Dubai Metro

Special passes to be introduced will include special discounted cards for students, senior citizens and persons with special needs

• According to an earlier announcement, the daily pass will cost Dh14 for unlimited trips on the Metro and public buses all over the city. The monthly passes will range from Dh100 to Dh270.

Dubai: Members of the public who rely on public transport will be able to buy special daily and monthly passes from December, Gulf News has learnt.

The long-awaited travel passes were to be introduced earlier this year but were delayed due to the Metro system's gradual opening.

In focus: The Dubai Metro
All you need to know about the Dubai Metro
In pictures: Dubai Metro moments

Mohammad Yousuf Al Mudharreb, director of Unified Automated Fare Collection Department at the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), said: "We will introduce the special travel passes in December."

The special passes will also be Nol Cards but they will be in their own special category for daily and monthly passes.

The Nol card is a unified fare collection card which is used by passengers to travel across all modes of public transport, including the Dubai Metro, public buses and water transportation.

"Also, there will be special discounted cards for students, senior citizens and persons with special needs," he told Gulf News.

Al Mudharreb said the special discounted passes will be introduced as part of the second phase of the Nol Card fare system which offers passengers various fare options.

According to an earlier announcement, the daily pass will cost Dh14 for unlimited trips on the Metro and public buses all over the city. The monthly passes will range from Dh100 to Dh270.

A monthly pass for students will cost Dh170 for unlimited trips while a pass for senior citizens (aged 60 and above) for a month will cost Dh200.

Al Mudharreb said the RTA had so far sold 2.7 million Nol cards since the Dubai Metro was launched on September 9, 2009.

Sharp increase

The RTA expects a sharp increase in the number of passengers with the opening of the five new Metro stations by mid-October.

Earlier, speaking at the press conference, Abdul Mohsin Ebrahim Younes, CEO of RTA's Strategy and Corporate Governance Sector, launched the ‘Public Transport Day' campaign, which has its own ‘Be Free' slogan. Passengers holding Nol travel cards will be able to use public transport free of cost on November 1.

"The day will be observed every year as part of the RTA's initiative to encourage more people to use public transport," he added.

"Key objectives of this initiative revolve around the concept of enhancing the role of Dubai to improve [the] environment by promoting the use of mass transit modes," Younes said.

Eisa Al Dossary, chief executive of the Public Transport Agency at the RTA, said the number of public transport users had increased from 6 per cent, in 2007, to 12 per cent in Dubai since the launch of the comprehensive public transport system.

Map: New metro stations to open in Mid-October

UAE Museum: Dubai Museum

Dubai Museum is housed in the Al Fahidi Fort. The building in Bur Dubai was constructed around 1799 and has served as a palace, garrison and prison in the past.

• The museum houses many exhibits from Dubai's history. These boats were used during a period when fishing and pearling were main occupations of the emirate.
• Image Credit: Gulf News Archive

Dubai Museum is housed in the Al Fahidi Fort. The building in Bur Dubai was constructed around 1799 and has served as a palace, garrison and prison in the past.

In 1970 it was renovated and became Dubai Museum in 1971, with additional galleries being added in 1995.

Exhibits

The museum houses many exhibits from Dubai's history. There are several static displays showing Dubai life from ages past, including souk, fishing, domestic and desert travel scenes.

Galleries show scenes from the Creek, traditional Arab houses, mosques, the souk, date farms as well as desert and marine life.

These galleries reflect the nature of the UAE, from the beach to the city and the oasis areas to the nomadic Bedouin culture.

Artifacts from several excavated sites in Dubai date back to the third millennium B.C. The two main excavated sites in Dubai were discovered in Jumeirah and Al Qusais.

The Jumeirah site is not currently open to visitors, but special permission can be granted for archaeologists.

According to May Hamid, researcher at Dubai Museum, the most popular exhibits are housed in the archaeological halls, which also displays artifacts from Al Sufouh and Hatta.

