The traffic congestion in the capital city of Abu Dhabi is increasing with the population growth. Due to this, a rapid surge in demand for parking spaces and road network expansion has been observed. To resolve this issue, the government has taken the initiative of Park and Ride bus and parking spaces.
The Park and Ride service is dedicated for the employees of the organisations located nearby. Employees can park their private vehicles in the dedicated parking space and use the shuttle service to reach their office.
Let’s discuss Park and Ride in Abu Dhabi in more detail.
Objectives of Park & Ride Transport in Abu Dhabi
The Abu Dhabi government envisions an eco-friendly Emirate with sustainable transportation by the end of this decade. To achieve this goal, the government has taken practical steps including the Park & Ride bus service.
Following are the detailed objectives of this initiative.
- Helps in reducing carbon footprint of vehicles
- Provide a shared transport for employees to travel together
- Reduce traffic congestion on roads
- Decrease the demand of spaces for parking in Abu Dhabi
How to Use Park and Ride Service in Abu Dhabi
The park and ride service is currently available for different businesses and entities operating in the congested areas of Abu Dhabi. Companies willing to avail this service can contact ITC for a dedicated shuttle service.
The shuttle will then onboard employees of that company at a specific time and will drop them at their respective locations. Prior to onboarding, employees can park their private vehicles in a secured space provided by ITC. However, to use this space, drivers will need a Park & Ride permit issued by ITC.
The shuttle will pick up and drop off employees from the Park and Ride sites in Abu Dhabi. Currently, the parking spaces are available in three different areas including:
- Corniche
- Heritage park
- Umm Al Emarat Park
Park & Ride Bus Service for Non-Employees
Park and Ride bus service is not limited to the office employees only. The ITC has expanded the initiative for the normal commuters also. Two Park and Ride shuttle services are provided for non-employees.
Service 104
Service 104 departs from Al Huwaim Street, Mohammed bin Zayed City and ends at Qaser Al Hosn covering different areas in between. This distance is covered by the shuttle in almost 50 minutes.
Service 411
The Service 411 departs from Shahama F1 Assembly point and ends at Abu Dhabi Central Post Office parking spaces. This shuttle also takes 50 minutes to cover this distance.
Timings of 104 and 411
The frequency of shuttle service during peak hours is 20 minutes. Whereas, during non-peak hours it is 60 minutes. The bus is operational from Saturday to Thursday from 06:00 am to 09:00 pm.
Park and Ride Card
General commuters are required to purchase a Park and Ride card for onboarding the bus. A maximum of three cards can be obtained by one driver from the parking space. The validity of this card is one day, but it can be used multiple times.
Travelling in a dedicated shuttle service without a card can cost AED 200.
Perks of Park & Ride Service
Other than reducing the carbon footprint and contributing to the green initiative, there are multiple perks of using this service. The first and foremost benefit of this service is the no hassle of finding a parking space within the congested areas. Moreover, it also reduces the daily travel and parking cost incurred while travelling through private vehicles. If you want to know other ways of travelling other than private car, read our blog on public transport in Abu Dhabi.
FAQs
Is Park and Ride free in Abu Dhabi?
No, Park and Ride is not free in Abu Dhabi. You have to pay for the Park & Ride card. In case of travelling without a card, shuttle service will charge AED 200.
Is Park & Ride available for everyone?
Yes, everyone can use this service in limited areas of Abu Dhabi.
This was all about Park and Ride in Abu Dhabi. The shuttle service currently covers limited areas of the capital. If your office is not covered by the service, you can opt for a private car.
If you are interested in travelling through your private car, browse through these used cars for sale in Abu Dhabi.
Stay tuned to UAE’s top auto blog for more information on public transport in Abu Dhabi.
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