Dubai and Abu Dhabi airport transfers: metro, taxi, bus or private car?

Landing in Dubai is usually the easy part. The question comes a few minutes later, at the arrivals hall, with the suitcases on a trolley: metro, taxi, ride-hailing app, bus or a driver waiting with your name on a sign? The right answer depends on the airport, the terminal, the time of day, how many bags you have and who is travelling with you.

The UAE has three airports that matter for most visitors. Dubai International (DXB) handles most flights to Dubai. Al Maktoum International (DWC) receives a smaller share of flights. In the capital, the airport is now called Zayed International Airport. Each has its own transport options, and they are not the same.

This guide explains how each option works, based on the airports' official information, and when a private transfer makes more sense. Timetables change, especially on public holidays and during Ramadan, so check the official websites before you travel.

Use the table to see at a glance which option suits your arrival. Fares beyond those published by the official sources change, so we have not listed them.

The Red Line of the Dubai Metro stops at DXB Terminals 1 and 3. Terminal 2 has no metro station, so from there you need a taxi, an app or a private car.

According to Dubai Airports, the metro runs Monday to Thursday from 5am to midnight, on Friday from 5am to 1am, on Saturday from 5am to midnight and on Sunday from 8am to midnight. Check these times before you fly, as they can change on public holidays and during Ramadan.

The luggage rule is the catch: each passenger may carry up to two bags, including hand luggage. With two large suitcases and a backpack each, the metro is not an option. It is a good, cheap choice for light travellers whose hotel is close to a Red Line station.

Official airport taxis run 24 hours at DXB, from the taxi ranks outside arrivals. According to Dubai Airports, the starting fare at the airport is from AED 25, and the final price depends on the distance and the time on the meter. Queues can be long when several flights land together, especially late at night.

Careem and Uber also operate in Dubai, and you can book through their apps once you have data or Wi-Fi. Follow the airport signs to the pick-up points for app rides.

Taxis and apps are practical for couples and small groups with normal luggage. The limits appear with large families, lots of suitcases, children who need car seats or travellers who would rather not deal with a queue and an app after a long-haul flight.

Al Maktoum International (DWC) has no metro station. According to Dubai Airports, bus F55 links the airport with the EXPO metro station, and bus N55 runs towards Ibn Battuta. Both run about every 30 minutes and are paid with a nol card, the RTA's transport card.

The bus works for travellers with little luggage and time to spare. For everyone else, and especially if your hotel is in Downtown, the Palm or Abu Dhabi, a taxi or a pre-booked private transfer is far more comfortable. Check your arrival airport on your ticket: many travellers only discover at the last minute that their flight lands at DWC and not DXB.

Abu Dhabi's airport was renamed Zayed International Airport in 2024, and Terminal A is its passenger terminal. If you are staying in the capital, it is the natural airport; if you are staying in Dubai, you may still land there with some airlines, and the transfer to Dubai becomes a road trip.

By public transport, bus E101 links Abu Dhabi's central bus station with Ibn Battuta station in Dubai. It is a cheap option, but with luggage and several changes it is a long journey after a flight.

A private transfer between Dubai and Abu Dhabi takes you from the terminal door to your hotel without changes. It also works in reverse: many travellers stay in Dubai and fly out of Abu Dhabi, or the other way round. If you are planning a day in the capital, see the Dubai to Abu Dhabi day trip and our post on Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

In the UAE, child seats are mandatory for children under 4. Taxis do not always have one, so if you are travelling with small children, ask for the seat when you book a transfer and say how old they are.

Luggage decides the car more than the number of passengers. A seven-seat SUV with all seats in use takes far fewer suitcases than the same car with the third row folded. Our rule is simple: we count the suitcases before choosing the car, so that nobody travels with luggage on their lap. These are examples from the fleet we work with:

Departure day needs as much planning as arrival, and often more. Check-out times, rush-hour traffic and the luggage you have added during the trip all change the picture. Many travellers arrive with two suitcases and leave with three, which can rule out the metro or a small taxi on the way back.

Leave enough time for the road and for the airport itself. If you have shopping that qualifies for the tourist VAT refund, you need to validate it at the airport before check-in, so add that step to your timing. If your flight leaves from Abu Dhabi and you are staying in Dubai, remember that the transfer is a road trip between the two cities and plan it with a generous margin.

If you are leaving late at night, ask your hotel about a late check-out or a place to leave the bags, and book the car in advance so you are not waiting for a taxi with all your luggage at the busiest time.

Before the trip, we ask on WhatsApp for your flight number, the airport and terminal, the hotel address, how many people are travelling, the children's ages and, above all, how many suitcases you are bringing. With that, we recommend the right vehicle and send you a confirmation of the service.

On arrival, the driver waits at the agreed meeting point with a name sign, helps with the luggage and takes you to the hotel in an executive car or a van suited to the group, with water and Wi-Fi on board. We can arrange early-morning arrivals and departures with prior coordination.

We also organise transfers between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, child seats on request and, if you wish, a car at your disposal for the rest of the day; our guide to a private driver in Dubai explains how that works. Prices depend on the airport, the vehicle and the time, so we send a proposal for your exact trip before you book.