Abudhabi bus coin boxes to be removed from October 11

Abu Dhabi: Buses will stop using money boxes for ticketing in Abu Dhabi starting on October 11, the Department of Transport (DoT) announced on Saturday.

Travellers will have to purchase a Hafilat card before boarding the bus. The card, which can be purchased from bus stations, shopping malls, online ticketing machines and recharging machines, is intended to speed up travel for commuters.

Saeed Al Hameli, general manager of the Bus Office at the DoT, said, “The decision to cease use of money box to pay for bus tickets comes in line with the DoT’s move to provide the public with smooth and hassle-free bus services, given that Hafilat tickets are now available in all facilities and outlets close to bus stations, where commuters can easily purchase these to have an enjoyable trip.”

Hafilat cards are available in temporary and permanent form. Paper-based temporary cards are valid for 14 days from the date of purchase and can be recharged up to Dh150, while another, Dh30 card can be used only within the city. These cards can be renewed within their period of validity.

Credit in all permanent cards can be topped with up to Dh150 at a time; there is also the choice of weekly and monthly rates.

Two types of permanent cards are available; personalised and anonymous. Personalised cards contain the user’s details on DoT’s database and frequent users can benefit from special offers and privileges through repeated use. There is also a feature that allows the card to be registered to protect the user’s balance in the event of theft or loss.

There are special personalised cards available for students, senior citizens and for people with special needs.

These smart cards, which were first introduced earlier this year and have been implemented in phases, operate by passing them over fare collection devices at the bus entrances and can be recharged using the automated payment devices distributed across the emirate.

In addition, automated vending machines have been installed in bus stops and duty free shops at airports. These machines can print permanent and temporary cards as well as recharge credit using cash or credit cards.