Islamic period discoveries were made at the Jumeirah site, dating back to the 7th century. A total of 50 tombs were found on the left side of the Jima Valley, which dated from 3,000 B.C.

An outside area at the museum recreates a traditional desert house, with seating and sleeping area as well as a kitchen. Ancient dhows lay outside the house, with a collection of shiny bronze cannons and cannon balls.

A video, updated in 2007, depicts Dubai from before the discovery of oil in the 1960s to the current day.

In 2007, Dubai Museum welcomed 1,800 visitors daily, with a 2007 yearly total of 611,840. In March 2008, the Museum had 80,000 visitors. The most popular times are from August to April.

Opening hours: 8:30am - 8:30pm, Saturday to Thursday. 2:30pm to 8:30pm on Friday.
Admission: Dh3 for children from 6 years old and adults. Dh1 for children unde six years old.

About United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federation of seven emirates that was formed in December 2, 1971.

Country Name	Conventional Long Form: United Arab Emirates Local Long Form (Arabic): Dawlat Al Imarat Al Arabiyya Al Muttahidah Local Short Form (Arabic): Al Imarat Abbreviation: UAE Arabic Words: دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة
Emirates	Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah
Capital	Abu Dhabi
National Day	Independence Day (from UK), 2 December (1971)
President	HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan (3 November 2004)
Vice-President & Prime Minister	HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (5 January 2006)
Political System	A federation with specific areas of authority constitutionally assigned to the UAE Federal Government and other powers reserved for member emirates
Constitution	Adopted provisionally on 2 December 1971, made permanent in 1996
Area	83,600 square kilometers
Time	UAE Standard Time is 4 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+4)
Daylight Saving Time	UAE Time does not operate Daylight-Saving Time
International Dialing Code	+971
Currency	Emirati Dirham (Dh or AED), divided into 100 Fils
Exchange Rate	US$ 1 = AED 3.6725 The UAE Dirham has been officially pegged to the US dollar since February 2002
Language	The official language is Arabic. English is widely understood and ranks alongside Arabic as the language of commerce
Religion	Islam. Practice of all religious beliefs is allowed
Population	4.106 million (December, 2005)
GDP	AED 485.5 billion (2005, Current Prices)
Real GDP Growth	8.2% (2005)
Non-Oil Sector Contribution to Nominal GDP	64% (2005)
Foreign Direct Investment	US$10 billion (2005)
Industries	Oil & Gas, Aluminum, Cement, Fertilizers, Commercial Ship Repair, Petrochemicals, Construction Materials, Pharmaceuticals, Tourism
Oil Production	2.8 million barrels per day
Oil Proven Reserves	98.1 billion barrels
Natural Gas Production	65 billion cubic meters
Natural Gas Proven Reserves	6 trillion cubic meters
Fiscal Year	1 January to 31 December
Weekend	Friday and Saturday for government institutions. Many private companies operate a six-day week (with Friday as an off day)
Exports	AED 424 billion (2005)
Free-Zone Exports	AED 63.9 billion (2005)
Re-Exports	AED 139.5 billion (2005)
Imports	AED 261.2 billion (2005)
Cultivated Areas	260,000 hectares, 3.1% of total territory
Number of Date Palms	Over 40 million
Agriculture & Fisheries Products	Dates, Green Fodder, Vegetables and Fruit; Livestock, Poultry, Eggs, Dairy Products; Fish
Estimated Fisheries Catch	97,574 tons
Flag	Three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side

