Sabkha Bus Station is the RTA bus stop cluster for Al Sabkha, the Creek-side corner of Deira wedged between Baniyas Road, Baniyas Square and the Naif souks. Do not picture a terminal building: like Karama, it is a set of numbered open-air boarding points on and around Al Sabkha Road — RTA stop names run “Sabkha, Bus Station – 01” and “Sabkha, Bus Station – 02” — rather than departure halls. What makes this little cluster matter is what starts here: a city route to Al Qusais, the E303A to Sharjah, the long-distance E16 to Hatta, and the abra boats a couple of minutes’ walk away.
Sabkha is old Dubai at its busiest — gold and spice traders, dhow crews, shoppers and commuters all pass through the same few streets. This guide covers the routes that use the station, the timings picture, the abra crossing, the nearest Metro stations, and the practical details — Nol payment, the numbered stops, and the routes some websites wrongly claim start here.
Sabkha Bus Station Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Al Sabkha Road, Deira, Dubai — by Baniyas Road and Dubai Creek, between Baniyas Square and Al Ras, in the Naif and souks district |
| Operator | RTA Dubai (Roads and Transport Authority) |
| Station style | Open-air stop cluster with numbered boarding points (“Sabkha, Bus Station – 01”, “- 02”) — no terminal building |
| Routes based here | 17 (Al Qusais), E303A (Sharjah Al Jubail), E16 (Hatta) per current RTA route listings |
| Also calling | 27, C9 and C28 at the station stops; F01 and F04 feeders at Sabkha Turnoff nearby |
| Abra | Al Sabkha Marine Transport Station, Baniyas Road — CR2 abra to Dubai Old Souq, AED 1, 24 hours; CR4 heritage abra to Al Fahidi, AED 2 |
| Nearest Metro | Baniyas Square Metro Station, Green Line — roughly an 8-minute walk. Al Ras (Green Line) is about 10 minutes; Union (Red + Green Lines) is the interchange option |
| Payment | Nol card only on buses — tap in and out. No cash on any RTA bus; the abra is the exception, and takes cash |
| Service hours | Buses from around 5 AM to around midnight depending on route; the CR2 abra runs 24 hours |
Routes from Sabkha Bus Station
Routes Based at Sabkha
Three RTA routes start at the Sabkha stops, covering three very different journeys: a Deira commute, an intercity run to Sharjah, and the longest bus ride in the emirate, out to Hatta.
| Route | Destination | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Al Qusais (Dubai Municipality Staff Housing) | The Deira workhorse — via Naif and Muhaisnah; runs roughly every 30 minutes |
| E303A | Sharjah — Al Jubail Bus Station | The Deira-side Sharjah bus — flat AED 12, via Baniyas Road, Union and Muraqqabat |
| E16 | Hatta Bus Station | The long-distance run — about 130 km via Al Madam; flat AED 25, roughly every 2 hours |
More RTA routes call at the station stops rather than starting here. Per RTA feed listings, the 27 and the C28 (Gold Souq Bus Station to Mamzar Beach Park) serve the Sabkha stops, and the C9 links the Creek side with Satwa via Al Fahidi. Two Metro feeder buses, the F01 (to Al Baraha) and the F04 (to GGICO Metro Station), use the Sabkha Turnoff stop a short walk away. Because RTA adjusts routings from time to time, confirm your exact route and stop in the S’hail app on the day you travel.
Intercity: E303A to Sharjah and E16 to Hatta
The E303A is Deira’s own Sharjah bus. It starts at Sabkha, runs along Baniyas Road past the marine station stop and the Union Metro bus stop, then crosses Deira via the Fish Roundabout and Muraqqabat before joining Ittihad Road to Al Jubail Bus Station in Sharjah . The fare is a flat AED 12 by Nol card, the same as every RTA Sharjah route. Frequencies are lower than on the E303 bus ,which runs the same corridor from Union Square Bus Station and leaves more often — check S’hail before walking to the stop. Every Sharjah option is compared in our Dubai to Sharjah bus guide.
