Dubai, Dec 29 (Emirates 247): The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced changes to the business hours of its entire services during the New Year’s holiday.

Service outlets include customers’ happiness centres, paid parking zones, public buses, Dubai metro and tram, marine transit modes, driving schools and vehicle testing & registration centres.

Yousef Al Reda, CEO of RTA’s Corporate Administrative Support Services Sector, said, "Customers Happiness Centers would be closed during the New Year’s holiday from Sunday 31st December 2017 and resume duty on Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

All paid parking zones will be free across the emirate (except for the multi-level parking lots) starting from Sunday 31st December 2017. Parking fees will be reactivated on Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

During the holiday, the Dubai Metro working hours will be as follows: From Sunday 31st December 2017, the Red Line metro stations will operate from 05:00 am to 00:00 (midnight) on Tuesday 2nd January 2018. From Sunday 31st December 2017, the Green Line metro stations will operate from 05:30 am to 00:00 (midnight) on Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

From Sunday 31st December 2017, the Dubai Tram will operate from 06:00 am up to 01:00 am (of the following day) Tuesday 2nd January 2018.

From 31st December 2017 to 1st Jan 2018, the service timing of public buses (Dubai Bus) will be as follows: Main stations, such as Gold Souq, will operate from 04:25 am up to 00:29 (past midnight). Al Ghubaiba Station will be open from 04:16 am up to 01:00 am (of the following day).

Sub-stations, such as Satwa, will start from 05:00 am to 11:00 pm (except for Route C01, which will operate around-the-clock). Al Qusais Station will run from 04:30 am to 00:00 (midnight), and Al Quoz Industrial Station from 05:00 am to 11:30 pm. At Jebel Ali Station, the service will start at 05:00 am and continue up to 11:30 pm.

Metro link bus stations (Rashidiya, Mall of the Emirates, Ibn Battuta, Burj Khalifa, Abu Hail, and Etisalat) will be in service from 05:00 am to 02:20 am (of the following day). The timing of all metro link bus routes will be synchronised with the scheduled timings of the metro service.

During the holiday, inter-city bus service will be operating as follows: Main stations such as Al Ghubaiba will be operating around-the-clock to Sharjah (Jubail) Station, while Abu Dhabi service will be running from 04:30 am up to 00:00 am (midnight). Substations, such as Union Square, will be in service from 04:30 am up to 01:25 am (of the following day). Al Sabkha Station will run bus service from 06:15 am to 01:30 am (of the following day), and at Deira City Centre Station the service will start from 05:35 am until 11:30 pm. At Karama Station, the service will start from 06:10 am to 10:20 pm, and Al Ahli Club Station from 05:55 am to 10:15 pm.

External Stations, such as Sharjah’s Al Taawun Route, will open from 05:30 am until 10:00 pm, Ajman Route from 04:27 am until 11:00 pm. Fujairah Route service will run from 05:23 am until 09:30 pm and Hatta Route will be operational from 05:30 am until 09:30 pm.

The timing of marine transit services will be as follows: from Sunday 31st December 2017, the Water Bus will run at Marina Stations (Marina Mall, Marina Walk, Marina Terrace, and Marina Promenade) from 12:00 (at noon) up to 08:00 pm. On Monday 1st January 2018, the Water Bus will operate at Marina Stations (Marina Mall, Marina Walk, Marina Terrace, and Marina Promenade) from 12:00 (at noon) up to 00:00 (midnight).

From Sunday 31st December 2017 to Monday 1st January 2018, the Water Taxi will be in operation from 09:00 am up to 10:00 pm.

On Sunday 31st December 2017, The Dubai Ferry will be calling at Al Ghubaiba Station two times (at 11:00 am and 01:00 pm), and at Dubai Marina Station four times (at 11:00 am, 01:00 pm, 03:00 pm and 05:00 pm).

The Ferry will be making two journeys from Al Jaddaf Station to the Dubai Water Canal Stations (at 10:00 am and 12:00 at noon), and two journeys from the Dubai Water Canal to Al Jaddaf Station (at 12:05 at noon, and 02:05 pm).

On Monday 01st January 2018, the Ferry will make five journeys at both Al Ghubaiba station (at 11:00 am, 01:00 pm, 03:00 pm, 05:00 pm and 06:30 pm), and Dubai Marina Station (at 11:00 am, 01:00 pm, 03:00 pm, 05:00 pm and 06:30 pm).

The Ferry will make two journeys from Jaddaf Station to the Dubai Water Canal Station at 12:00 (at noon) and 05:30 pm, and two journeys from the Dubai Water Canal Station to Jaddaf Station at 02:05 pm and 07:35 pm.

On Sunday 31st December 2017, abras will be operating as follows: Traditional abra will run from Dubai Creek Station (Al Ghubaiba) from 10:00 am to 08:00 pm. Electric abra at the Global Village will operate from 04:00 pm to 00:00 (midnight). Air-conditioned abras will operate at Al Jaddaf and Dubai Festival City stations from 07:00 am up to 08:00 pm.

On Monday 01st January 2018, abras will be operating as follows: Traditional abras will be running from Dubai Creek Stations (Al Ghubaiba, Baniyas, Dubai Old Souq, and Al Seef) from 10:00 am to 00:00 (midnight). Electric abras at the Global Village will be operating from 04:00 pm to 00:00 (midnight). Air-conditioned abra will operate at Al Jaddaf and Dubai Festival City stations from 07:00 am to 00:00 (midnight). Electric abras will operate as follows: At Burj Khalifa from 06:00 pm to 11:00 pm, Fahidi Station (round trip) between 12.00 (at noon) to 04:00 pm, Al Mamzar from 02:00 pm to 00:00 (midnight), and Sheikh Zayed Road from 04:00 pm to 10:00 pm.

"All service provider centres, as well as vehicles testing and registration centres, will be closed during the New Year’s holiday from Sunday 31 December 2017 to Monday 01 January 2018, and resume business on Tuesday 2 January 2018," concluded Al Reda.