Burj Ul Arab Pictures

Sightseeing & Excursion Tours in Dubai

Dubai City Tour

A fascinating historical excursion and orientation tour of the city. First we pass the beautiful flamingo lagoon. Then our route takes us to Nad Al Sheba - home of the famous camel & horse race track. Afterwards you will have a visit to the new falcon market, where you can see these amazing animals very close. Then we drive through Jumeirah and all its popular hotels until we reach the magnificent Jumeirah Mosque which shows the beauty of Islamic architecture (the mosque can only be visited on Thursday and Sunday at 10:00 hrs with a prior reservation). We move on to the Bastakiya area, where we stop for a while to admire the old wind-tower houses built by wealthy merchants. Close by, stands the 150-year old Al Fahidi Fort, which now houses the Dubai Museum. Here the Dubai Museum records the city's past as an important pearl diving and trading centre. We continue our journey by Abra - a local water taxi which had survived over the centuries and which will bring us to the spice and gold souk. The spice trade gives the city its special oriental atmosphere and the famous gold souk will be a pleasure for your eyes. Dubai is a bustling city with its own individual charm. So come and join our tour and you will discover more of the hidden secrets of this town. Duration: Half Day (4 Hrs) Child below 4 years free of charge.

Abu Dhabi City Tour

A full day tour to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, situated about 170 kms. South-West of Dubai is an interesting excursion. The first landmark before reaching the city of Abu Dhabi is the Jebel Ali Port, the biggest man-made port in the world. Many of the city's striking examples of modern architecture show intriguing interpretations of Islamic themes captured in today's materials. The first landmark on the way before reaching the city of Abu Dhabi is the Jebel Ali Port, the biggest man-made port in the world. Many of the city's striking examples of modern architecture show fascinating interpretations of Islamic themes captured in today's materials. Learn everything about the oil- the so called 'black gold' - and how it has transformed Abu Dhabi into the wealthy city of today. A reminder of the historical past is the renovated AL HUSN PALACE - now home of the Centre for Documentation and Research. A drive along the beautiful Corniche gives a magnificent view of the city. The last stop will be at the Dhow Yard, where wooden ships are still built using simple tools. Duration: Full Day with Lunch Child below 4 years free of charge.

Al Ain City Tour

Located 140 kilometres from Dubai at the foot of the mountains, the historical city of Al Ain is known for its modern charms mixed with the lush, green beauty of public parks, gardens and wide boulevards. Also known as the 'Garden City', Al Ain is one of the most important agricultural centres & archaeological sites of the Emirates as well as an university town. On this half-day tour we will first visit the nation's largest museum located within the walls of Al Jahili Fort, where displays from archaeological excavations in Jebel Hafeet are exhibited. Next stop is at the famous camel market with its busy atmosphere. We continue then to the nearby Buraimi Oasis in Omani territory. Your lunch will be served high above the city, in the mountain hotel of Jebel Hafeet. From there you will have a spectacular view over the whole Al Ain area. Afterwards we drive back to Dubai. Duration: Half-day with lunch Child below 4 years free of charge.

Sharjah City Tour

This tour will introduce you to the Emirate of Sharjah, also known as the 'City of Culture'. In this emirate, one of the landmarks to photographers is the King Faisal Mosque, currently the largest mosque in the Emirates. We continue then to the renovated Fort of Sharjah, which was originally built in 1820 and used to be the Residence of the ruling family. The Al Naboodah House, the museum for cultural heritage is the next place to see. This district is also known as the museum area. In the Islamic Museum you will have an interesting introduction in all aspects of the Islamic culture. A quick stroll to the adjacent souks of 'Al Arsa' and to the 'Majarrah Souk' will take you to our next venue which is the souk 'Al Markazi' - a treasure chest full of carpets, jewellery and handicrafts. Here you will certainly find your right souvenir. After a short stop for shopping at the Gold Centre, our tour continues to the Emirate of Ajman and its famous historical museum. Here you will have a short briefing with excellent displays about the Emirates past before the oil was discovered. Visit the old Dhow-building yard and see how these Dhows (wooden sailing boats) are still built today in the tradition of the past. This concludes our tour before heading back to Dubai. Duration: Half Day (4 Hrs)

