Ride the Dubai Tram for Dh3

Dubai: Tickets for the Dubai Tram will cost Dh3, irrespective of the distance travelled. The 10.6-km tramway, which is on track to open on November 11, is connected to Dubai’s automated fare collection system, Nol. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) had earlier said that the fare for the tram will be calculated based on Dubai’s existing zonal fare structure, but those plans seem to have changed as, according to the existing fare structure, travel within a zone costs Dh2.3. “Tickets for a ride on the tram will cost Dh3, whether a person travels between two stations or rides through all the stations. I think this is one of the cheapest fares for trams when you compare with other cities,” said Abdul Mohsin Younus, CEO of RTA’s Strategy and Corporate Governance Sector, speaking to Gulf News on the sidelines of a workshop for representatives of hotels located along the tramway. Commuters will be able to travel on the tram using their existing silver Nol cards for a uniform rate of Dh3, while people using red tickets will have to pay Dh4 per ride. The geographical area of the city is divided into seven zones with fare increases depending on the zones travelled. According to the current fare structure, a trip within three kilometres using a Silver Nol card costs Dh1.8, within a single zone costs Dh2.3, between two adjacent zones costs Dh4.1 and a ride across multiple zones costs Dh5.8. The fares double for the Gold Nol card users. Last month, the RTA announced a variety of Nol plans, including daily, weekly, quarterly and annual passes, offering up to 47 per cent discount on regular fares. The passes will be launched to coincide with the inauguration of the Dubai Tram service. Unlike Dubai Metro, where passengers are required to validate their Nol cards at the gates before they head to the platform, Tram users will have to scan their Nol cards at the platform screen doors, right before entering the tram. The RTA is also likely to revise the timings of the tram service, with the tramway operating for up to 20 hours daily. “We had announced the timings earlier but that is being reconsidered right now. The new timings will be announced shortly before the inauguration of the tram,” said Abdul Redha Abu Al Hassan, Director of Rail Planning and Design at RTA’s Rail Agency. He, however, ruled out 24-hour operations. “The trams can’t run for 24 hours. We will need at least a couple of hours for maintenance at night. Most likely the trams will run for 20 hours daily,” he added. Initially, the trams will run on a single route beginning from Al Sufouh station and moving south all the way to Dubai Marina, Jumeirah Beach Residence and back. In the next couple of months, RTA will come up with different routes, including one running on the loop shuttling between Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Residence. Dubai Tram is equipped with a number of unique features including the world’s first tram stations with syncronised platform screen doors. The tramway is also the first in the world to be entirely powered by on-ground electric cables. Though operated by a driver, the trams can also be manoeuvred remotely. Passing through more than 30 traffic junctions and crossings, the tram is equipped with sensors that will ensure all traffic lights are red as it passes through every single junction. “As the tram approaches, the traffic lights gradually turns red at every junction, including the pedestrian crossings. We have given the maximum importance to safety of people because the tram shares road space with pedestrians and vehicles. There is not a single pedestrian crossing not controlled by traffic lights all along the tramway,” said Al Hassan. Speaking at the workshop on Sunday, Abdul Mohsin made a presentation on various aspects of the tramway and urged the hotel representatives to pass on the information to guests who may not be aware of the tramway. Gulf News