Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced that a new intercity bus route between Dubai and Sharjah will start on Friday, May 2.

The new service, Route E308, will connect the Stadium Bus Station in Dubai to Al Jubail Bus Station in Sharjah. The fare for a one-way trip is Dh12 per passenger.

Along with the new route, RTA will also make several changes to existing bus routes starting the same day to make commuting smoother and more convenient. 

Here are the main updates:

• Route 17: Now ends at Baniyas Square Metro Station instead of Al Sabkha Bus Station.
• Route 24: Re-routed within Al Nahda 1 area.
• Route 44: Re-routed through Al Rebat Street to better serve Dubai Festival City.
• Route 56: Extended to reach DWC Staff Village.
• Routes 66 & 67: Added a new stop at Al Ruwayah Farm.
• Route 32C: Service shortened between Al Jafiliya Bus Station and Al Satwa Bus Station. Passengers can now use Route F27 to reach Al Satwa.
• Route C26: Bus stop moved to Max Metro Land Side Bus Stop 2.
• Route E16: Now ends at Union Bus Station instead of Al Sabkha.
• Route F12: Re-routed via Kuwait Street, cutting the section between Al Satwa Roundabout and Al Wasl Park.
• Route F27: New stop at Max Metro Land Side Bus Stop 2.
• Route F47: Re-routed within Jebel Ali Industrial Area.
• Route F54: Extended to serve the new JAFZA South labour camp.
• Route X92: Bus stop moved to Max Metro Land Side Bus Stop 1.

Adel Shakeri, RTA’s Director of Planning and Business Development, said the updates are part of the RTA’s efforts to expand and improve Dubai’s public transport network, making it easier for people to move between different types of transport, like buses, metro, trams, and marine services.

(Source: RTA)

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) set a new record at its 118th open auction for exclusive vehicle number plates, held on Saturday, at the Grand Hyatt Dubai.

The auction raised an incredible Dh98.83 million, the highest amount ever collected in the history of RTA’s plate auctions.

The top-selling plate was CC 22, which was snapped up for Dh8.35 million. Other big sellers included BB 20 for Dh7.52 million and BB 19 for Dh6.68 million. Plates AA 707 and AA 222 also attracted high bids, selling for Dh3.31 million and Dh3.3 million respectively.

90 Premium Plates on Offer

A total of 90 premium number plates were auctioned, with two- to five-digit combinations across 14 different codes, including AA, BB, CC, I, J, O, P, T, U, V, W, X, Y, and Z. Although the original combined value of the plates was Dh16.565 million, fierce bidding pushed the final total to nearly six times higher.

The huge success of the event highlights the strong demand for unique number plates in Dubai and shows the trust people have in RTA’s fair and transparent auction system.

Both Emirates and Etihad Airways are making significant strides in their growth strategies, with major fleet upgrades and new aircraft set to enhance the passenger experience and expand their global networks in the coming months.

Emirates Rolls Out Refurbished A380s and Boeing 777s to New Cities

Emirates is introducing refurbished Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft to eight new cities, enhancing its service with upgraded cabins. The airline will roll out its refreshed A380s to destinations including Bangkok, Hong Kong, Nice, and Perth, while the upgraded Boeing 777s will fly to Madrid, Kuala Lumpur, Phuket, Frankfurt, and Dublin.

The airline’s ongoing retrofit programme, which has been advancing rapidly since its launch in November 2022, aims to complete an update on one wide-body aircraft every three weeks. By the end of this year, Emirates will have advanced its cabin improvements, focusing particularly on introducing its new Premium Economy seats, offering a more luxurious experience to travellers.

The airline is committed to offering premium experiences across over 70 cities worldwide, with plans to solidify its leadership in Premium Economy deployment over the next two years.

Additionally, Emirates will receive its first long-range A350 later this year, debuting on flights to Adelaide starting December 1.

Etihad Airways Expands Fleet and Routes

Meanwhile, UAE’s flag carrier Etihad Airways has launched its new Airbus A321LR aircraft, a key step in its strategy to double its fleet and triple passenger numbers by 2030. The new aircraft will bring Etihad’s luxury experience to shorter and medium-haul flights, with the introduction of the First Suite, private luxury spaces that are typically available only on long-haul aircraft. These suites, available in limited numbers on each plane, will offer high-end service on more routes, elevating the airline’s premium offering.

The first Airbus A321LR is set to begin flying on August 1 and connect Abu Dhabi with key destinations including Athens, Bangkok, Milan, Riyadh, and Zurich..

The new A321LR aircraft will make luxury air travel more accessible to passengers on shorter routes, as part of Etihad’s broader effort to expand its market reach.