Hatta Trek

This half-day tour takes us to the 200 year old village of Hatta - which is located in the rough Hajar Mountains. After an early departure by 4X4 vehicles, we proceed along the road until we reach the mountains. There you will have an adventurous drive through the rocky landscape. An hour or so of rough driving can be rewarded by scenes of great and unexpected beauty as we pass big and small Wadis and we cross lush landscape, which is surrounding the small settlements and villages deep in the mountains. We will explore the Wadis and dry river beds, which are flooded after winter rains from the Hajar Mountains. A swim in one of those Wadis will give you a nice refreshment in the winter month. Later you can take a visit to the restored 16th century Hatta Fort, before getting your lunch. On the way back to Dubai we stop at one of those popular street markets, where you can find local carpets and potteries. Duration: Half Day (4 Hrs) Tour cost is inclusive of lunch

Dubai Desert Safari Tour

This an opportunity to see the Golden sand Dunes of Arabia in 4 wheel drives where you experience the thrill of a life time, roller coaster ride on the sand dunes. You stop on the highest sand dune to view the beautiful sunset for some breathtaking photographs and refresh your selves with mineral water. We then continue our journey to our Bedouin Campsite in the heart of the Desert, where you will experience first hand how Emirati people used to live before modern life crawled into their lives today. At those Camp sites, where Henna Design, Arabic GAVA, local dresses, soft drinks, water, tea or coffee are available for you to choose from. When you visit those deep in the Desert Arab life style of Old, you will experience many aspects of how life used to be, and you will enjoy the Hospitality of the Arabs here. Exploring the wadis/valleys A popular amusement with both residents and visitors is known as wadi bashing - exploring the wadis or dry beds of streams that flow after the winter rains from the Hajar Mountains. Many wadis offer scenes of unexpected beauty: attractive rock pools, some with water year-round, surrounded by greenery. Four-wheel-drive vehicles are required and are available for hire with or without drivers. Choosing to experience the Arabian Adventure Tours will give you the Thrill of a life time, the name Arabian in essence tells it all, this is an Adventure through which you will have first hand experience with the Desert sand thrills, taking the Land Cruisers up the Hills, shooting down at a speed like racing. While driving one’s own car may get stuck in the sand, in this trip there is a challenge to nature like no other. Unfit Deserts for traveling except on the back of a Sahara Camel, brings a new feeling of excitement seeing modern day cars sailing the waves of sand in this Safari. It is called Safari, not because you will be going Deer hunting, or chasing wiled life, but hunting something available only on this Arabian sand excitement of a life time. You cannot hear yourself laughing like you never did in your life as you experience the feeling of this sailing on sandy Hills, ups and downs, which is kind of new to the world of excitements that we know about, or the kinds of risky sports we got used to at major places in the world.

Dubai Dhow Cruise

For those in search of adventure, fine food, good music and a taste of trip on a traditional dhow, the search ends at legendary Dhow. The dhow cruise up the Dubai Creek, in an exquisite way to unwind and relax. As Al mansour sets sail for an adventure ahead, one can settle down in the atmosphere of full-service bar, a choice of lunch and dinner cruises and a generous helping of five star hospitality. The guests can see the exquisite oriental cuisine. Daily boarding starts at 8 pm and the dhow sets sail at 8:30 pm providing everyone aboard with a wonderful two hour experience. Some of the Dhow Cruises are conducted by major Hotels in the city of Dubai, with no need to be staying at the same Hotel, Transport will be made available to and from the pick up points. Every Cruise is elevated to a five Star level for your entertainment, and from have a cruise of a life time Itinerary: Boarding for Lunch cruise at 1300hrs, departure 13:30 and returning 15:30 pm. Dinner Cruise Boarding at 20:00pm, Departure 20:30pm, returning at 23:00. Alo including a full international Buffet, mineral water, non Alcoholic welcome drink, Arabic singer for entrainment.

Dubai Visa Rules & Regulations

Tourist Visas to Dubai:
A special category of visas under the Visit Visa type is a Tourist Visa, which can be obtained for individual tourists from: East and West Europe, Turkey, Bulgaria, Poland, Ukraine, Albania, Russia, the Hellenic Republic, St Kitts-Navis, St Lucia, Mexico, Cuba, Bermuda, Belize, Guyana, French Guiana, Martinique, Antigua and Barbuda, St Vincent, Kingston, Palao other non-defined American nationalities, Thailand, South Africa, Singapore, China, Malta, Cyprus.

