’hail for the E102’s hourly departures — and allow at least 2 hours between the bus’s scheduled airport arrival and your check-in deadline.
What time is the first and last bus from Mussafah Bus Station?
It depends on the route. Local services start from around 5:00 AM and run until late evening, with the last buses on the main routes reaching the station area around midnight; the E102 runs hourly from 6:20 AM to 11:20 PM. Check your route and day in the Darbi app, as Friday and holiday timetables differ.
Is Mussafah Bus Station the same as Mussafah Shabiya Bus Station?
Yes: “Mussafah Shabiya” is the name RTA uses for the E102’s terminus at this interchange, reflecting the Shabiya districts it serves, while Abu Dhabi Mobility lists the same station as Mohammed Bin Zayed City Bus Station (Mussafah). If a timetable or app shows any of the three names, you are heading to the same place.
Related Routes
- E102 Bus: Ibn Battuta to Mussafah via Abu Dhabi Airport
- Dubai to Abu Dhabi Bus — all routes compared
- Ibn Battuta Bus Station: Routes to Abu Dhabi, Sharjah & City Buses
- Al Jafiliya Bus Station Dubai: Routes & Timings
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.