RTA expands Bus-On-Demand service to Al Satwa, Al Quoz, Mirdif

Bus-On-Demand is a smartphone-booked minibus service. It links residential neighbourhoods to the nearest metro or bus station. Riders download the Dubai Bus On Demand app, register, and book a trip on the spot instead of waiting at a fixed stop. There is no set timetable — a bus comes when you book it, not the other way around.

RTA said the service carried 527,000 riders in the first half of 2026. That is up 25.1% from the same period last year. June was the busiest month on record, with 105,990 trips. RTA's operating areas have grown 54% to keep pace with demand, and the fleet now runs 55 buses across the network.

RTA described the expansion as part of its push to strengthen first- and last-mile connectivity. That is the short trip between home and the nearest public transport link. It often decides whether someone drives or takes the metro. "The app-based service offers flexible, affordable mobility options that connects neighbourhoods with public transport stations," RTA said. For a resident in Mirdif, that used to mean a taxi ride to the nearest bus route. Now it means opening an app.

Where Bus-On-Demand runs

The service now covers 20 areas across Dubai:

• Al Barsha
• Al Nahda
• Dubai Silicon Oasis
• Dubai Academic City
• Al Rigga
• Port Saeed
• Business Bay
• Downtown Dubai
• Oud Metha
• Al Karama
• Barsha Heights
• Al Mankhool
• DIFC
• Al Warqaa
• Dubai Investment Park
• Jumeirah Village Circle
• Al Qusais
• Al Satwa
• Al Quoz
• Mirdif

Residents in the three newest areas can now reach their nearest metro or bus station without a private car or taxi for that first stretch of the commute. The same app covers every area on the list, so a rider who moves across the city does not need to learn a new system.

How to book a ride

To use the service, download the Dubai Bus On Demand app, register an account, and add a payment method. Fares are paid by credit card, debit card, or Nol card, the city's transit payment card. RTA said the range of payment options is meant to make booking easier and more convenient for passengers.

Bookings open once the app confirms coverage for a pickup address. Each ride runs on a flexible route rather than a fixed line, so the app works out the pickup and drop-off points once a rider requests a trip. That is different from a normal bus line, which runs the same route on a set schedule whether or not anyone is waiting at a given stop.

Ridership grew 25.1% over the past year. That points to residents already on the network riding more, not just RTA counting new riders as it adds areas. RTA has also framed the expansion as part of a wider push toward sustainable transport, aimed at cutting how often residents reach for a private car on a short trip to the nearest station. The authority has not said which area gets added next.