The Tourist Visa entitles its holder to a 30 day stay and is non-renewable. The Tourist Visa requires the sponsorship of hotels and tour operators who bring in visitors from the above listed countries. The fee is Dhs 100. There is also a fee of Dhs 10 for visa delivery service by DANATA. Hotels, hotel apartments, tour operators, travel agents and airlines may not levy supplementary charges or processing fees in excess of Dhs 50/- for arranging visas for visitors.

General Information:

• There are several types of visas for visitors to Dubai.
• Nationals of the following Countries do not require Visas to enter the UAE:
  Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holand, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtain, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vatican
  Should your country not be listed above please check with your nearest UAE Embassy/Consulate for any updates
• A penalty charge of Dh 100 per day is imposed on visitors who overstay.
• For nationalities that require a sponsor, airlines may seek confirmation that the sponsor is holding a valid visa for the incoming visitor.

AGCC Citizens:
Citizens of the Arab Gulf Co-operation Council member states (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia) do not need a visa.

AGCC Residents:
AGCC expatriate residents who meet certain conditions may obtain a non-renewable 30-day visa upon arrival at the approved ports of entry. Visitors who are businessmen, company managers or representatives, auditors, accountants, doctors, engineers or employees working in the public sector, their family members and drivers and servants sponsored by them are eligible for this visa. Employees from the labour and servant categories are not eligible for this type of visa.

Citizens of Western Europe and Pacific Rim:
Citizens of UK (with the right of abode in the United Kingdom), France, Italy, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Finland, Spain, Monaco, Vatican City, Iceland, Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and holders of Hong Kong SAR passports will be granted a free of charge for One Entry Visit visa on arrival in the UAE.

Currently, it has been decided to postpone the implementation of the new regulation as far as Cyprus is concerned. The visa enables them to stay for 60 days. The visa is renewable for a total stay of 90 days for a fee of Dhs 500.

Entry Service Permit:
An Entry Service Permit applies to the following categories and their families accompanying them: company manager’s representatives, sales managers, account auditors, delegations from companies or establishments to carry out a commercial activity in the UAE, enquirers requested by any of the establishments/companies operating in the UAE assumed to carry out an urgent task. Such visa is also availed to nationalities authorised to obtain a tourist visa, as per the Ministerial Council's decision.

This visa is valid for use within 14 days from the date of issue. The duration of stay is 14 days from date of entry, exclusive of arrival and departure days. It is non-renewable.

In order to complete the application, the sponsor will require the visitor’s date of arrival and flight details, and a photocopy of the first few pages of the visitor’s passport which should be valid for at least three months. This type of entry permit will only be issued as urgent at a fee of Dhs 220 .

The Entry Service Permit holder may enter and depart the U.A.E through any airport.

Visit Visas:
The Visit Visa applies to tourists who wish to spend more than 14 days in Dubai, those coming for family visits as well as those on long-term business visits.

It requires the sponsorship of any U.A.E. resident or any company or hotel licensed to operate within the U.A.E. A refundable DH 2,000 guarantee from expatriates who wish to sponsor distant relatives is imposed.

This visa is valid for entry within two months from its date of issue.

The Visit Visa is valid for 60 days and is renewable for a total stay of up to 90 days. A fee of Dhs 500 is charged for this renewal.

In order to complete the application, the sponsor will require the visitor’s date of arrival and arrival details and a photocopy of the first few pages of the visitor’s passport, which must be valid for at least three months. There is a fee of Dhs 100 for obtaining a visit visa. There is also a fee of Dhs 10 for visa delivery service by DNATA. Hotels, hotel apartments, tour operators, travel agents and airlines may not levy supplementary charges or processing fees in excess of Dhs 50/- for arranging visas for visitors.

The Visit Visa holder may enter and leave the country through any port of entry in the U.A.E.