The E16 is a different animal: a 35-stop, roughly two-hour run of about 130 km from Sabkha, Bus Station – 01 to Hatta Bus Station, via Oud Metha, Ras Al Khor, Al Warsan, Al Awir and Al Madam. It runs daily, first bus 6:30 AM and last 10:30 PM from Sabkha, at a flat AED 25 by Nol card. The catch is the frequency — about every 2 hours on most days (more often on Fridays) — so this is the one Sabkha departure you plan your morning around.
A warning, because several Sabkha guides get this wrong: no other intercity bus leaves from Sabkha. There is no E100 to Abu Dhabi, no E400 to Ajman and no E307 to Sharjah from these stops — those services start at Al Ghubaiba, Union Square or Deira City Centre.
Sabkha Bus Station Timings
There is no single station timetable — every route keeps its own schedule — but the pattern is easy to read. The first local buses and Metro feeders run from the early morning, around 5 AM, and the last buses run to around midnight. The E16 to Hatta keeps its own pattern, 6:30 AM to 10:30 PM, and the E303A to Sharjah runs through the day into the late evening. For live departures, check RTA‘s S’hail app — timings change on public holidays and during Ramadan.
The Abra at Sabkha: the Creek Crossing
Sabkha’s second station is a boat station. Al Sabkha Marine Transport Station sits on Baniyas Road on the Creek bank, a couple of minutes’ walk from the bus stops, and it is one of the Deira landings for Dubai’s traditional wooden abras. The main crossing is the CR2: Dubai Old Souq Abra Station, on the Bur Dubai side by the Textile Souk, to Al Sabkha and back — AED 1 per person per trip, paid in cash, running 24 hours. A second boat, the CR4 heritage abra runs along the Creek from Al Sabkha to Al Fahidi for AED 2, during the day and evening.
For bus passengers the abra is a working part of the network, not a tourist extra. The crossing takes about five minutes and skips the Baniyas Road and bridge traffic, so at busy times the boat is the fastest way between Sabkha and Bur Dubai. Land at Dubai Old Souq and you are a short bus ride or Creek-side walk west from Al Ghubaiba Bus Station— the interchange for the Green Line and the E100, E201 and E306 intercity buses. One payment quirk: the CR2 is cash only, so keep coins handy.
How to Reach Sabkha Bus Station
By Metro, Then a Short Walk
The nearest Metro station is Baniyas Square, on the Green Line, roughly an 8-minute walk east of the bus stops along Baniyas Road. The alternative is Al Ras, also on the Green Line, about a 10-minute walk in the other direction. If you are coming from the Red Line, change at Union, the interchange one stop from Baniyas Square, and either walk or take the E303A the short distance west.
By Abra or Bus
From Bur Dubai, the CR2 abra from Dubai Old Souq station lands you at Al Sabkha Marine Transport Station, a couple of minutes from the bus stops — the fastest way in at peak times. The F01 and F04 feeders also connect Sabkha Turnoff with GGICO Metro Station.
By Taxi or Car
Taxis know the station as “Sabkha Bus Station” or by its landmarks — Baniyas Road, Baniyas Square and the abra station. By car, approach via Baniyas Road or through Naif, but be warned: this is some of the most congested street space in Dubai, with dhow-wharfage lorries and souk deliveries competing all day, and parking near the stops is scarce.
Facilities and Tickets
Set expectations correctly: Sabkha is a working street stop cluster, not a terminal building. There is no waiting hall, no ticket office and no departure concourse — buses use numbered boarding points, which is why RTA stop names here read “Sabkha, Bus Station – 01” and “Sabkha, Bus Station – 02”. Check which stop your route uses in the S’hail app before you arrive, and wait at that stop.
Payment is by Nol card only on every bus — city routes charge RTA’s standard zone fares (AED 3 within one zone, AED 5 across two zones and AED 7.50 across three or more), and the intercity routes are flat fares: AED 12 on the E303A, AED 25 on the E16. There is no Metro station at the stops themselves to rescue a low balance, so top up before you come: at Baniyas Square or Al Ras Metro station, online, or in the Nol Pay app. Buy your Nol card at the airport or a Metro station first.
What the station lacks in facilities, the district makes up for outside it. The Gold Souq and Spice Souq are a few minutes’ walk towards Al Ras, Naif’s lanes of textile, electronics and perfume shops start immediately behind the stops, and Baniyas Road is lined with dhow wharfage, cafeterias and budget restaurants — one of the cheapest, most characterful corners of Dubai to eat or shop before a trip.
