United Arab Emirates Transport & Getting Around

Transport & Getting Around

There are two main international airports in the United Arab Emirates at Dubai and Abu Dhabi. They are both state-of-the-art facilities, considered to be among the finest airports in the world. Etihad and Emirates are the major UAE airlines, both with a reputation for superb service, safety and comfort. Other major airlines servicing the UAE include British, Lufthansa, Singapore, Air France, Gulf Air, Air India, and KLM airlines. For budget flights within the Middle East and India, Air Arabia flies from Sharjah airport, quite close to Dubai. Small airports also exist at Al-Ain, Fujairah and Ras al-Khaimah offering predominantly charter flights.

There are no rail services in the United Arab Emirates, though hire cars are readily available at all airports and in the city centres. A rental car costs between Dh150 and Dh270 per day. Tourists can enter the UAE by road via Oman from the east or Saudi Arabia in the south. Roads are of a very high standard, although very congested in urban areas and places like the stretch from Sharjah to Dubai. Ask your car rental company for advice on toll licences as many roads are subject to tolls.

Public transport is very limited within the cities although Dubai is currently building a train and monorail system. There are however, frequent comfortable and fast intercity bus services. Taxis are widely available in the major centres and relatively cheap, based on the distance travelled. Vehicles drive on the right-hand side of the road, and the UAE is renowned for speeding and reckless drivers, especially in urban areas. Before deciding to drive in the UAE, visitors should be aware of the issues of road-rage and aggressive drivers, especially during peak traffic periods.