Madinat Hamad

Getting around

Madinat Hamad sits within Bahrain's integrated public bus network, which links it with Manama, Isa Town, Riffa and other towns. Because the island is small, the same urban and inter-town network covers virtually everywhere you are likely to go, so there is no separate long-distance coach system to work out. Buses are run by the Bahrain Public Transport Company (BPTC), supervised by the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications; the fleet is air-conditioned and has free Wi-Fi and accessibility provisions. Buses generally run daily from morning until evening, with some routes continuing until midnight from Thursday to Saturday. There are no trams or light rail in operation, and a metro project is in development but not yet running, so do not plan on rail travel of any kind. For now, buses are the practical option, with taxis and ride-hailing best confirmed locally on arrival.

• Pay with a GO Card, a stored-value smart card with a small initial fee and a maximum balance; credit does not expire, and personalised cards issued at terminal ticket offices with your name and photo offer discounts for elderly passengers and free travel for passengers with special needs. A lost card can be replaced for a fee with the balance transferred.
• Buy and top up at ticket offices at Manama, Muharraq and Isa Town; vending machines at bus terminals, Bahrain International Airport and the University of Bahrain; onboard reload machines; the STC Pay app; Sadad kiosks; or the bahrainbus.bh website. Contactless bank cards are not accepted.
• Plan with routes, timetables and fares published at bahrainbus.bh and mtt.gov.bh/bus; real-time arrivals are available via QR codes at stops, display screens and the Moovit app, and customer service is reachable by phone and WhatsApp during daytime and evening hours.
• From Bahrain International Airport, Route A1 connects with Muharraq Bus Terminal, Manama Bus Terminal, Salmaniya, Khamis and Isa Town Bus Terminal, while Route A2 runs between the University of Bahrain at Zallaq and Bahrain New Airport in Muharraq. You can buy or top up a GO Card at airport vending machines before boarding, then change at the main bus terminals onto services toward Madinat Hamad.

The source does not describe pedestrian conditions or footpaths in Madinat Hamad, so expect to rely primarily on motorised transport for getting between districts and destinations.

Three days in Madinat Hamad

Day one: Start in Madinat Hamad itself, getting your bearings in this part of Bahrain before heading north to Manama. Use the bus network run by the Bahrain Public Transport Company (BPTC) under the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications to reach Manama Bus Terminal, the main hub for exploring the capital. Pay your fare with a GO Card, which you can buy and top up using contactless payment, STC Pay or Sadad. Plan your routes with Moovit or by checking the BPTC WhatsApp service, and scan the QR code at stops for timetable information.

• Madinat Hamad
• Manama
• Manama Bus Terminal
• Bahrain Public Transport Company (BPTC)
• Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications
• GO Card
• STC Pay
• Sadad
• Contactless
• Moovit
• WhatsApp
• QR

Day two: Head to Isa Town and its bus terminal, a useful interchange for the southern part of the country. From there you can continue to Riffa, or take a route out to Zallaq. Buses run on a weekly pattern, so check whether your journey falls on a Thursday or Saturday, when timetables can differ. Keep your GO Card topped up and confirm your route in advance with Moovit or the BPTC WhatsApp service.

• Isa Town
• Isa Town Bus Terminal
• Riffa
• Zallaq
• Thursday
• Saturday
• GO Card
• Moovit
• WhatsApp
• BPTC

Day three: Give yourself time for Muharraq, reached via Muharraq Bus Terminal, and for the area around Bahrain International Airport, also served as Bahrain New Airport. If you are arriving or leaving, buses connect the airport with the Muharraq and Manama terminals, and you can pay with a GO Card or contactless. Wi-Fi is available at the airport and at major terminals, so you can plan your route with Moovit or the BPTC WhatsApp service before you set off. From Bahrain International Airport, check your route carefully, as services vary by day.

• Muharraq
• Muharraq Bus Terminal
• Bahrain International Airport
• Bahrain New Airport
• Manama Bus Terminal
• GO Card
• Contactless
• Wi-Fi
• Moovit
• WhatsApp
• BPTC
• From Bahrain International Airport