
sharjah-boosts-eid-al-adha-travel-services
With a surge in travel expected across Sharjah and beyond, SRTA will operate 180 buses across the emirate, delivering more than 5,600 trips across four days.
To manage the holiday rush, bus frequency will increase to every five minutes during peak hours, down from the usual 45 minutes, dramatically reducing wait times for passengers.
Engineer Yousef Khamis Al Othmani, the head of the SRTA, highlighted the importance of being well-prepared during holidays.
In Sharjah City, the Authority will run 1,144 daily trips across 12 routes with 104 buses covering 543 stops, making travel between neighbourhoods faster and more efficient. Additional staff will be deployed at key stations, particularly Jubail Bus Station, which will remain open from early morning until late evening.
In a major highlight for intercity travellers, a special boat service between Sharjah and Dubai will operate four times daily during Eid. Departing from Sharjah's Aquarium Station and arriving at Al Ghubaiba Station in Dubai, the marine route is a collaboration between SRTA and Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority, offering scenic and efficient transport between the emirates.
SRTA is also working with Oman's national transport company, Mwasalat, to operate international route 203.
This bus service connects the Emirate to Muscat, Oman's capital, with two daily trips from Jubail Station to Al Athaiba in Muscat, stopping at several destinations along the route.
Tickets are available online via Mwasalat's official website or at local service points.Also read: UAE: 3 Rare Arabian Spotted Eagle Owl Babies Hatch in Sharjah
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Tribune
01-07-2025
- Daily Tribune
KSA Travellers Swap Long Breaks for High-Spend Getaways
Luxury wins Eid A growing number of Saudi residents chose short yet luxurious international holidays during the recent Eid Al Adha break, as data revealed a 25 percent rise in outbound travel from the Kingdom compared to last year. Visa's latest Travel Pulse report shows that nearly 7 in 10 KSA travellers preferred quick getaways over extended vacations, with shopping emerging as the dominant driver of spend. Retail focus abroad The UAE attracted the largest share of Saudi travellers, drawing 14 percent of all outbound tourists and accounting for nearly a quarter of the total international spending. Fashion and luxury brands dominated their purchases, with seven of the top ten merchants falling under the shopping and apparel category. Popular spending outlets included Dubai Duty Free, Cartier, and Hermes. On average, each Saudi visitor to the UAE spent $635 using Visa cards. Dining and entertainment were also major attractions, though shopping remained the focal point. Turkey came second as a preferred destination, capturing 9 percent of KSA travellers and 15 percent of overall holiday spend. Visitors to Turkey spent slightly more on average, with a per-card spend of $653. The UK, though attracting only 6 percent of travellers, recorded the highest average spend per card at $839, underscoring the country's strong appeal for high-end retail and luxury experiences. Pilgrim-driven growth at home While outbound travel surged, the Kingdom also welcomed a significant number of inbound visitors for the Hajj season. According to Visa, foreign pilgrim arrivals rose by 7 percent over the previous year, contributing to a 16 percent increase in spending inside Saudi Arabia. This growth was driven by everyday essentials. Food, medicine, and basic necessities formed the bulk of purchases by pilgrims, while spending on travel-related services and clothing remained relatively low. Overall in-Kingdom spending rose by 4 percent. Spending trends shift Ali Bailoun, Visa's Regional General Manager for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman, said having simple and secure payment options remains critical during religious and leisure travel alike. He added that Visa aims to support the Kingdom's Vision 2030 goals by offering reliable cross-border payment experiences that encourage both domestic and international travel activity. Planning for next time Visa also issued recommendations to help businesses tap into this evolving travel-spend behaviour. These include exclusive cardholder partnerships, early booking rewards, and strengthening local staycation offers. With consumer behaviour during Eid now showing a clear divide between indulgent foreign escapes and essential spending at home, the season is no longer just a time for reflection but also a key moment in the region's economic calendar.


Gulf Insider
16-06-2025
- Gulf Insider
Hijri New Year 2025: UAE Announces Islamic New Year Holiday For Public Sector
The UAE has announced a one-day holiday for the Hijri New Year on Friday, June 27. The announcement for the public sector holiday was made by the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has also announced a similar holiday for the private sector. The Islamic New Year, also known as Hijri New Year, commemorates the migration (Hijrah) of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE, an event that marks the beginning of the Islamic lunar calendar. Though the occasion is not typically celebrated with the same scale as Eid Al Fitr or Eid Al Adha, it remains an important date in the Islamic world and is recognized as a public holiday in the UAE. In addition to the Islamic New Year, the next religious holiday on the horizon will be Mawlid Al Nabawi, the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, expected to be observed on Thursday, September 4, 2025. As with all Islamic holidays, the exact date will depend on the official moon-sighting and confirmation by relevant religious authorities in the UAE. Looking ahead to 2026, the Islamic calendar is set to align key observances with the cooler winter and spring months. Ramadan, the sacred month of fasting, prayer, and reflection, is expected to begin on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, although this too will depend on the sighting of the crescent moon. Eid Al Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, is likely to fall on Friday, March 20, 2026, providing what could be a three-day weekend for UAE residents. Meanwhile, Eid Al Adha, the most significant of the Islamic festivals, is expected around Tuesday, May 26, 2026, based on the anticipated sighting of the Dhul Hijjah moon on May 17.

Daily Tribune
12-06-2025
- Daily Tribune
Key tourism strategy yields results with Eid visitor boom
Enhanced cooperation with the private sector has contributed to achieving the objectives of the Tourism Sector Strategy (2022–2026), resulting in increased visitor numbers to the Kingdom of Bahrain and higher hotel occupancy rates during the Eid Al Adha holiday. This was affirmed by Her Excellency Fatima bint Jaafar Al Sairafi, Minister of Tourism. She noted that promotional efforts focused on launching innovative packages targeting Gulf families, in collaboration with Gulf Air, Bahrain's national carrier, as well as hotels, resorts, and travel agents. Key target markets The Gulf countries are among the five key target markets identified in the tourism strategy, which has been clearly reflected in the positive performance indicators. Al Sairafi said that the current momentum in Bahrain's tourism sector highlights the development of tourism infrastructure and the diversity of services, supported by advanced facilities that meet visitors' expectations. She also emphasised the variety of tourism experiences available, including events, theatrical performances, and a wide range of entertainment activities catering to different preferences. The Minister underscored the importance of continued collaboration between the public and private sectors to support the growth of this promising sector. National priority Al Sairafi added that the Kingdom places increasing importance on the tourism sector as a national priority, which requires launching innovative initiatives and implementing projects that enhance Bahrain's cultural and civilisational values, further strengthening its tourism position regionally and internationally. She confirmed that current indicators reflect rapid progress toward achieving the strategy's goals, including increasing the tourism sector's contribution to GDP and reinforcing Bahrain's status as a sustainable tourism destination in the region. This is being accomplished by expanding entertainment, hospitality, and retail options, offering integrated travel and accommodation packages, and advancing a sustainable tourism ecosystem.