A wooden abra crossing Dubai Creek with buildings along the far bank
A wooden abra on Dubai Creek, photographed in black and white
A covered souq street in Deira with shopfronts on both sides
A Big Bus Dubai open-top double-decker passing the Burj Al Arab at golden hour, passengers seated on the open upper deck.
A Big Bus Dubai open-top double-decker on the Jumeirah beach road, with the Burj Al Arab and the Gulf behind it.
A Big Bus Dubai open-top double-decker on the palm-lined street at Souk Madinat Jumeirah, the Burj Al Arab rising beyond.
A Big Bus Dubai open-top double-decker driving Sheikh Zayed Road between the towers of Dubai's financial district.
A Big Bus Dubai open-top double-decker on a floodlit road at night, with the downtown Dubai skyline lit behind it.
A maroon and gold Big Bus Dubai open-top double-decker driving along Sheikh Zayed Road with the Emirates Towers behind
The Burj Khalifa seen from below between two giant dandelion sculptures in Downtown Dubai
The Museum of the Future's silver ring of Arabic calligraphy above its green hill
Restored wind-tower houses around a sunny lane in Dubai's Al Fahidi historical district
The gold Dubai Frame standing above palm trees in Zabeel Park
Golden-hour view down the Palm Jumeirah trunk road to Atlantis The Palm
A visitor watching rays and shoals of fish through a giant aquarium window at Atlantis
A visitor smelling dried flowers at a spice stall piled with baskets in an old Dubai souk
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Big Bus Dubai Hop-On Hop-Off Tour

1 day

Easy

Open-top double-decker hop-on hop-off across Dubai, two routes, ten stops, with recorded commentary in twelve languages.

The Big Bus is the least complicated way to get the measure of Dubai. Open-top double-deckers run two loops and your ticket is valid on both: the Red City Route and the Blue Beach Route each take about an hour and a half. Red City Route buses come round roughly every hour and Blue Beach Route buses every two hours, every day of the year.

The lower deck is air-conditioned and the upper deck is open to the sky. Single-use headsets carry recorded commentary in twelve languages, so you get the history of what you are passing rather than just the view of it. Hop off at any of the ten stops, stay as long as you like, and pick up the next bus through.

Three tickets are available. Discover is one day on the buses. Essential adds a second day plus the Lost World Aquarium. Explore runs five days and adds entry to Dubai Frame on top.

What's included?

    Hop-on hop-off travel on the Red City Route and the Blue Beach Route, valid for the duration of the ticket you choose

    Single-use audio headset with recorded commentary in twelve languages

    Essential ticket also includes the Lost World Aquarium

    Explore ticket also includes the Lost World Aquarium and entry to Dubai Frame

    Exclusions
    • Food & drinks

    Entry to attractions along the route, unless named in the ticket you book

    Hotel transfers to and from the starting point at Dubai Mall

    Food, drinks and any personal spending during the tour

    Please note

      The first bus of the day is the Red City Route, leaving Stop 1 at Wafi Mall at 10:00 am. The Blue Beach Route starts later, at 10:30 am from Stop 2, Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall. The last departure varies by route, so check the timetable for your travel date.

      Buses run every day of the year, reaching each stop roughly every 60 minutes on the Red City Route and every 2 hours on the Blue Beach Route, so allow for that wait if you miss one.

      Your ticket is valid on both the Red City Route and the Blue Beach Route. A full loop of either route takes about 1 hour 30 minutes.

      This is a daytime tour with recorded commentary rather than a live guide.

      The upper deck is open to the sky. Bring sun protection in the warmer months, and note that the open deck may close in bad weather.

      Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the tour.

      What to bring