DXB to Abu Dhabi City: Taxi, Bus or Transfer

Abu Dhabi city is in a different emirate from Dubai International Airport (DXB), so this is a long inter-emirate drive rather than an ordinary city transfer. It is roughly 130–150 km by road and usually takes around 90–110 minutes, depending on the traffic and the time of day. This guide covers the trip from Dubai Airport to Abu Dhabi, not the other way round, so allow plenty of time and confirm pricing before you commit.

There are three realistic ways to do it: a taxi, the Abu Dhabi–Dubai intercity coach, or a pre-booked intercity transfer. A taxi is the easiest to pick up on the day, but an intercity fare runs into the hundreds of dirhams, which is why the two alternatives deserve a proper look. There is no Metro between the emirates, so it is not an option on this route.

Every figure in this guide is rough and indicative, at the time of writing. Intercity prices in particular vary, so check a live quote in your app and confirm the price with the provider before you set off.

A metered Dubai taxi is built from a few parts: a flag-fall of around AED 5 by day (around AED 5.50 at night), plus around AED 2.26 for every kilometre, plus an airport pickup surcharge of around AED 20–25, plus any Salik toll gates you pass at around AED 4–6 each. The RTA publishes the official taxi tariffs, and ride-hailing app fares are priced differently from the meter and can surge at busy times.

For Abu Dhabi city the indicative range is roughly AED 250–350 at the time of writing, and that is a rough guide, not a quote. This is an intercity trip: over 130–150 km the per-kilometre charge makes up most of the fare, and an intercity ride may not be priced the way a city ride is. Intercity pricing varies, so the only figure that counts is the one you confirm with the driver or see in your app before you set off.

Take the taxi from the airport's taxi rank, which is where the airport pickup surcharge applies. Before the car moves, ask what the rate is, whether it is metered or a set price, and whether it covers the airport charge and any Salik gates. You can compare it with a live quote for the same trip in your ride-hailing app, remembering that app prices can rise at peak times. Our guide to Dubai airport taxi fares goes through the meter in more detail.

Settle the rate, and what it covers, before the car leaves the rank. On a trip this long it is far easier to agree the price at the start than part-way to Abu Dhabi.

• Dubai Airport Taxi Fares

There is no Metro between the emirates, so the Dubai Metro cannot take you from DXB to Abu Dhabi. Our guide to the Dubai Metro from the airport explains how to use it for trips within Dubai. For Abu Dhabi you need one of the options below.

The public-transport alternative is the Abu Dhabi–Dubai intercity coach. It is not a door-to-door service from the airport, and that is the catch to plan around:

• The E100 leaves from Al Ghubaiba and the E101 from Ibn Battuta, and both run to Abu Dhabi central.
• Neither stop is at the airport, so you first need to get from DXB to Al Ghubaiba or Ibn Battuta. That first leg adds time, and usually a fare, on top of the coach itself.
• At the other end, Abu Dhabi central may not be your hotel's front door, so you may need an onward ride.
• We have not quoted a coach fare or journey time. Check the current timetable, fare and stop locations with the operator, and compare the timetable with your landing time, especially on a late flight.
• With big bags, young children or a late arrival, a journey in several legs is harder work than a single door-to-door ride.

Plan the first leg from the airport to the coach stop before you land, not after.

• Dubai Metro from the Airport

For a trip this long, a pre-booked intercity transfer is worth weighing up. You agree the price when you book, instead of working out an intercity rate at the airport after a long flight, and a driver is expecting you. It is the same drive as a taxi, roughly 130–150 km and around 90–110 minutes, so what you are paying for is certainty and ease rather than speed.

It makes the most sense for a late flight or a night arrival, for heavy luggage, for families who need a child seat arranged in advance, for groups that need a vehicle sized for everyone, and for anyone who wants the price settled before leaving home. We do not quote a transfer price here: prices vary by provider and vehicle, so compare live quotes. Start at our airport transfer page, and see our meet-and-greet guide for how a pickup works.

Before you book, check:

• What the price includes, such as tolls and waiting time, and whether it is per vehicle or per person.
• How long the driver will wait if your flight is delayed, and whether they track your flight.
• Whether a child seat is available and confirmed for your journey.
• Whether the vehicle fits your luggage and your group.
• The meeting point, and a contact number for the driver.

• Airport transfers in Dubai
• Meet and Greet at Dubai Airport

The table sets the options against each other. The taxi figures are indicative, and we have not quoted a price for the coach or the transfer because intercity pricing varies, so check live quotes before you decide.

• Decide before you land. Choosing between a taxi, the coach and a transfer is easier at home than in the arrivals hall after a long flight.
• Allow time. The drive alone is roughly 90–110 minutes, so avoid planning a tight meeting or check-in straight after you land.
• Get a live quote and confirm what it covers. Check the price for this exact trip in your ride-hailing app and compare it with what a driver or provider tells you. App fares are priced differently from the meter and can surge at busy times, and on a metered fare the airport pickup charge and any Salik gates are the usual extras, so ask whether they are included and agree how you will pay.
• Luggage and group size. Say how many large bags you have and how many people are travelling so the vehicle is the right size. On the coach you will be carrying everything between the legs.
• Child seats. Ask before you book or set off rather than assuming one will be there. Our guide to child seats for transfers has more.
• Terminal and meeting point. Give a transfer provider your terminal and flight number, and agree where you will meet. Our Dubai airport arrival guide is a useful companion for the arrival itself.
• Save your destination. Keep the name and area of your Abu Dhabi hotel or address on your phone so any driver can find it.

• Child Seats on Dubai Airport Transfers and Taxis
• Arriving at Dubai Airport