How much is the abra in Dubai?

One dirham. Paid in cash to the driver once you are aboard a wooden boat crossing Dubai Creek — the same way people have crossed it for generations. It is the best value experience in the city and takes about five minutes.

How it works

• Fare: AED 1, cash only. No ticket, no card reader, no queue system.
• Frequency: boats leave when they are full, which is every couple of minutes.
• Duration: about five minutes across.
• Stations: Bur Dubai and Deira sides, at the obvious landings on each bank.

You step on, sit on the bench along the side, and hand a coin to the man who comes round. That is the whole procedure.

Why it is worth doing

Better than most paid boat tours in Dubai, and it costs one dirham. You are low on the water with the old city on both banks, the dhows moored along the wharf, and the best photographs of the trip usually happen here rather than at any of the paid attractions.

Where it fits in a day

It is the hinge of the old-Dubai morning: Al Fahidi and the Dubai Museum on the Bur Dubai side, then the abra across, then the Spice Souk and the Gold Souk on the Deira side, then lunch. The full route in order is in the old Dubai walking route.

Two practical notes

• Bring cash. This is one of the few things in Dubai where a card is no use — see whether you need cash in Dubai.
• Go early. The old quarter has almost no shade and by midday it is punishing, especially in summer.

The station, hours and what to expect are on the abra listing.

Verified August 2026. See our editorial policy.