News

Dubai launches Phase II of bike rental service with 95 additional stations and 950 e-bikes

Published

4 years ago

March 7, 2022

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Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Careem have rolled out Phase II of its bike rental service (bike-share) programme. It has added 950 pedal-assisted e-bikes (bikes operated by pedals and kinetic energy), and 95 stations.

The total number of these bikes in Dubai will double to 1,750 bikes spread across 175 stations. The multi-stage initiative aims to deploy 3,500 bikes at 350 docking stations across Dubai.

The launch of Phase II of the service makes it the first completely pedal-assisted docked bike-share initiative in the world.

The new stations will be introduced at key areas which will include the new cycling track at Jumeirah Beach, Al Safa, Dubai Canal, Dubai Marina, Al Mamzar, Al Satwa, Jumeirah 1, Al Khwaneej, Al Jaffliya, Business Bay, Dubai Internet City, and Jumeirah Lakes Towers.
More stations will come up.

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A post shared by هيئة الطرق والمواصلات، دبي (@rta_dubai)

Careem Bikes has reportedly completed 1,592 million trips as of February 2022, according to Dubai Media Office.
Mattar Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, said he was happy with the “growing habit of cycling as a sport and using bikes as an alternative and sustainable mean of mobility”.

He pointed out that Dubai is home to cycling tracks that total 527km. It helps support the RTA’s efforts in “boosting the integration of mass transit means by promoting flexible car-free mobility trips, and safely integrating them with daily means of transportation”.
“Thus, it serves the overall objective of reducing the use of private vehicles and switching to the use of other more sustainable means of transportation. The step will support the Dubai Government’s efforts to reduce the consumption of energy and pollution, and provide a healthier and happier environment as well as short-haul services (first- and last-mile) that help public transport riders reach their final destinations,” said Al Tayer.

Bassel Al Nahlaoui, managing director of Mobility, Careem, said the service is being expanded due to the “incredible demand we have seen for micro-mobility transport across the UAE”.
“More and more people are choosing to travel by bike, for work or leisure, and we are incredibly proud that Careem
BIKE is doubling in size to become the first completely pedal-assisted docked bike-share initiative in the world.”

The RTA intends to further extend the total length of cycling tracks in the emirate to 739km by 2026. RTA has set a speed limit of 30kph for tracks dedicated to cyclists. Tracks in urban areas dedicated to cyclists or shared with pedestrians have a speed limit of 20kph

Announcements

Free Public Parking Announced In Dubai For Hijri New Year

Published

4 hours ago

June 13, 2026

Staff Reporter

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Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced free public parking and a revised public transport schedule for the Hijri New Year 1448 holiday on Monday June 15.

Public parking across Dubai, except for multi-storey parking facilities will be free with parking fees will resume on Tuesday June 16.

All RTA Customer Happiness Centres will be closed on Monday, but customers will still be able to access services through the Customer Happiness Centre in Umm Ramool and Smart Kiosks located in Deira, Al Barsha, Al Tawar, Al Kifaf and the RTA Headquarters.

#RTA has outlined the operating hours for its services during the Hijri New Year 1448 public holiday, covering Customer Happiness Centres, Paid Public Parking, Public Buses, Dubai Metro and Tram, Marine Transport, and Service Provider Centres (Vehicle Testing).

To read full…
— RTA (@rta_dubai) June 13, 2026

Dubai Metro services on both the Red and Green Lines will run from 5am until midnight on Monday while Dubai Tram services will operate from 6am until 1am the following day.

Passengers using public buses are advised to check the S’hail app for updated holiday schedules.

The RTA also announced that Bus Route E100, which normally operates between Al Ghubaiba Bus Station and Abu Dhabi, will be suspended from June 13 to 15. Passengers heading to Abu Dhabi during this period can use Route E101 from Ibn Battuta Bus Station instead.

Marine transport services will be unaffected during this period.

Announcements

Alhind to Launch Indian Consular Services Across UAE from July 2026

Published

20 hours ago

June 12, 2026

Staff Reporter

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The Indian Embassy in the UAE has announced that Alhind Tours and Travels LLC will become the sole outsourced service provider for passport, visa, and consular applications across the country starting July 1.

In a statement shared on its official social media channels, the Embassy said detailed information on procedures and working hours will be released in due course through official platforms. The transition will impact consular services for over 3.5 million Indian expatriates in the UAE.

🔔 Important Update: Change in Outsourced Service Provider for Indian Passport, Visa and Consular Services in the UAE. pic.twitter.com/6GER045Jn1
— India in UAE (@IndembAbuDhabi) June 12, 2026

Current service providers, BLS International Services Ltd. and SGIVS Global, will continue operations until June 30, with applicants advised to complete pending submissions before the changeover.

Under the new arrangement, the largest service centre is expected to be located in Bur Dubai, spanning approximately 12,000 square feet with over 45 service counters. Alhind has also indicated plans to streamline operations through an expanded workforce of more than 400 staff, alongside an all-inclusive service fee of Dh19, excluding mandatory government charges.

The Embassy and Consulate have urged applicants to depend only on official sources for updates, cautioning against misinformation, and reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring a smooth transition of services.

The decision follows a tender issued in November 2025 for outsourcing a range of consular services at the Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai. Four companies—Alhind, DU Digital Global Ltd, SGIVS Global LLC, and VFS Global—were shortlisted, with Alhind emerging as the lowest bidder.

Founded in Kerala in 1992, Alhind Tours & Travels Pvt Ltd is part of the wider Alhind Group, which operates across IT services, luxury rentals, and foreign exchange. The company expanded its presence to the UAE and other Middle Eastern markets in 1995.

News

Travelling to Oman? Sharjah introduces new bus departure times

Published

3 days ago

June 10, 2026

Michael Gomes

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Travellers heading from the UAE to Oman now have more flexibility, with the Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority (SRTA) announcing revised schedules for its popular intercity bus service connecting Sharjah with Sohar and Muscat.

The updated timings apply to Intercity Bus Route 203, which departs from Al Jubail Bus Station in Sharjah and serves passengers travelling to Oman’s two major cities. The changes are aimed at improving convenience, enhancing cross-border mobility, and providing more travel options for residents and visitors.

New Sharjah to Muscat bus timings

Passengers travelling from Sharjah can now choose from three daily departures:

6:30am
3:30pm
8:30pm

Oman to Sharjah bus timings

For travellers returning from Oman, buses departing from Sohar and Muscat will operate at:

7:00am
1:30pm
3:00pm

More travel options between UAE and Oman

SRTA said the revised schedule is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen regional transport connectivity and offer a comfortable, safe and efficient travel experience between the UAE and Oman.

Passengers are advised to check the latest updates through SRTA’s official channels before travelling and to arrive at the station early to ensure a smooth journey.

Route: Intercity Bus 203
Departure Point: Al Jubail Bus Station, Sharjah
Destinations: Sohar and Muscat, Oman
New Timings Effective: Immediately