Search for the ras al khaimah bus station and you will trip over the same confusion that catches visitors out in person: Ras Al Khaimah has two bus stations, and they do different jobs. The intercity terminal is Al Hamra Bus Station — despite the name, it stands not in Al Hamra Village but in the Al Dhait district of RAK city, on Sheikh Muhammad Bin Salem Road opposite The Cove Rotana Resort. Every RAKTA coach to Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Abu Dhabi leaves from there. The second station, Al Nakheel Bus Station, is the hub of the city bus network — five colour-coded lines covering the city, the Corniche and the airport. This guide explains which station you need, the intercity buses at Al Hamra, the city lines at Al Nakheel, and how to pay.
The rule to remember is simple: intercity = Al Hamra (Al Dhait), city buses = Al Nakheel — and, as explained below, one city line exists precisely to shuttle you between the two.
| Ras Al Khaimah Bus Station — Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Intercity station | Al Hamra Bus Station — Al Dhait, Sheikh Muhammad Bin Salem Road (opposite The Cove Rotana Resort) |
| City bus hub | Al Nakheel Bus Station — all five RAKTA city lines start or pass here |
| Operator | RAKTA (Ras Al Khaimah Transport Authority) |
| Intercity buses | Dubai · Sharjah · Ajman · Umm Al Quwain · Abu Dhabi — plus weekend Dubai Mall & Musandam services |
| City buses | Red, Blue, Green, Purple and Orange Lines — flat AED 8 with an E-SAQR card |
| Payment | E-SAQR card · Sayr app / RAKBUS booking · station counters · cash. Nol card NOT accepted |
| Station hours | First departure 5:00 AM (Dubai); RAK departures end 9:00 PM; Dubai arrivals until 11:30 PM |
| Enquiries | RAKTA call centre 800 1700 · rakta.gov.ae |
Al Hamra or Al Nakheel? Which Station You Need
Al Hamra Bus Station (Al Dhait) is the emirate’s central intercity terminal. It stands on Sheikh Muhammad Bin Salem Road in Al Dhait South, close to RAK Police Headquarters — several kilometres north of the Al Hamra Village and Al Marjan Island resort strip its name suggests. Coaches for other emirates, the ticket counters and the RAKTA customer happiness point are all here — if a timetable says “Al Hamra” for a Dubai, Sharjah or Abu Dhabi bus, this is the station it means.
Al Nakheel Bus Station, in the Al Nakheel district nearby (RAKTA also spells it Al Nakeel), is where the city network crosses: all five colour lines start or pass here, connecting the Corniche, Manar Mall, the airport, Sha’am in the north and Al Jazirah Al Hamra in the south. No intercity coaches use Al Nakheel.
The two stations are linked by the Orange Line, which runs between Al Nakheel and the main station with up to 20 trips a day at the standard AED 8 city fare. Arriving at the “wrong” station is a recoverable mistake: ride the Orange Line across, or take a taxi — the hop takes only a few minutes.
Intercity Buses from Ras Al Khaimah Bus Station
Every intercity service is run by RAKTA from Al Hamra Bus Station. One pattern catches people out across the whole network: fares are priced separately by direction, so the trip back often costs a different amount from the trip out. The table below is the station-level picture — full timetables are in the route guides linked below.
| Destination | Fare from RAK | Pattern | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai (Union Bus Station) | AED 27 (AED 30 coming back) | 19 trips a day each way; first bus 5:00 AM, last 9:00 PM | Direct and via-Sharjah departures; about 1½–2 hours |
| Sharjah (Al Jubail) | AED 27 | 7:30 AM direct, then hourly to 9:00 PM | About 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Ajman (Al Musalla) | AED 20 | 10 trips a day, 5:30 AM–9:00 PM | Via Umm Al Quwain; about 1 hour 20 minutes |
| Abu Dhabi Central | AED 50 (AED 35 coming back) | 3 trips a day — 9:00 AM, 1:00 PM, 5:00 PM | Direct; about 3 to 3½ hours |
Dubai buses: the busiest corridor
Dubai is the station’s headline service. Since August 2026 the route has run 19 trips a day in each direction between Al Hamra and Union Bus Station in Deira: six direct departures and the rest routing via Sharjah, the last evening service also calling at Umm Al Quwain and Ajman. The first bus leaves Ras Al Khaimah at 5:00 AM, the last at 9:00 PM, and Dubai-side departures run until 11:30 PM — so late-night flexibility runs one way only. The fare is AED 27 from Ras Al Khaimah and AED 30 from Dubai. Dubai-bound buses also call at a stop by Al Hamra Mall, which is the handier boarding point if you are staying in Al Hamra Village or on Al Marjan Island — check your specific departure in the Sayr app. Full departure lists are in our Dubai to Ras Al Khaimah bus guide.
