RTA's Public Transport Agency has launched its online booking facility for the Water Taxi service, adding to the array of diverse services provided to enhance the transport experiences of the community.

"It is now possible for Water Taxi passengers to log on to RTA's portal at any time, follow simple and short steps to book rides on the Water Taxi at the time they wish with just a click of a button," said Moaza Al Marri, Director of Marketing and Corporate Communication, RTA.

"This service is particularly important during events hosted by individuals or organisations such as hotels and businesses, especially tour operators offering water cruises during conferences, exhibitions and carnivals. At the top of these festivities is the Dubai Shopping Festival, Gitex, The Big 5 Expo, and other events that attract visitors, tourists, business leaders and investors from all corners of the globe," commented Moaza.

"The new service is intended to streamline the Water Taxi booking experience for the public as part of our efforts to offer superb marine transit services in Dubai. Supporting this sector will add value to the tourist movement and cement the profile of the emirate in this sector which is a key driver of the upswing witnessed by the UAE in general and Dubai Emirate in particular," added Al Marri.

Booking the Water Taxi online via RTA's website is very simple. The user selects the type of journey, commuting or chartering. If commuting, the user is prompted to select the pickup point and destination. Services will run every 10 minutes from 10 a.m. up to 9 p.m., and so passengers will be able to calculate the availability of the Water Taxi along with its estimated arrival time.

Before payment, the system will confirm booking details for the user to review. On confirmation, the system will take the user to the pay page which shows the option to make immediate or later payment. The user can then print a receipt.