There are several ways to reach Dubai from Abu Dhabi, but here we will only explain the low-cost ones 😂. As you may already know, taxis in Dubai/Abu Dhabi are very cheap compared to what we are used to, but if you only use taxis, you will still spend a significant amount at the end of your trip because Dubai is really a very big city.
From the Abu Dhabi airport to Dubai, there are about 130km, which in a taxi ride (or with Uber/Careem) will cost you from 70 to 100€.
On the other hand, with public transportation, you will spend muuuch less! And trust me, the transportation in Dubai is top-notch, so you will enjoy the trip. Follow the steps below!
Before explaining specifically how to do it, we remind you that in Dubai/Abu Dhabi you will obviously need a local sim card. In this article, we explain prices and providers better, but we remind you that you can purchase an e-sim, a super useful option because you will be able to keep both your Italian sim and the e-sim with the local Emirates provider in your phone. Click HERE to find all the information to buy it.
*Disclosure: This post contains a few affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through my link.
As soon as you land in Abu Dhabi, retrieve your luggage and exit the controls: in front of arrivals, you will find the information desk. Here, ask for the AIRPORT EXPRESS BUS to Dubai.
They will ask for 36 AED (= 9€) for the ticket that takes you from there to the IBN BATTUTA STATION stop in Dubai.
Once you have purchased the ticket, leave the airport: in front of you, you will certainly see at least one attendant (dressed in a fluorescent yellow vest, you can’t miss him haha) who will direct you to the bus to take.
Why are we telling you to ask? Because both the AIRPORT EXPRESS and the E102 pass by. The first is a bus that makes fewer stops, the second slightly lengthens the route (not more than 10/15 minutes), both stop at IBN BATTUTA but have different schedules, so by asking you will know where and which will pass first. The 36 AED ticket is valid for both buses.
At this point, you have arrived at the IBN BATTUTA stop (you will get off under a large overpass, you’re not wrong haha), head inside the metro and go to the metro information point.
Here you can purchase the card for your travels (here we talk about the various cards available and why you should buy it), but most importantly you can ask any metro attendant (they are all super efficient and friendly) which metro to take to reach your destination.
The metro really costs very little, so with a little more than 10€ (and saving at least 60€) you have arrived in Dubai :)
