When traveling by bus in the UAE, cash payments on board are not accepted. Instead, you'll need a public transport card. In Dubai, Nol cards are used, while Sharjah residents use Sayer cards and Ajman residents use Masaar cards. For those in Abu Dhabi, a Hafilat card is required, which is an Arabic term meaning 'buses'. These smart cards are tapped on reader devices before boarding or alighting the bus. It's essential to ensure the card is valid and has sufficient credits, as the standard fare within the emirate is Dh2, with an additional 5 fils per kilometer, capped at Dh5 per journey.
There are two types of Hafilat cards: anonymous and personalised. Anonymous cards cost Dh10 and are valid for 16 years, available to anyone without ID submission. However, if lost or damaged, the balance cannot be retrieved. Personalised cards are free but require an ID and photo submission. They offer the benefit of transferring credits if lost or damaged and allow eligible users to avail of special annual permits.
Anonymous cards can be purchased from sales and recharge machines, Abu Dhabi Cooperative Society (SPAR), Al Ain Cooperative Society, all Lulu Hypermarket and Lulu Exchange branches in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Al Dhafra, customer happiness offices at bus stations and the airport, and online via the website https://hafilat.darb.ae/. Personalised cards can be obtained from customer happiness offices at bus stations, Zayed International Airport Office, and online via the same website.
Recharging is possible up to Dh150, valid for three months. Top-up locations include sales and recharge machines, customer happiness centers, MBME recharge machines, and online via https://hafilat.darb.ae/. Public transport passes offer unlimited rides within specific periods (7 or 30 days) and are available for both anonymous and personalised cards.
Annual permits at subsidised rates are available for students, seniors aged 55 and above, and people of determination with personalised Hafilat cards. Students pay Dh500 for unlimited bus rides across Abu Dhabi for a year, while seniors and people of determination receive the permit free, including one companion for the latter.