Sharjah and Ajman buses
The Sharjah service runs to Al Jubail Bus Station: a 7:30 AM direct departure, then hourly buses until 9:00 PM, AED 27, about 1 hour 30 minutes. In the opposite direction the Sharjah → Ras Al Khaimah leg is operated by SRTA as route 115 from Al Jubail, at the same AED 27 fare, calling in Ajman on the way north. The Ajman coach is a separate RAKTA service to Al Musalla Bus Station in Ajman: ten trips a day between 5:30 AM and 9:00 PM for AED 20, stopping in Umm Al Quwain en route — which also makes it the station’s UAQ service. Both directions are broken down in our Ajman to Ras Al Khaimah bus guide.
Abu Dhabi buses
The Abu Dhabi coach is the long-distance flagship: a direct service between Al Hamra and Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station, three times a day in each direction, every day. Buses leave Ras Al Khaimah at 9:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM for AED 50, and Abu Dhabi at 1:30 PM, 5:30 PM and 9:30 PM for AED 35, taking about 3 to 3½ hours. Ignore older guides describing this route as weekend-only at AED 47 — that was an earlier version; the current RAKTA timetable runs daily.
Weekend and international services
Two leisure services also use the station at weekends: the Dubai Mall bus (Fridays to Sundays, two round trips a day, AED 30) and a seasonal Global Village bus on the same pattern, also AED 30. RAKTA also runs an international service north to Musandam in Oman on weekends. Weekend schedules change more often than the core timetables, so confirm departures in the Sayr app or on 800 1700 before you travel.
City Buses from Al Nakheel Bus Station
RAKTA’s city network is five colour-coded lines, all of them based at or passing through Al Nakheel Bus Station and all charging a flat AED 8 with an E-SAQR card. Cash is accepted on board but costs more, so regular riders are better off with the card.
| Line | Route | Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Red Line | Al Nakheel ⇄ Al Jazirah Al Hamra | Daily 6:00 AM–10:00 PM, hourly — the coastal line past Al Hamra Mall |
| Blue Line | Al Nakheel ⇄ Sha’am | Daily 6:00 AM–10:00 PM, hourly — north towards the Musandam border side |
| Green Line | Al Nakheel ⇄ Ras Al Khaimah Airport | Hourly, roughly 6:00 AM–9:00 PM from Al Nakheel; about 45 minutes |
| Purple Line | Al Nakheel ⇄ Manar Mall | 12 trips a day via AURAK, RAK Hospital and Obaidullah Hospital |
| Orange Line | Al Nakheel ⇄ Ras Al Khaimah Bus Station (Al Dhait) | Up to 20 trips a day — the link between the two stations |
For Ras Al Khaimah Airport: Orange Line (or a taxi) to Al Nakheel, then the Green Line to the airport at AED 8 — allow a comfortable buffer for the change of bus. There is no public bus up Jebel Jais; mountain trips start with a taxi or tour pickup from the city.
How to Reach Ras Al Khaimah Bus Station
By city bus: Ride any city line to Al Nakheel and change to the Orange Line, which terminates at the main station in Al Dhait. From Al Hamra Village and Al Marjan Island, the Red Line runs up the coast to Al Nakheel — or board a Dubai-bound coach directly at the Al Hamra Mall stop.
By taxi: Taxis are plentiful and are the practical option for the 5:00 AM first departure and after the last buses. Ask for “Al Hamra bus station, Al Dhait” — saying just “Al Hamra” risks a trip to Al Hamra Village, several kilometres in the wrong direction.
From the airport: The Green Line runs from the airport to Al Nakheel; change there for the Orange Line, or take a taxi the whole way. The separate pre-booked RAK Shuttle from Dubai International Airport serves RAK hotels and resorts, not this station.
Facilities and Tickets at Ras Al Khaimah Bus Station
Al Hamra Bus Station is a working intercity terminal: ticket counters, covered waiting areas, departure information and a RAKTA customer happiness point where staff can confirm the day’s services. What it does not have is food — no cafés or shops to rely on — so eat and stock up on water before you arrive, especially for early departures.
