People using public buses in Abu Dhabi will have to use smart card from May 15 to pay for the journey. Fatima Al Marzooqi / The National
Update: Buying a new Hafilat Card and Hafilat Card Price & Travel Charges
An automated card system that will make it easier for passengers to pay their bus fare will be introduced in the capital on May 15.
Hafilat, Arabic for buses, will be implemented in phases across the emirate. Card validators will be at bus entrance and exit points. Passengers will scan the Hafilat card when entering and disembarking. Current methods of paying will be phased out.
“There will be a transition period of up to six months to allow passengers to pay by cash or use the Ojra cards within this period,” said Mohammed Bani Malek, the section head of Intelligent Transport Systems Solutions at the Department of Transport.
The new system, which was unveiled on Tuesday, includes a variety of Hafilat cards and smart machines.
“The year 2015 is a year of innovation,” said Mohammed Al Otaiba, acting general manager of the Bus Office at the DoT. “Today the mode share in terms of passenger trips of public transport is 4 per cent, meaning 96 per cent of passenger trips in Abu Dhabi are made via private cars. We envision public transport’s share to increase from 4 to 10 per cent in the next five years.”
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