Dubai turns bus hub into digital gateway

Dubai has opened its first smart bus station at Mall of the Emirates, giving commuters round-the-clock digital services, live travel information and AI-supported safety systems at one of the emirate’s busiest transport interchange points.

The Mall of the Emirates Smart Bus Station, developed by the Roads and Transport Authority, is directly connected to the Mall of the Emirates Metro Station and serves 11 bus routes. The network includes six Dubai Metro feeder routes, three internal routes and two seasonal routes, linking residential, commercial and tourist districts across the city.

The station is designed to reduce waiting time and make multimodal travel easier for passengers moving between buses, the Metro and taxis. It provides interactive services through digital platforms, including a smart kiosk with a virtual assistant for journey planning, customer enquiries, lost-and-found support and direct access to RTA’s call centre.

Real-time displays show bus and Metro arrival times, taxi availability, station maps, nearby landmarks and route guidance. A dedicated screen also shows occupancy levels on approaching buses, allowing passengers to decide whether to board immediately or wait for a less crowded service. The system is intended to spread demand more evenly, cut congestion at the station and improve the reliability of journeys.

The 147-square-metre facility can accommodate up to 20 customers at a time and includes a rest area for drivers. Ticket purchase machines, digital top-up devices and a smart vending machine offering beverages and loyalty points have also been installed, making the station more self-sufficient than conventional bus stops and terminals.

Safety and operational oversight form a central part of the project. AI-powered cameras have been installed to monitor crowd movement and detect violations, giving operations teams live data to support faster decisions. The station also uses smart sensors to monitor air quality and solar panels to generate power, aligning the project with Dubai’s wider sustainability targets.

Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, said the station represented a significant move towards creating a more integrated and attractive public transport environment. He said advanced technologies were being used to raise operational efficiency, improve customer satisfaction and make public transport a preferred daily mobility choice.

The new hub connects Al Barsha, Umm Suqeim, Al Sufouh, Al Manara, Al Quoz, Al Ghubaiba, The Greens, Jumeirah Village Circle, Arabian Ranches, Dubai Science Park and Dubai Studio City. It also supports travel to major attractions including Dubai Miracle Garden and Global Village, strengthening the role of Mall of the Emirates as a transfer point for residents, visitors and workers.

The opening comes as Dubai continues to record strong growth in public transport use. Public transport, shared mobility and taxis carried more than 802 million riders in 2025, up 7.4 per cent from the previous year. Average daily ridership reached about 2.2 million, reflecting the city’s efforts to shift more journeys away from private vehicles and into integrated transport modes.

Dubai Metro remains the backbone of the system, carrying 294.7 million passengers in 2025. Public buses carried 197.2 million riders, while taxis transported 209 million. Shared mobility services recorded particularly strong growth, reaching 72.9 million riders. Mall of the Emirates Metro Station itself handled 11.2 million passengers on the Red Line, underlining the strategic value of upgrading passenger facilities around the station.

RTA’s broader strategy includes expanding dedicated bus and taxi lanes, improving interchange points and applying artificial intelligence to service planning and customer experience. Dedicated lanes are being extended through six corridors covering 13 kilometres during 2025 and 2026, with the aim of improving bus punctuality, shortening journey times and increasing ridership.

The Mall of the Emirates project also reflects a shift in station design from passive waiting areas to data-led mobility nodes. By combining arrival information, occupancy data, customer services, safety monitoring and environmental systems in one facility, RTA is testing a model that can be scaled across other high-demand locations.