Payment needs one decision before you travel. RAKTA intercity tickets are sold through the Sayr app and RAKBUS online booking, at the station counters, and with the E-SAQR card — RAKTA’s smart card, sold at the main station and on buses for AED 30 including AED 20 of credit, and the cheapest way to ride the city lines at AED 8 flat. Cash works at counters and on board. A Nol card works nowhere here: it is not accepted on any RAKTA bus, and neither are Sharjah’s Sayer card, Ajman’s Masaar card or Abu Dhabi’s Hafilat card. Do not confuse RAK’s Sayr app with Sharjah’s Sayer card — similar names, different systems.
Tips for Using Ras Al Khaimah Bus Station
- Say Al Dhait, not just Al Hamra: The intercity station is in Al Dhait, opposite The Cove Rotana — not in Al Hamra Village. The name fools taxi passengers every week; give the driver the district too.
- Budget the direction you are actually travelling: Fares differ by direction on the same route — AED 27 to Dubai but AED 30 back, AED 50 to Abu Dhabi but AED 35 back, AED 20 to Ajman but AED 25 back.
- Mind the 9:00 PM wall: Every intercity route’s last departure from Ras Al Khaimah is at or before 9:00 PM, even though buses from Dubai run to 11:30 PM. Plan day trips around the RAK-side last bus.
- Buy the E-SAQR card if you will ride twice: At AED 30 with AED 20 credit included, it pays for itself quickly on AED 8 city rides; cash on board costs more.
- Book ahead at weekends: Friday and Sunday coaches to Dubai fill with resort traffic; the Sayr app booking beats the counter queue.
- Carry water and food: There is nothing to buy at the station and the coaches do not make food stops — on the 3½-hour Abu Dhabi run, that matters.
Where is Ras Al Khaimah Bus Station located?
The intercity station — Al Hamra Bus Station — is in the Al Dhait district of Ras Al Khaimah city, on Sheikh Muhammad Bin Salem Road opposite The Cove Rotana Resort. Despite its name it is not in Al Hamra Village. The city bus hub, Al Nakheel Bus Station, is in the Al Nakheel district nearby.
Which buses leave from Ras Al Khaimah Bus Station?
All RAKTA intercity coaches: Dubai (Union Bus Station, 19 trips a day), Sharjah (Al Jubail, hourly), Ajman (Al Musalla, ten trips a day via Umm Al Quwain) and Abu Dhabi Central (three trips a day), plus weekend services to Dubai Mall, Global Village and Musandam. City buses use Al Nakheel Bus Station instead.
What is the difference between Al Hamra and Al Nakheel bus stations?
Al Hamra (in Al Dhait) is the intercity terminal for buses to other emirates. Al Nakheel is the city bus hub where the five colour lines meet. The Orange Line links them all day at the AED 8 city fare; a taxi takes a few minutes.
How much is the bus from Ras Al Khaimah to Dubai?
AED 27 from Ras Al Khaimah to Union Bus Station, and AED 30 in the opposite direction — the directions are priced separately. The service runs 19 trips a day each way, with the first bus from Ras Al Khaimah at 5:00 AM. Departure lists are in our Dubai to Ras Al Khaimah bus guide.
Is there a bus from Ras Al Khaimah to Abu Dhabi?
Yes — a direct RAKTA coach, three times a day in each direction, every day: 9:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM from Ras Al Khaimah (AED 50), and 1:30 PM, 5:30 PM and 9:30 PM from Abu Dhabi Central (AED 35). Older websites still show a weekend-only AED 47 service; that timetable has been replaced.
Can I pay with a Nol card at Ras Al Khaimah Bus Station?
No — Nol is not accepted on any RAKTA bus. Pay with the E-SAQR card (AED 30 including AED 20 credit, sold at the station and on buses), book via the Sayr app or RAKBUS, or pay cash at the station counter.
Is there a bus from Ras Al Khaimah to Fujairah?
No direct bus. Travel via Sharjah: take the hourly RAKTA service to Al Jubail Bus Station, then change to SRTA route 116, which runs from Sharjah towards Fujairah and Khor Fakkan.
How do I get from Ras Al Khaimah Bus Station to the airport?
Take the Orange Line from the main station to Al Nakheel, then the Green Line to Ras Al Khaimah Airport — AED 8, hourly, about 45 minutes from Al Nakheel. A taxi is faster and simpler with luggage or a tight check-in.
Related Routes
- Dubai to Ras Al Khaimah Bus: Timings, Fare & Station
- Ajman to Ras Al Khaimah Bus: Timings & Fare
- Al Musalla Bus Station Ajman: 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.