Travel Tips for Sabkha Bus Station
- Take the boat to Bur Dubai: The CR2 abra costs AED 1, runs 24 hours and crosses in about five minutes. At peak times it beats every road route across the Creek — and it is the best one-dirham ride in Dubai.
- Carry coins for the abra: The CR2 is cash only — the one service at Sabkha where your Nol card is useless. A few AED 1 coins save the scramble at the boat.
- Choose E303A or E303 by the wait, not the map: Both charge AED 12 to Sharjah, but Union Square’s E303 leaves more often than the E303A — if S’hail shows a long wait, ride one stop east and change.
- Do not miss the E16: The Hatta bus runs only about every 2 hours. Check the departure in S’hail and be at Sabkha, Bus Station – 01 in good time — a missed bus is a two-hour delay.
- Know your stop number: “Sabkha, Bus Station – 01″, “- 02” and Sabkha Turnoff are different stops serving different routes. Confirm yours in S’hail and wait there — Baniyas Road is no place to run after a bus.
- Beat the Baniyas Road traffic: The Creek-side roads crawl in the evening peak, and buses sit in the same traffic. If your timing matters, the Green Line from Baniyas Square or the abra will get you further, faster.
Related Routes
- E303 Bus — Union Square to Sharjah Al Jubail
- Dubai to Sharjah Bus — all routes compared
- Al Ghubaiba Bus Station — Bur Dubai’s intercity interchange
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Sabkha Bus Station located?
On and around Al Sabkha Road in Deira, Dubai, by Baniyas Road and Dubai Creek — between Baniyas Square and Al Ras, in the Naif and souks district. It is an open-air RTA stop cluster with numbered boarding points, not a terminal building, and the Al Sabkha abra station is a couple of minutes’ walk away.
Which buses start from Sabkha Bus Station?
Per current RTA route listings, three routes are based at the Sabkha stops: the 17 to Al Qusais (Dubai Municipality Staff Housing), the E303A to Sharjah Al Jubail, and the E16 to Hatta. The 27, C9 and C28 also call at the station stops, and the F01 and F04 Metro feeders serve the Sabkha Turnoff stop nearby.
Is there a bus from Sabkha to Sharjah?
Yes — the E303A. It starts at Sabkha and runs via Baniyas Road, Union and Muraqqabat to Al Jubail Bus Station in Sharjah, for a flat AED 12 by Nol card. It runs less often than the E303 from nearby Union Square, so check S’hail — if the wait is long, the E303 charges the same fare.
Is there a bus from Sabkha to Hatta?
Yes — the E16, a direct bus from Sabkha, Bus Station – 01 to Hatta Bus Station, taking roughly two hours via Al Madam. It runs daily from 6:30 AM to 10:30 PM at a flat AED 25 by Nol card, but only about every 2 hours on most days, so check the departure time first.
What is the nearest Metro station to Sabkha Bus Station?
Baniyas Square Metro Station, on the Green Line, roughly an 8-minute walk away. Al Ras, also on the Green Line, is about a 10-minute walk, and Union — the Red and Green Line interchange — is one stop east of Baniyas Square.
How do I get from Sabkha to Bur Dubai?
The fastest way is the abra: the CR2 boat from Al Sabkha Marine Transport Station crosses to Dubai Old Souq Abra Station in about five minutes, costs AED 1 in cash, and runs 24 hours. By road, ride a bus or the Green Line from Baniyas Square — but at peak times the boat is quicker.
Can I buy or top up a Nol card at Sabkha Bus Station?
Do not count on it. The station is a simple open-air stop cluster with no ticket office, so arrive with a topped-up Nol card. You can top up at Baniyas Square or Al Ras Metro station, online, or through the Nol Pay app; if you need to buy a card, get one at the airport or a Metro station first.
What time is the first and last bus from Sabkha Bus Station?
It depends on the route. Local buses and feeders start in the early morning, around 5 AM, and the last buses run to around midnight; the E16 to Hatta runs from 6:30 AM to 10:30 PM. The CR2 abra runs 24 hours. Check live departures for your route in RTA’s S’hail app on the day.
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.
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