If you have been side-eyeing your fuel bill or just looking for a reason to leave the car at home, RAKTA has handed you one. The refreshed RAK Purple Line bus relaunches today, 3 June 2026, and rides are free for one full month. No fare. No tap. Just board.
At a glance
| Promo | Free rides for one month |
| Promo starts | Tuesday 3 June 2026 |
| Route | Purple Line – AURAK to Manar Mall corridor (refreshed) |
| Operating hours | 06:30 to 21:05 daily |
| Trips per day | 12 in each direction |
| Fare after promo | AED 8 (E-Saqr card or cash) |
| Operator | Ras Al Khaimah Transport Authority (RAKTA) |
| Source | RAKTA on Instagram |
Why this matters
Public transport in RAK is famously thin on the ground, so a free month on a working city route is a small but genuine deal. It nudges commuters to try the bus instead of grabbing a Careem, gives tourists a cheaper way to reach Manar Mall, and quietly tests whether RAK’s bus uptake has any room to grow. For families running between school, mall and home, it is also a free thirty days of “let’s see if this actually works for us”.
The new Purple Line schedule and route
RAKTA has refreshed both the timetable and the endpoint on the Purple Line. The service now runs from 06:30 to 21:05 with 12 trips in each direction every day. That works out to roughly one bus every 70 to 80 minutes – tight planning required, but a serious upgrade on the old four-trips-a-day skeleton schedule.
| Detail | Purple Line – from 3 June 2026 |
|---|---|
| First bus | 06:30 |
| Last bus | 21:05 |
| Trips per direction | 12 daily |
| Approx frequency | Every 70 to 80 minutes |
| Fare (after promo) | AED 8 |
| Payment | E-Saqr card or cash |
The corridor still anchors at AURAK (American University of Ras Al Khaimah) on one end and Manar Mall on the other, with the refreshed endpoint adjustment confirmed by RAKTA. Check the RAK Sayr app or the RAKTA helpline (800-1700) for the live stop list before you head out.
Who benefits the most
- AURAK students and staff – the obvious win, with frequency nearly tripled.
- Manar Mall shoppers and food court regulars – free school-holiday mall runs, no parking faff.
- Tourists staying in the Al Nakheel city corridor – a low-stress way to reach the mall without an app or a wallet.
- Hospital visitors near the city corridor – cheaper repeat trips during long treatment stretches.
One honest caveat: the Purple Line does not serve Al Hamra Village, Mina Al Arab or Al Marjan Island. If that is your zone, the Red Line and the intercity routes from Al Hamra Bus Station are the better fit. See our full RAK Bus Station guide for the wider network.
How to plan a free ride
- Pick your stop along the AURAK to Manar Mall corridor. The RAK Sayr app shows live timing.
- Aim for off-peak windows (late morning, early afternoon) for a calmer ride during the free month.
- Board, sit, breathe. No fare required between 3 June and early July 2026.
- After the promo window, top up an E-Saqr card or carry exact cash for the AED 8 fare.
💡 WOW-RAK Expert Tip: Pair the Purple Line with the Red Line for a free-then-paid commute. Board the Purple Line out of AURAK on a free seat, then transfer at Al Nakheel for the Red Line if you are heading toward Al Jazirah Al Hamra. Cheapest day out you will plan all month.
What about the other RAK bus routes
The Red, Blue and Green lines are still on their existing schedules and fares – this promo is Purple Line only. RAKTA originally rolled out the colour-coded city network as an internal bus service in Ras Al Khaimah, and the network has slowly grown since. For the full timetable across all colour-coded city routes plus the intercity buses to Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Musandam, see our RAK Bus Station 2026 guide.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. RAKTA announced on Instagram on 3 June 2026 that all rides on the refreshed Purple Line are free for one month from that date.
One calendar month from 3 June 2026, so plan around an early July 2026 end date. Confirm the exact final day with RAKTA before travel.
AED 8 per trip, paid by E-Saqr card or cash. Nol cards are not accepted on RAKTA city routes.
The route runs the AURAK to Manar Mall corridor with the refreshed endpoint confirmed by RAKTA. The RAK Sayr app and the RAKTA helpline (800-1700) have the live stop list.
Yes. No registration is required. During the free month you simply board. After the promo, buy an E-Saqr card at any RAKTA bus station or pay in cash.
Free rides apply from 3 June 2026 for one month. Confirm with RAKTA before travel after early July 2026 – fares revert to AED 8.
Source: @raktransport on Instagram, 3 June 2026.
