More than 288 million people used the mass transport services in Dubai including the Metro, buses and the marine transport last year, said a report, citing data released by the emirate's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

The number of passengers using the public transport system surged to a daily average of 842,000, the Gulf News reported.

The bus passengers surged to 120 million last year clocking a daily ridership of 325,000, while the traditional abras and the water bus carried around 17 million in Dubai, the report added. The taxi cabs made an average of 192,000 trips every day, lifting about 385,000 persons.

The RTA said the Dubai Metro had contributed significantly to the passenger growth and the number would rise further with the opening of the major Red Line stations next month.

'With the operation of several key stations such as Airport Terminal 1, Karama, Trade Center and Ibn Battuta Station on April 25, we hope to carry over 35 million passengers this year, the report quoted Mattar Al Tayer, chairman of the board and executive director of the RTA, as saying.

He pointed out that the RTA was working on its strategic plans to upgrade mass transit modes 'in line with its objective to boost the share of public transport users from six per cent in 2009 to 30 per cent in 2020.'

Since its launch on September 9, a total of 11.3 million commuters had used the Metro with average daily ridership of 80,000 commuters.

The numbers will further jump with the launching operation of the Green Line in August 2011 'as it serves vital business district areas densely populated residential districts,' Al Tayer added.