Transport from Dubai Airport to city centre
The airport is located less than 4 km from the city centre. You have several options for transport to the city centre or to your hotel.
Transportation summary
| Cheapest transport | Metro or bus | EUR 1.60 |
| More flexible transport | Car rental | Reserve a car |
| More convenient transport | Taxi | Book a taxi |
| Transport to your hotel | Shuttle |
Metro to Dubai
Dubai is within quick and easy reach by metro. Metro stations can be found at terminals 1 and 3. From Terminal 2, they can be reached by free shuttle bus.
Metro runs Saturday to Wednesday between 5 am and midnight. On Thursday you can travel by metro from 5 am to 1 am and on Friday from 10 am to 1 am. The metro runs at intervals of 5-10 minutes.
To use public transport in Dubai you will need a Nol Card. This is divided into red, silver, gold and blue. The Red Nol Card, which is the most used by tourists, can be bought for EUR 0.5. This card can be loaded with up to 10 one-way tickets or 5 day tickets. For a one-day ticket, which is valid in all zones, you pay EUR 5.30. A one-way ticket will cost EUR 1 for 1 zone, EUR 1.50 for 2 zones and EUR 2 for 3 or more zones. You can purchase the cards and the tickets you load onto them at each metro station.
- More information on the Nol Card can be found here.
- Dubai transportation route planner: find here.
- Zone map: find here.
- Dubai metro timetable: find here.
Be aware that some carriages in the metro are reserved for women and children only.
Bus to Dubai
Buses run very frequently from the airport, but we still recommend using the metro more. The prices are the same, but the metro is faster. This makes buses especially worthwhile when you need to get somewhere the metro doesn't go. For this, we recommend using the official route finder.
Taxi
The most convenient way to get downtown is to use the services of Gettransfer. A big advantage is that the ride can be booked online and you know the price in advance. Prices on this route start from as little as €10. Drivers are usually nicer than in a regular taxi and can provide a child seat on request, for example. If you forget something in the car, the driver can be traced back and contacted.
Airport shuttle to hotel
An alternative to a taxi is an airport shuttle, which is only economically worthwhile if you're traveling single. The price of shuttle is about 30-50% cheaper than the price of a taxi and if you are travelling in a couple or more people, a taxi is a better option.
- Check the price of transport to your hotel here
Car rental
If you are planning to explore the UAE by car, you can compare the best car rental deals through Rentalcars.
Transport at night
If your arrival or departure is in the late evening or early morning hours, you can use Gettransfer, taxi or night buses.
For more information, not just transport, see the Detailed Dubai Guide.
