Local before arrival
Back in the day, the Abras were the only way to cross the river from Bur Dubai to the Deira city district. The little wooden boats seat 20 passengers, and one trip costs a mere 20 cents—paid to the captain—and only takes a few minutes. There are no fixed departure times; the boat leaves whenever there are enough people. If you’re nervous about your safety on the water taxis, standard equipment on the boats includes life vests, life preservers, first-aid kits, and fire extinguishers since 2008.
